THE Progressive Liberal Party has hit out at Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis for his response to questions about calls for free COVID-19 testing.
“Many countries offer free testing to their citizens, including Turks and Caicos,” the PLP said in a statement.
“A successful COVID policy requires a government dedicated to finding and isolating the virus through expanded testing. Instead, his weak testing policy means too many cases go undiagnosed and he can only slow transmission by locking Bahamians up nights and weekends, hurting families and local businesses.
“Once again, as he has since the beginning, the Prime Minister pointed to all the countries who are failing to contain the virus, as if he could use them as a shield from criticism. And once again, we invite him to look at and learn from the success stories, especially in the Caribbean. Get it together, PM. Too much is at stake.”
At a press conference on Wednesday, Dr Minnis was asked about potential plans to offer free COVID-19 tests to those who cannot afford them.
In response, he said the government is already providing some free COVID-19 testing.
“I know you’ve heard that statement coming from the leader of the opposition,” Dr Minnis said. “The PLP (Progressive Liberal Party) lives in Alice in Wonderland of fantasies. They must stop using politics and one day face realities.
“We will do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety and survival of our fellow citizens.”
He also said: “Princess Margaret Hospital, the lab, those tests, patients are not charged for those tests now. So, there (is) free testing by the hospital.”
The PLP has frequently called for testing to be expanded and free, along with increased contact tracing, to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Comments
TigerB 4 years, 1 month ago
This sounds good, but nothing is ever free, someone always bear the cost. Perhaps Brave forgot this is 3rd world country, Turks & Caicos is not an independent nation, it is still under England. Mother England may be doing all of theirs for free, including all of its territories. Just this morning CNN reported that the United States had over 86,000 new cases just yesterday. This thing is real and not political as he is making it. Even if he makes prime minister it will still be here
“A successful COVID policy requires a government dedicated to finding and isolating the virus through expanded testing."
I went to NIB today here in Freeport to drop something off... long lines waiting for unemployment checks... he complains about the power being turned off. It is my guess he thinks BPL runs on water. They have to pay bills as well, with the money they collect from the service they provide. I expect my light to be turn off if I don't pay it, no excuses. Like it or not, the country is broke, no matter who we vote in...It can only happen here in the Bahamas,
mandela 4 years, 1 month ago
The government should have already provided free testing for the people who they are working for, they should have done this at least once, once, just to get a handle on the situation confronting the society, their bosses. The citizens of the Bahamas comes first, the government comes next, there can be citizens without government, there could never be government without citizens.
JokeyJack 4 years, 1 month ago
Very stupid idea from the PLP. So many people have Covid with no symptoms. The number of positives is likely way higher than the numbers who have been tested positive. Same worldwide. Does the PLP really want the true numbers to come out to affect tourism?
The same is happening in the USA. They have provided millions of test kits and so many people are able to be tested, that of course the number of positives is high. Do you really think the availability of testing in the USA is the same worldwide? Do you think people in Egypt are easily able to be tested? Of course not. Thus their numbers are low - and it SEEMS like the Corona virus problem in Egypt is smaller than the USA. The info that will come out between now and Dec 31st is going to blow the minds of the majority of CNN followers.
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