• Chain sees most monthly cases since pandemic start
• Fears case rise will ‘destroy economy’ if not checked
• Two-tier society of vaccinated/non-vaccinated emerging
By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
Super Value’s president yesterday urged the authorities to “brutally enforce” COVID-19 health protocols as he revealed the supermarket chain has “had more cases in the last month than ever before”.
Rupert Roberts, speaking after the government unveiled tighter restrictions in a bid to curb soaring infection rates, told Tribune Business that the spike was likely due to persons failing to abide by long-standing measures such as social distancing, mask wearing and hand washing.
Voicing fears that the case surge, with another 62 cases recorded on Saturday, could “destroy the economy” and setback tourism’s revival if left unchecked, he warned that The Bahamas cannot afford any repeat of the “lockdowns” implemented in 2020.
Mr Roberts also suggested that The Bahamas could evolve into a two-tier society if vaccination rates do not improve when new supply becomes available, adding that non-vaccinated persons could effectively “lock themselves in” and “not be able to participate in the economy and regular life”.
While encouraged by talk among Super Value’s staff and customers that they will be more inclined to take COVID vaccines once the Pfizer brand arrives in The Bahamas, which is projected to happen in the upcoming quarter, Mr Roberts argued that the nation is presently in the midst of its “worst infection wave ever” with the public healthcare system again stretched to breaking point.
Some 100 persons are presently hospitalised with COVID-19, including ten who are in intensive care, with some 1,455 active cases spread across The Bahamas. “We have to do something to stop the spread; they have to slow down this spread,” Mr Roberts told Tribune Business.
“I think people have reverted back to the status quo, and we need something to bring their attention back to the protocols that they should be following, which I think they have gotten away from. I think that the medical authorities really have to get brutal with enforcing the restrictions. It’s just getting out of hand, and the reason it’s getting out of hand is because they’re not following the protocols.”
Mr Roberts said he had spoken to both Dr Duane Sands, ex-minister of health, and Dr Nikkiah Forbes, The Bahamas’ head of infectious diseases, on the matter and reiterated: “I think they should get more brutal about the enforcement. We’re headed for another lockdown unless we hold this off, and the population starts listening.
“Everybody saw this wave coming. We’re feeling it [at Super Value] because on Friday we had our second death. I told Dr Sands and Dr Forbes that we’ve had more cases in the last month than we’ve ever had since this pandemic began. It’s because people are not listening.
“I don’t have enough medical knowledge to suggest what to do, but the people who know have to get on with it. We seem to be getting the worst wave we’ve ever had. Whatever it takes to stop it we have to do.”
The Prime Minister’s Office, in a statement last night, indicated that no wide-ranging “lockdown” of the type that marked 2020 is in the offing as the Government seeks to balance saving lives and prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed with allowing tourism and the wider economy to continue their rebound.
“The Prime Minister is focused on implementing policies that protect Bahamians while allowing commerce to continue in a safe and responsible manner,” the statement said.
“The country’s economy has shown substantial gains on the road to recovery in recent months. It is imperative that this continues. The Prime Minister seeks to ensure that while acting to save lives Bahamians are able to earn a living.”
However, Mr Roberts said The Bahamas could be “locked down from without” if it fails to get its local COVID-19 infection rates under control and tourists are deterred from travelling here as a result. “I mentioned to Dr Sands and Dr Forbes that if we don’t get locked down from within, we’ll get locked down from without if we carry on with the careless way of not listening and not complying,” the Super Value chief added.
“If we don’t stop, and carry on doing what we’re doing, we’re going to destroy the economy and we’ll get locked down from being locked down because tourists will not come to a COVID-infected country. We need to take the precautions and stop, because I don’t think we can get locked down again.”
Warning of the dangers of a two-tiered society, Mr Roberts added: “We have to sort it out by who is vaccinated or not vaccinated. Essentially, it boils down to the vaccinated will carry on and the non-vaccinated will lock themselves out from within. They’ll not be able to participate in the economy and regular life.
“We’ll essentially go the way Europe has gone. Stay at home for the non-vaccinated, and the vaccinated participate in the economy. That’s what I see emerging. The virus seems to be multiplying, and getting worse and worse.
“I would hate to see it affect our re-opening because the tourists are certainly coming if we are open. People have been locked down, they want to travel, and if we’re a safe place they’ll want to come and we’ll get our employment back and the economy will revive,” he continued. “The economy seemed to be turning around, but if we lose this wave then it really will take time to regenerate and that will be a total disaster.”
The Government on Friday extended the curfew on New Providence, Grand Bahama, North and South Eleuthera – including Harbour Island – by one hour, bringing the start forward to 10pm from 11pm with effect from tonight.
Individuals travelling from those islands are also required to undergo a RT-PCR test. However, the rule will not apply to fully vaccinated people. And on New Providence and Grand Bahama, church services will be limited to one hour and only allowed at 33 percent capacity.
Funeral or cremation services are not allowed but graveside services will be permitted with a maximum of 30 people. This excludes the officiant and funeral workers at those services. No funeral repasts are permitted, however.
Weddings are allowed indoors and outdoors, but not exceeding 30 people. Renward Wells, minister of health, said: “As regards to restaurants, dining is restricted to outdoor and takeaways services, and it is encouraged that there be no loitering of groups outside restaurants or at fish fries. These restrictions, however, do not apply to hotel properties.”
“No spas will be opened. This includes massages, waxing, threading and facials. For all islands of The Bahamas, private gatherings will be restricted to five persons provided that the individuals are vaccinated.”
Comments
trueBahamian 3 years, 3 months ago
The numbers are incrasing but the response is not the correct one. A curfew will not solve a problem and a lockdown will destroy the economy. Mr. Roberts speaks of people not listening. Is it as simple as that?
One solution is testing. If someone wants to go out, let's say, require a negative rapid antigen test taken within the last 5 days. so, every week they have to show an updated test. this solves two problems, you minimize the spread in certain settings as most people who test negative during a given week should be negative. Anyone who is negative one week should have a positive test the next week or early into the third week. The second benefit, we are reducing the unknown. By flagging at least those going out who may be positive, we can isolate them and reduce them spreading the virus among their contacts. Not having this test, they will not know they are positive and they will spread it among everyone they know. one unfortunate consequence of course is that if someone can't afford a test, they will not be allowed to go out which gives an additional benefit because if they are positive, it limits how many extra people they can infect and if they are negative they can't get exposed.
tribanon 3 years, 3 months ago
Yep, you're sure a big believer in us vs them, black vs white, gay vs straight, socialist vs capitalist, Christian vs heathen, elitist vs plebe, vaccinated vs unvaccinated......and on and on and on. lol
ohdrap4 3 years, 3 months ago
In the days of the black plague, they just nailed down the doors with the residents inside.
So, if you test positive, vaccinated or not, I can nail down your front door.
When you die, no problem, there us plenty who could come live there.
thephoenix562 3 years, 3 months ago
Nonsense
baclarke 3 years, 3 months ago
"Mr Roberts also suggested that The Bahamas could evolve into a two-tier society if vaccination rates do not improve when new supply becomes available, adding that non-vaccinated persons could effectively “lock themselves in” and “not be able to participate in the economy and regular life”." Here we go with the elitist, tyrannical, discriminatory FALSE dichotomy. with less than 30% (last I checked) of the population being vaccinated, I dear the businesses to BAN the unvaccinated. Such a stupid idea. Here's a better idea, firstly GET SOME MORE VACCINES, second, encourage persons to take the vaccine instead of the stupid elitist talk, thirdly continue to enforce mask wearing and social distancing and testing for vaccinated and unvaccinated, lastly, get your head out of your @$$ and stop thinking that only the unvaccinated are spreading this virus.
tribanon 3 years, 3 months ago
If he reads your posted comment he will surely and most deservedly say: "Ouch! That one really hurt."
DDK 3 years, 3 months ago
I wonder how many Super Value employees die of other causes over the course of a normal year?? How many colds, how many cases of influenza, hypertension, diabetes, etc.???
Alan1 3 years, 3 months ago
Tourists are not coming here in any large numbers anyway with a rebound mostly in the imagination of the Tourism Minister and staff. They imposed the Health Visa . Most prospective visitors are unwilling to go through all the hassles to get the cumbersome Visa. They are going to other southern destinations where entry is far easier. Also the travel advisories of countries showing our very low rate of vaccination and the current news that we have run out of vaccines discourages tourists. Why would they want to come here when most of our population is unvaccinated?
John 3 years, 3 months ago
The most false post of the pandemic!
ScubaSteve 3 years, 3 months ago
You are clueless! My family will be coming to the Bahamas this weekend for the 2nd time in the past two months. The first time we brought a group of 11 and this time a group of 13 -- all tourist. The Health Visa is extremely easy to fill out online and only takes about 5 min from start to finish (if you are vaccinated). It's certainly NOT a hinderance or roadblock to visiting your country. Where are you getting your "facts?"
Dawes 3 years, 3 months ago
I take it you don't live here. Except for the cruise ships not coming the rest are.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
People are definitely not coming at the rate they did pre pandemic., but to say noone is coming you'd have to be suffering from COVID induced hallucinations. The tribune posted a photo about two(?) weeks ago with an LPIA "people" jam...looked like alot of tourists to me. Michael Maura said he expected 13000 cruise passengers between Jul 2 and Jul 11.
dwanderer 3 years, 3 months ago
Finally, other readers have called you out on this fallacy that Health Visas are deterring most tourists. Like one reader who is an actual visitor said, it's easily filled out within minutes. Considering that your negative comments have been exactly the same since day one, it makes one wonder why are you so fixated on the Health Visa so long after all this time has passed? Are you genuinely interested in your erroneous 'reduced' arrivals or do you have a vested financial interest somehow?
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
"the supermarket chain has “had more cases in the last month than ever before”
of course you've had more cases than ever before. Just look at the number of new biological organisms that entered the country on cruise ships. We've haven't been exposed to them before and are we're highly susceptible.
WETHEPEOPLE 3 years, 3 months ago
Why does the tribune continue to give this man so much coverage.
tribanon 3 years, 3 months ago
His chain of food stores is one of The Tribune's bigger accounts in terms of advertising revenue.
professionalbahamian 3 years, 3 months ago
News flash- there are those with one and two doses of AZ who have contracted the virus albeit with lessor symptoms so far but they still have it...
No more BS please. If you are in fear then you get vaccinated but enough bullcrap restrictions.
John 3 years, 3 months ago
SEEMS LIKE ROBERTS has been recruited to the VACCINE BANDWAGON! Firstly, if you check the global statistics, it is the vaccinated countries that are having the greatest surges in new cases. If fact five countries including THe US, UK, France, Brazil and India ( though India’s numbers have sharply plummeted) accounting for FIFTY PERCENT of all new cases worldwide. Theo there are countries, like The Bahamas, that have swung its borders wide open, to hell and all, and allowed all types of variants to get in. So you have people working in the hotels coming in contact with these strangers (to the population) in the hotels, driving taxis, in the stores and elsewhere. Then they go home to their families and there is spread amongst the household. Check the rest of the Caribbean and Central and South America and the African countries. Many of their numbers remain low, a lot in single digits with ZERO deaths in months, some having NO DEATHS in 2021. And yes, most tourists visiting this country come from the US where they refused to give up their rights and do simple things like wear masks, sanitize, social distance. And if one goes in some of Super Values stores one can clearly witness this, where the tourists shop in groups. They may not be a threat to themselves, but they certainly are a threat to Super Values staff and other establishments they shop in this fashion at. And whilst Roberts admits he is no Dr, he is certainly aware that new cases ( breakthrough cases) are increasing among vaccinated persons. Exponentially so. And part of the blame must be passed to Hubert Minnis and Dr Anthony Fauci, who tried to reward vaccinated persons, even at the expense of the vaccinated. Fauci recently said while unvaccinated people must wear masks, unvaccinated people can do so at their own discretion. And the cases surged. Minnis made similar remarks and hence the beginning of this country’s current surge ( some say its fourth wave). And now the CDC says it will have to revise its mask requirements and advise wearing of masks by everyone and following of all safety protocols by everyone. They are admitting the vaccines efficacy is wearing off after a few months and are also pondering a third ( booster) shot. Israel already gave third shots to its most vulnerable people and France went into full lockdown. The UK seeing its numbers of breakthrough cases increase almost daily. But the fortunate thing for The Bahamas so far is the number of deaths haven’t increased relative to the number of new cases. There is still time for corrective measures. One that can’t built around vaccines since they are scares and hardly available. And the way they are distributed and controlled may be a huge part of the problem.
John 3 years, 3 months ago
Then there are the mixed signals: the hypocrisy of persons not able to attend church or restrictions on weddings and funerals , but dozens of Bahamians coming around your homes campaigning. ‘I n the midst of the most dangerous and deadly pandemic known to this generation.’ Minn you ain’t serious!
ohdrap4 3 years, 3 months ago
Well, do like me. I shop at the po people super value across from rhe university of wullf rd.
Never seen a tourist there.
Dawes 3 years, 3 months ago
I still think we should drop all restrictions and let it rip. Let those who want to be vaccinated get vaccinated and those that don't don't. Studies in countries with large vaccinations have consistently shown that there is less of a chance of getting Covid if vaccinated and even less of a chance of going to hospital, and even less of a chance of dying. So yes people will get it , go to hospital and die, but in much lower numbers then if they weren't vaccinated. So let it RIP and see what happens, its only a 1-2% death rate anyway.
tribanon 3 years, 3 months ago
Too much hideous scaremongering at the behest of our most Incompetent Authority. Death rate as a percentage of our country's total population remains about 0.06%
Dawes 3 years, 3 months ago
Thats of the total population, not of those who got it. If we say 50,000 have had it then it is 0.5%, so over the entire population its 2,000. Note if we use the official number of those who had it (yes we all know this is under counting), then the % would be around 2%, so for the entire population 8,000 (yes very basic assumptions being made but that 0.06% number is only going to go up).
tribanon 3 years, 3 months ago
The 0.06% death rate based on total population is more meaningful as it captures both the probability of getting infected with the Wuhan virus and the probability of dying from it. Think of it in terms of the probability calculation for shooting a double-six with your dice at the craps table: 1/6 x 1/6 = 1/36.
Dawes 3 years, 3 months ago
Our population is about 400,000, 0.06% is 240 so we are already there and going above it
Chucky 3 years, 3 months ago
Why does an old man who claim to gain is his ability to sell food get a platform.
Super value spent years passing off rotten milk and mouldy bread; so he’s not even good at selling food, but he knows how to make money- big deal. That doesn’t make him smart, and certainly not our best moral compass.
If anything he’s worried for himself , and his profits.
tribanon 3 years, 3 months ago
This dowdy greedy old fart devoted the better part of his life to buying greatly discounted food products from abroad, i.e. inferior products nearing their expiry or throw-away dates, and then selling these same inferior products to the public through his food stores in The Bahamas at outrageously marked up prices.
And government regulators over the years have done very little if anything to rein in his despicable wholesale food buying business, mainly based in Florida and his equally despicable food retail business practices in The Bahamas.
His answer to lowering the level of theft in his food stores, which he claims is mainly responsible for his outrageously high pricing, is to simply increase food prices because he believes he has no serious competition and simply raising prices across the board puts much more profit in his pockets.
Twocent 3 years, 3 months ago
And the people are going to listen to another greedy oligarch who clearly has not researched fact-based unbiased SOURCES! ?
Vaccine vs non-vaccine don’t appear to have much between them…BOTH parties need to wear a mask and follow public health protocols, both parties can catch SARS COV2, both parties can carry it to others, both parties can get very sick with it, and be hospitalized. What are the differences? One group want their hedonist freedoms at any cost, the other were respectfully following the protocols and watching the science. One group might not get as sick with COVID, but science is starting to suggest they will be very sick in the future. The other group, mostly the unhealthy, will risk getting very sick and taking proven medications or die, while the other majority of the group will have avoided chronic complications for which there is no support or legal recourse.
Until the trials for these companies have reached their conclusion we are left with the unfolding evidence…AND THE LAW, ETHICS, and HUMAN RIGHTS. Ignorant people follow fear and the “popular” “agenda”. Is there an agenda? At the start of this I thought not and I followed the science. For months now those so called “theorists” seem to have been the prophets. It would now appear that a tide is rising towards the abolition of law, ethics, and human rights until a new law, new “ethics” and the complete destruction of human rights has been achieved.
Stamford university did an interesting study on what makes a loser in life. They watched children who were either marshmallow eaters because they had no patience to let time unfold, or those who had the patience to resist one tasty marshmallow for a much better outcome in the future. Guess who the adult losers were!? Not those who watched, waited, and got the facts before they impulsively served their wants.
I suggest Mr. Roberts is looking at his current profits and thinking the media are telling him the current scientific facts. He appears to be a bully who wants to brutally enforce his own opinion. Do such people really get a soap box of power in this country; is the true notion of democracy a myth?
Twocent 3 years, 3 months ago
Mr Roberts wants to talk health?…… How does a profiteer who markets cheap food at extortionate prices, that cause the biggest health burden in the nation through obesity, mal-absorption, heart disease, high blood-pressure, and pesticide and additive poisoning, get to think he can talk HEALTH? ROL!
John 3 years, 3 months ago
SIDEBAR: Do you think Roberts wants to see those long lines again in front and around his stores and hear his cash registers chiming and ringing like Santas' sleigh on Christmas eve? As panicking Bahamians empty his shelves? BUT ON THE REAL: (AND THIS IS STRICTLY MY OPINION, not casting myself off as a professional or expert): If one was to examine the data for the 150 countries that have fewer corona cases and deaths than The Bahamas, they are ALL reporting new cases in the low double-digits, or in the single digits or mostly NO NEW DAILY CASES. Why then is the difference for The Bahamas? Whether we accept it on not, it is not to do with the vaccines, but border control. No saying to shut the border completely, but include more restrictions for persons traveling in to as well as out of- the country. Of course, they already tried getting tourists to re-test once they entered the country. And Bahamians who return must be tested more and restricted more, especially those who visit Corona hotspots.
THEN There's This; The new Covid-19 cases are increasing fastest among the highest vaccinated countries. Some five countries account for about half the new cases. (deaths are also declining worldwide but increasing in those countries like it is doing here). And, despite spike/surge/new wave in some countries, new cases and active cases are declining globally. So what does that mean? That this spike/surge/new wave of Corona, caused by the Delta strain despite being labelled the most dangerous and deadly strain yet, will be short-lived and will soon die off? OR DOES IT MEAN that this new strain has not hit most parts of the world yet and the surge/spike/new wave has not hit those countries yet. Further examination of the data at least by the weekend, will allow one to determine exactly what this new surge is doing globally. As for the Bahamas, no need for drastic action. Ease up on the vaccine drive (especially since only a limited supply is readily available, and fine-tune some of the measures that are already in place.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
it means that the virus has a cycle it starts and it ends. A new cycle is triggered when patient-Z crosses a border
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