By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced the strongest restrictions yet for New Providence during a national address on Monday night in response to the deepening COVID-19 crisis.

His announcement of a week-long lockdown with immediate effect came as the country recorded one additional COVID-19 death and saw 14 newly confirmed cases, all in New Providence.

Nineteen people have now died from COVID-19 in the country. The country has 1,329 cases overall, 731 of which are in New Providence.

The new restrictions will see almost all commercial activity in New Providence come to a halt as Dr Minnis lamented the failure of some to adhere to previous restrictions. Food stores and private pharmacies will be closed during this period, unlike other lockdowns when these businesses were allowed to operate.

“Too many are not taking the current lockdown and health measures seriously,” he said. "Some people are gathering in groups in their neighbourhoods. Some are going out where unnecessary. Some are not following health guidelines when out in public. Some are going out visiting friends and families and some have booked themselves in hotels and having the time of their lives. Some people are having social parties. The virus is spreading rapidly because of the failure of many to adhere to life-saving and preventative measures.”

Dr Minnis said if the shutdown does not happen, it will “take a very long time to bring the virus under control.”

“The sooner we bring the virus under control, the shorter the time will be to return to few restrictive measures,” he said.

He added that anyone found on the streets without a valid reason during the seven-day lockdown will be fined.

"The Royal Bahamas Police Force will check all vehicles to determine where people are headed and to confirm that these individuals contacted the Royal Bahamas Police Force emergency contact number for approval to be on the streets. This includes all government red plate vehicles.”

After seven days, health officials will make a recommendation on whether the shutdown should continue.

Dr Minnis said beginning immediately, public offices will be closed except for essential staff. Public officers must work remotely except for those identified in the Emergency Powers Order as essential or identified as such by permanent secretaries of ministries.

Other essential services that will remain open include any hospital, any public medical facility, any public pharmacy, any private medical facility for emergencies, the Public Hospitals Authority and its agencies, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Customs Department, the Department of Immigration, the Department of Correctional Services, Department of Environmental Health, waste disposal and sanitation companies, the Bahamas Civil Aviation Department, utility corporations for emergency and critical services and the National Food and Distribution task force.

Hotels will be permitted to operate with essential staff, the names of which must be given to police.

Essential media personnel are also allowed to operate but must contact police at 311 when required to leave their homes.

Dr Minnis said construction is allowed and financial institution workers who must conduct urgent transactions within their institution may contact 311 for permission to travel to and from their offices.

International shipping, including freight forwarders and domestic freight, is permitted but goods and supplies must be stored during the lockdown period.

“If approval is necessary for business to collect such items, businesses must contact 311 for permission,” Dr Minnis said. “All other business and commercial activities will be closed and will be required to work remotely.”

The prime minister said the National Food and Distribution Task Force will be allowed to distribute food in various zones on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as previously scheduled but people must contact their respective zone leaders with questions.

He said police will have a list of zones with all the registrants of the programme and will be checking vehicles to ensure that only one representative per household goes to a distribution centre.

People who shelter or take care of farm animals will be free to do so but must contact the police.

Subsistence fishing, he said, is not allowed.

While graveside funerals that were previously scheduled are allowed, weddings are not permitted.

Churches are allowed to livestream from their premises on Saturdays and Sundays with a maximum of ten people who must reach out to police before leaving their homes.

Dr Minnis said people can exercise in their immediate neighbourhoods from 5am to 8am.

Diplomatic missions will be allowed to open, he said, but nationals of respective countries who need services and students that need visas will be required to contact police.

He also said international flights or vessels will not be permitted to enter New Providence except in exceptional and urgent circumstances sanctioned by either the director of civil aviation or the chairperson of the Bahamas Maritime Authority.

“There will be no travel domestically between New Providence and other islands except for freight and for emergencies,” Dr Minnis said.

“I know this lockdown is a sacrifice and hardship for many Bahamians and residents, but it will assist in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and getting our life and economy back to normal,” he said.

Grand Bahama, which has been under a lockdown for nearly three weeks, will have that island’s current restrictions remain in place for another seven days, commencing Tuesday, Dr Minnis said.

Dr Minnis announced a “two week minimum” lockdown on August 3, saying at the time it may be extended based on the circumstances. Some islands have since seen these restrictions lifted, such as Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay and Ragged Island.

The new lockdown is set to expire at 5am, August 25.