Shopping schedule suspended for one week

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced the suspension of the food shopping schedule for the remainder of this week.

The schedule will resume next Monday.

In the meantime, grocery stores will be open from 6am to 7pm on weekdays, with 6am to 8am reserved for seniors and people with disabilities.

During weekend lockdowns scheduled until the end of this month, the stores will open on Saturdays from 6am to 6pm for essential workers only. Pharmacies will also be allowed to open on Saturdays until 3pm for essential workers.

“Police will be present at major stores to support physical distancing measures,” he said.

The shopping schedule was introduced last week to limit the number of people at food stores and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The plan backfired, however, as residents prepared for the five-day lockdown, with stores across New Providence and Grand Bahama bombarded with shoppers who sometimes created chaotic scenes and flouted social distancing guidelines.

Dr Minnis said food stores are required to have hand sanitisers available for everyone entering their establishments. He again assured the public that there is no food shortage in the country and no need to panic buy. “There is enough food,” he stressed.

He warned against hoarding and possibly stocking up on food with a limited shelf life. “You do not wish to make yourself and your family sick by consuming food that has expired,” he said.

He encouraged store owners who encounter difficulty enforcing distancing rules to use a ticket or numbering system that let people stay in their vehicles until their number is called.

He also encouraged residents to embrace reputable online grocery delivery services as a way to remain physically distant from other people during this time.

“The more we create online ordering, payment and delivery options, the more we keep our domestic economy functioning while also reducing lines at stores,” he said. “There is a major opportunity that exists for businesses that create easy-to-use online payment and delivery options. I advise companies that have been slow to (do) this to see how they can retool their operations to meet the challenges of these times.”Dr Minnis, who recently announced a ban on non-medical mask imports, clarified that this policy does not apply to mask orders made before April 10. He also said the government will appoint a food security task force to ensure every resident who needs a meal is provided with food.

“This is a major and fundamental priority,” he said.

Acknowledging that some people with food needs do not qualify for Ministry of Social Services assistance and can’t get help from the National Insurance Board, Dr Minnis said the Ministry of Health has brought together governmental, non-governmental and private sector companies to examine food insecurity issues and mobilise resources to address this challenge.

“Private sector donors have included Atlantis resort, Baha Mar resort, and other known and anonymous donors inside and outside of the hotel sector,” he said. “Through their combined efforts, fresh produce, cooked meals, grocery packets and other food supplies have been delivered directly to those in need in Abaco, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, and New Providence.

“In the last seven days, the Bahamas Feeding Network distributed $40,000 in food vouchers and between $10,000 and $15,000 in food parcels; Hands for Hunger has distributed 50,000 lbs of donated food: $5,000 in non-perishables and are budgeting about $20,000 for food vouchers. We encourage others to donate food.The Food Security Task Force will indicate how such donations can be made.”

Comments

birdiestrachan says...

The PM seems to insist on the alphabetical system even if the Number system
works better. Maybe because it is his idea,

Posted 14 April 2020, 4:14 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Being the comrade **first among equals**.has voluntarily offered to return to private medical practice, it's an gift horse of opening for his Imperial red shirts colleagues of **unequal's** to jump at and before man's switches his mind whilst heading east to make sudden u-turn to begin head westward.
Our colony's doctor, would be following in footsteps of Ireland's doctor **first minister** who just week back did too return to his medical practice during this coronoavirus time. Nod once for yeah, twice for no?

Posted 14 April 2020, 4:17 p.m. Suggest removal

joeblow says...

In what universe is doing something that has been shown not to work ever a good idea!

- Allow people to go to the stores when they need to ,
- Increase police presence in and out of stores to ensure that only one person is shopping at a time and social distancing is being enforced, (I saw a family of three adults in a store today)

- Allow the elderly and essential workers to enter stores at any time once they approach the door with an ID,

- Encourage local stores to get into online deliveries, since deliveries can be make at the door with no need for person to person contact (make it easy for them to do so)
- Shut down all laundromats (ASAP)- separate issue

Posted 14 April 2020, 6:09 p.m. Suggest removal

Economist says...

You make a lot of sense.

Posted 14 April 2020, 7:27 p.m. Suggest removal

Patriciabain says...

I agree 100%

Posted 15 April 2020, 8:29 a.m. Suggest removal

tell_it_like_it_is says...

I think the alphabetical shopping system (in its current form) needs to be canceled permanently. It doesn't make sense bringing back something that worked out so horribly. <br/>
Either make the necessary amendments to it or cancel it!!! smh

Posted 15 April 2020, 9:15 a.m. Suggest removal

xtreme2x says...

If the alphabetical system was working, Why is it, it have to be postpone twice?

Posted 14 April 2020, 9 p.m. Suggest removal

Eve says...

I stood in line at Super Value from 7 am. Got in around 8:30 am only to find they have no milk. Why is that? Too early? This will be my third week with no milk and I normally drink it daily.

Posted 15 April 2020, 11:08 a.m. Suggest removal

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