PLP Leader Philip "Brave" Davis.
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday the government’s planned holiday and weekend lockdown is not the answer to the country’s COVID-19 crisis.
The move, he said, is only pressing pause on the surmounting issues the nation faces due to the virus.
On Tuesday, Mr Davis called for a comprehensive plan to fight COVID-19 and its affects on the country.
He reiterated those remarks yesterday.
“I am troubled because our healthcare system is near collapse. It is near collapse because we still don’t have enough testing. We still don’t have enough tracing,” Mr Davis said on the Senate steps following the House of Assembly meeting where moments before Prime Minister Dr Minnis had announced new restrictions for New Providence and Abaco.
“We did not use the more than six months since this pandemic began to add hospital and clinic capacity,” Mr Davis said.
“All a lockdown does is press pause. On Tuesday morning we are back where we have started.
“Instead we need a plan to stop the spread of COVID, not a lockdown, but a plan and if the plan includes a lockdown the other aspects of the plan have to be made known.
“We need widespread testing and it needs to be free. We need results returned quickly after testing so people know if they have to be isolated.
“We need a government that understands that this is an airborne virus and that outdoors is safer than indoors. We need to make workplaces safer and we need to support people instead of punishing them.
“This is no time to, as it were, for petty political games and rhetoric, but rather a time to understand and plan for what we have to do. It’s only through testing will we make the invisible virus visible and that has not been happening enough.”
In a statement released after his press conference, Mr Davis faulted the Minnis administration for opening the country’s borders on July 1 “without enough testing and tracing capacity in place” and no requirement for Bahamians returning from virus hotspots after less than 72 hours to be tested.
“As a result of these policy failures, thousands of Bahamians have contracted COVID, visitors are being warned to stay away and our healthcare system and economy are in collapse. The prime minister’s response to this crisis is yet another lockdown. A lockdown is not a plan,” Mr Davis said.
On Tuesday, Mr Davis said lockdowns have been a “useless tool” in the hands of the Minnis administration, as he urged officials to allow free COVID-19 testing for all Bahamians.
While he said the government needed a feasible action plan that includes free testing for every Bahamian, he said the party would not stand behind another complete lockdown of New Providence in the absence of complete data to support why the move is being considered.
PLP Deputy Leader Chester Cooper has also said that local businesses could not afford another lockdown.
Comments
TigerB 4 years, 2 months ago
“We need a government that understands that this is an airborne virus and that outdoors is safer than indoors. We need to make workplaces safer and we need to support people instead of punishing them.
Seem we have a cure for the Covid, I think we better elect this guy(SMT)
tribanon 4 years, 2 months ago
Yellow belly Davis is wrong as usual, but in a perverse way.
All Minnis is really doing is killing what remains of our economy.
themessenger 4 years, 2 months ago
" Mr Davis called for a comprehensive plan to fight COVID-19 and its affects on the country."
Why don't you tell us what your comprehensive plan is to fight COVID-19 or shut up!
Its a pity we can't find a way to press your pause or should that be delete button!
Cobalt 4 years, 2 months ago
Lol
Cobalt 4 years, 2 months ago
Typical politician. Point the finger at the existing government while presenting no practical solution to the problem. I guess we’re expected to believe that you and your PLP criminal outfit have tangible ideas on how to move our country forward, huh? Yeah, right. If I remember correctly, you and your “band of buffoons” couldn’t even extinguish a dump fire. Furthermore, for decades you’ve been the MP for Ragged Island yet that Island has no proper infrastructure! The little infrastructure that’s currently there had to be placed by Hubert Ingraham. And for years he threw that in your face. Phillip Davis needs to know that not all Bahamians are stupid. So try hard go sit down. Smt.
BONEFISH 4 years, 2 months ago
Phillip Davis has represented Cat Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay in the House of Assembly for years. He has never represented Ragged Island.
He is a typical Bahamian politician. He loves politics and power but does not understand management and governance.
DDK 4 years, 2 months ago
IF we make it to another general election, there are a few things which need to be tackled by the in-coming government. First off greed and corruption can no longer be tolerated, starting at the very top and continuing right down and across the board. Then there are a list of agencies and corporations that need revamping from top to bottom:- perhaps we should start with education, followed by the healthcare system, the police department, the judicial system, the defense force, immigration, customs, the treasury with the doing away with the "consolidated" fund, housing, public works, the power corporation, the water corporation, aviation and transport with particular attention to Bahamasair, and the labour board. I guess I left out a few, but it should keep them busy! The numbers houses on every street corner and in between need to be eliminated, so I suppose the gaming board should be included.
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