Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. (File photo)
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on Friday stood by his call for businesses to implement a testing regime for employees who do not get the COVID-19 vaccine.
During a contract signing for the government's purchase of the Grand Bahama International Airport on Thursday, Dr Minnis encouraged employers to have their unvaccinated employees "take a COVID test, PCR test, weekly so as to not jeopardize the remainder of (their) employees."
The comment sparked feedback from the public given that RT-PCR tests typically cost more than $100 per test.
Asked in Eleuthera on Friday about his comments, Dr Minnis reiterated his view but did not specify that employers should demand a weekly PCR test.
"You should encourage individuals to vaccinate," he said. "It is established that if in the environment or the workplace those individuals are vaccinated, then if one individual in that environment is not vaccinated, you would not have to close your business (after there is exposure) because the remainder are protected. For those who have refused for whatever reason to not be vaccinated then there should be some form of test that they should do to ensure that the environment is safe."
Dr Minnis sidestepped questions about House Speaker Halson Moultrie, who abruptly adjourned House proceedings on Wednesday after accusing the executive of ignoring the authority of Parliament.
"The Cabinet Office seems to think that it controls Parliament," Speaker Moultrie said, adding: “Now, I don’t necessarily pick fights or wars, but if you want a war, you can get a war. They say if you don’t want a war, don’t start one. So don’t come in this Parliament talking about reading books of war because more than one person in this Parliament reads books of war."
In his first public comments about Speaker Moultrie's remarks, Dr Minnis avoided addressing the matter directly.
"I didn't even think about it," he said. "I'm more concerned with getting vaccinations out to the general population. I'm more concerned with saving lives. I'm more concerned with getting our economy back and having our population working."
Dr Minnis visited Eleuthera on Friday to open a new Passport Office in Governor's Harbour.
"Eleuthera residents should not be disadvantaged in any way because you reside outside our larger urban centres," he said. "You should not have to endure the inconvenience and unnecessary costs associated with travelling to New Providence to apply for and collect your passports. Passports are essential as travel documents and proof of citizenship and identification. These documents should be available to you where you live."
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Comments
birdiestrachan 3 years, 6 months ago
doc should stop flying all over the place opening passport offices. It makes no sense. the population is small it would be sensible to send persons from the passport office every few months or weeks to renew or issue new passports.
He lacks vision and what makes a good leader. It is not sold in stores and it can not be learned from books.
By the way, was it him and Moultrie by Cabbage beach when the fence was torn down and did he say he would expunge those people records?? but when the case was called did. the police show up remember how Mr Gray was treated for trying to keep a poor boy from the family Island out of jail
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 6 months ago
What Mr Gray did appeared to be the wrong to go about things. A politician cannot direct the legislative branch on how to hand out justice. That said the PM does seem to lack vision and seems to be skirting any kind of governmental responsibilities going so far as to tell us that in the next 5 years the DPM will assume the work of the PM. permanently
ohdrap4 3 years, 6 months ago
There has yet to be a testing regime. Since day one they only test the symptomatic.
I know a teacher who is in quarentine right noe. She was told to test only if she presents symptoms.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 6 months ago
same man who said testing was completely unnecessary and based on him being a doctor and his scientific analysis, we'd already defeated COVID... 3 times now
tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago
This is nothing but a hideous and coercive effort by Minnis to defeat the free will of all those persons who are naturally fearful of getting jabbed for one legitimate reason or another. And Minnis is outrightly condoning the illegal conduct of those employers who are literally forcing their employees to get jabbed notwithstanding their very genuine personal health concerns about the potential unidentified long term harmful side-effects of these new mRNA vaccines; experimental vaccines that were developed at warp speed for emergency use only by those who, of their own free-will, choose get jabbed with them.
Power-juiced Minnis is despicably behaving as if he thinks his very own personal medical edict as a doctor somehow trumps not only our own right and 'free will' to decide what experimental medications we may choose to take, but also the medical views of every other physician on the planet, including possibly your own personal medical doctor.
Minnis knows full well that no right minded and sensible medical doctor would be willing to assume the obvious legal risks associated with the forced jabbing of a patient of theirs with one of these mRNA vaccines, developed at warp speed for emergency, experimental use only. Before jabbing or recommending that a patient of theirs be jabbed, a righted minded and sensible medical doctor would insist on having his or her patient evidence their willingness and consent, of their own free-will, to being exposed to the potential unidentified long term harmful side-effects that may not become known for years.
Here we see yet another most glaring and frightening example of Minnis's arrogance, nastiness and bullying behaviour towards the people. He has now lost complete control of himself and no longer even attempts to hide his innate dictatorial desires.
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 6 months ago
You so scary....
Tsk tsk tsk....
Don't be a sissy little fella. Go get your shot and stop whining.
tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago
ZZZzzzzzz........
TalRussell 3 years, 6 months ago
We must challenge any notion that governing over the Realm's chain1200 Out Islands, Cays, and Rocks, is not so easy.
But some make it out like a good job will only be seen as being done well, if it's performed by someone of the most eminence importance, yes?
carltonr61 3 years, 6 months ago
Are civil servants in the tourist blackmail bubble? Guess not. The old the immuno compromised were said to be under emergency use order to save their lives. Now even young and healthy individuals are forced to vaccinate. The script just changes to please them daily.
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 6 months ago
These cards they give you when you get your shot are too easily faked. Need something better, with water marks or some other security feature..
ohdrap4 3 years, 6 months ago
Same applies to voters cards.
SP 3 years, 6 months ago
It is totally unfare that hotel employees were considered safe for work with the $15.00 Covid-19 Rapid Antigen weekly test, but Minnis is now having other employers demand staff take an RT-PCR test typically costing more than $100 per test!
Seems like the PM received marching orders from Michael Scott's hue.
TalRussell 3 years, 6 months ago
Comrades, what say we begin with each the individually redcoatys, executing in-writing under the threat perjury imprisonment, "Sworn Disclosures" as to what, if any written or spoken, COVID Employees Policies are currently in place at each and every business that they/family own, have direct/indirect interests in, or hold Shares/Bonds, in - kicking-off with each the 35-House-elected, Upper Red Chamber appointees, followed by each and all political appointees to the various government boards, commissions, committees, etc.
*Come clean by paraphrasing a Nixon-like declaration.
Shouldn't the PopoulacesCommoners' (PCAL) have a right to know whether or not their politicians and politically favoured - might not be acting against them? Well, under threat of perjury, all must step forward to satisfy the growing concerns of the thousands of the PCAL, yes?
John 3 years, 6 months ago
So India is the largest manufacturer of Covid-19 vaccines. They donated vaccines to other countries. BUT the US and Canada and other countries are set to DONATE vaccines to India?
TalRussell 3 years, 6 months ago
Comrades, give it "max" 10 days out from today, begin to hear sounds the COVID outbreaks alarms will be sprung up at the realm's hotels and touristy spots, yes?
carltonr61 3 years, 6 months ago
He seems to be headed to Nuremberg War Crimes tribunal.
carltonr61 3 years, 6 months ago
Even CDC, FDA, Gates and Fauci never spoke such lunacy. What he has conjured up seems to be his opinion and is not guided by PAHO advise. I have search for days for a real scientist fact on this matter which just seems to be an opinion that goes beyond his MD degree. He now has degrees in clairvoyancy, prophesying, spookism, paranoia and causing medical, ethical, labor, and religious confusions. CDC needs to call him out on this one.
JokeyJack 3 years, 6 months ago
Why not force Bahamian workers to get tests every week for over $100? I mean, really, why not? They are only lowly dogs who get to ink their finger once every 5 years and in the meantime have no say in matters whatsoever. After inking finger, can only hope that someone monitors the ballot boxes. Party reps are not always ... AND Never-ending extension of emergency powers? Who cares? Who can care? Can we vote with our cellphones? Is there an app for that?
ohdrap4 3 years, 6 months ago
Chile reported 7370 infections on 18 April, down slightly on the record high of 9151 cases reported on 9 April. Some 96% of the intensive care beds in the country are occupied as hospitals come under growing strain from the most severe coronavirus outbreak yet.1
The surge in cases comes despite a speedy vaccine rollout, a nationwide nightly curfew, and restrictions on movement imposed across most of the country. The case numbers have provoked concern and speculation around the world as to why the transmission rate remains high despite 40% of Chileans2 having received at least one vaccine dose—the third highest rate in the world after the UK and Israel.
Heard on the news there are SEVEN variants in Chile now. The more vaccine, the more variants.
They blame the vaccinated for going around without maskas after the first shots. LOL.
The vaccinated exemptions will be short lived.
JokeyJack 3 years, 6 months ago
The more vaccinations, the more cases and new rules. It reminds me of the time i gave my son cough medicine and he went blind. We were concerned, but our doctor explained it was just a "breakthrough" and recommended a "booster" spoonful. He managed to swallow it before his tongue fell out. We wrote it off aa some sort of "new normal" and that was a decade ago - long before that phrase was coined.
carltonr61 3 years, 6 months ago
In India as in the Bahamas surges keep spiking with vaccine rollout. India says they have ran out of vaccine, or have they. What if they were hiding what we suspect that herd vaccinations are having a drastic effect because the test subjects maybe spreading possible varients. After all the FDA holds non approval for emergency use only for the most vulnerable not a herd of healthy people.
ColumbusPillow 3 years, 6 months ago
PCR Covid Test costs $100 and you have to wait 2 or 3 days for a report. False positives are found often. The antigen Covid Test (1/2" swab up the nose) takes 15 to 30 minutes to get a report and costs $15 or free at the clinic. PM please take notice.
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