Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has announced a two-week lockdown for Grand Bahama from Thursday including a shutdown of all flights and sea vessels (except for essential goods) following the surge of COVID-19 cases there.
Making the announcement outside Parliament on Tuesday morning, Dr Minnis said the lockdown will take effect beginning Thursday, at 7pm until Friday, August 7th at 5am.
At 6pm tonight all domestic flights in and out of Grand Bahama will cease.
During the lockdown, food stores will be allowed to operate Monday to Friday from 7am to 5pm.
Pharmacies, water depots and gas stations will be allowed to operate Monday to Friday from 7am to 1pm for the general public.
The Grand Bahama Humane Society and waste disposal and sanitation companies will be permitted to open Monday to Friday 7am to 1pm for the general public.
Food stores, pharmacies, gas stations and water depots will be allowed to operate on Saturdays 7am to 1pm for essential workers only.
Construction activities related to hurricane preparedness are permitted but permission to buy supplies will be on an emergency basis only once the lockdown begins. Religious services must be virtual.
Dr Minnis said you may only leave home in an emergency or if you are an essential worker.
The Prime Minister added that the government will do all it can to help those in need during this lockdown. Food vouchers are to be be distributed and police and Defence Force will be in place using PPEs as needed.
Dr Minnis said the lockdown is absolutely necessary, saying “today, we are in a an emergency situation.”
Comments
ISpeakFacts says...
According to the Ministry of Health, Cat Island has just reported its first 2 confirmed cases! Would be terrible if they have no history of travel, it would mean community spread has already started!
Minnis and his "Yes Men" have doomed us all!!!
Posted 21 July 2020, 1:26 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Comrade Mr. Renward, 'em best have his health people **on the ground** to keep a **proactive** watchful eye on certain **very potentially virus hot spots** in the Abaco's? Nod Once for Yeah, Twice for No?
Posted 21 July 2020, 1:35 p.m. Suggest removal
proudloudandfnm says...
There are more details Tribune. What companies are excluded? Have any of the excluded companies seen any cases?
I know one of them has. Time for some actual journalism. People's lives are in jeopardy....
Posted 21 July 2020, 1:39 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Ma Comrade Proud, the Tribune, like all other business but Grocer Rupert's, have lost eighty-plus percent their revenue stream. No telling is they too won't be forced to be shutting down their printing presses?
Posted 21 July 2020, 1:43 p.m. Suggest removal
tribanon says...
> Minnis said the lockdown is absolutely necessary, saying “today, we are in a an emergency situation.”
The only emergency situation GB is in is the very one that Minnis himself has put the entire Bahamas in by his utterly daft and foolish decision to re-open our country's borders to travellers from the US at a time when most states in the US, especially Florida, were and still are ablaze with community spread of the deadly Communist Chinese Virus.
And now clueless and directionless Minnis gets the opportunity to indulge himself in feeding his insatiable appetite for power by issuing emergency orders as the 'incompetent' authority. Some would say he has totally lost it upstairs, but those who know him well, know full well that he never had anything upstairs to lose in the first place.
Posted 21 July 2020, 2:35 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Doc is intellectually starved. two companies Bahamian Brewery and Bahamas Rock will
remain open. did the brewery wright him. Pharmacies and service Stations close at 1 pm
Is a brewery essential?
Only leave home for emergencies. is going to the food store an emergency
I do not understand is it being mean to the average Bahamian or is it DUMB..
Posted 21 July 2020, 2:58 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Ma Comrade, you can't be recommending The Colony's **Central Authority** to leave FREE port to be?
Posted 21 July 2020, 3:03 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Construction will continue. But permission to buy supplies will be on an emergency
basis. What a bunch of foolishness.
Posted 21 July 2020, 3:05 p.m. Suggest removal
ISpeakFacts says...
Well said birdie, Minnis is a complete idiot!!!
Posted 21 July 2020, 3:12 p.m. Suggest removal
rodentos says...
Good, we become a permanent economic recovery zone with no taxes!
Posted 21 July 2020, 3:16 p.m. Suggest removal
mandela says...
We are in this predicament not because of COVID-19 but because of bad leadership, Trump-style.
Posted 21 July 2020, 3:53 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
**FREE port** has been the perfect example that **without influx tourists** it is economically capable of self-sustaining itself for long periods. I'd be shocked to learn that **FREE** port, attracted **more than a handful of tourists** from July 1 to today's date? Nod Once for Yeah, Twice for No?
Posted 21 July 2020, 3:59 p.m. Suggest removal
mandela says...
The Tribune why do you put this man our supposed to be beloved PM's picture on your front pages? it's DEPRESSING.
Posted 21 July 2020, 4:03 p.m. Suggest removal
The_Oracle says...
One could say that Minnis himself created the Crisis by a) allowing Bahamians a 3 day Florida shopping trip without a test needed for return, and B) not catching the local Bahamian test being presented by Bahamians upon return within 10 days of the test, aka 9 day shopping trips to Florida.
By contrast Dr. Sands didn't get anyone infected by allowing the 6 on the private plane to enter without a test but self quarantine.
The politics of this is a disgrace. Both sides.
Posted 21 July 2020, 4:42 p.m. Suggest removal
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