The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

ELIZABETH MP Dr Duane Sands said yesterday the county was not winning the battle against COVID-19, despite ongoing Emergency Powers Orders that the government now seeks to extend.

Speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, the former Health Minister said just three months after successfully flattening the curve, COVID-19 cases skyrocketed to more than 3,000 and 80 people have died.

Of the 213 countries affected by the deadly respiratory virus, Dr Sands said The Bahamas ranks 136th in total or absolute number of cases, 36th in number of cases per capita and 38th in deaths.

“Notwithstanding the noble intention,” the MP said at Parliament, “the hard work and the resources expended to date, we are not winning this battle.

“And we have paid an incredible price to date. Our economic performance though ably guided and managed by the member from East Grand Bahama is facing hurricane force headwinds.

“Businesses like gymnasiums, and restaurants are struggling for survival. I could continue,

if the treatment is worse than the disease, perhaps we should change the treatment.”

Dr Sands also took exception to the powers conferred to the competent authority. He said the emergency orders have seized the power of the people, possibly in defiance of the constitution.

He said he supported the initial emergency orders, but now they are not needed.

“I supported the initial emergency orders. I believed then and I believe now that they were necessary. They were a constitutionally sanctioned means to achieve an end. We had good intentions.

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions. We are a democracy. The power of the people is vested in a minimum number - no less than 38. Even with the emergency orders, the framers of our constitution envisioned a balance of power shared by the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

“While not explicitly enshrined it was imagined that each would check the other and the fourth estate would hold all accountable.

“What we have done at first for good reasons is to consolidate power into not 39, but one. What we have done is to weaken the power of the 39 to provide checks on the one.

“We have seized the power of the people…possibly in defiance of the constitution.

“We have concentrated it into one person. The expectation was, the hope, the prayer was that there would be a more efficient approach to the emergency.

“The proof of the pudding is in the eating. We have surrendered the people’s power and what have we gotten?”

The confirmed COVID-19 cases in Parliament were also a point of criticism for Dr Sands yesterday. He suggested Parliament should find an alternate way to meet, instead of in person, given the COVID-19 threat.

“I am reliably informed that we have 39 MPs, 17 staff members and 16 senators. To date, six staffers or MPs have been stricken with COVID-19, 8.3 percent of us.

“That cluster of cases confirms that we are challenged in this ancient edifice. How many more should be infected before we act? Many of us, like the population, have comorbidities.

“While we are individuals we hold offices. Even if we are willing to risk our individual health issues…we must protect the institutions we serve.

“This is not about us. That reality ought to push us to an alternative venue or platform.

“We have not adopted a technologically appropriate solution - Zoom or any other suitable secure digital platform.”