By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIANS have mixed views on Dr Duane Sands’ resignation from Cabinet this week.

Raleigh Francis, an insurance executive, feels Dr Sands “got played by political operatives”.

“Dr Sands could not have been the only man involved. He got played by political operatives,” Mr Francis said. “If you followed the story closely you can see that. No doubt Dr Sands is a legend in his respected medical field, but in politics he is still growing.

“In this COVID-19 pandemic and if I was in the Minnis administration I surely would not want the health portfolio at this time...too demanding and stressful. The PM had no other choice but to step in and take on the role as minister of health. He is presently a part of the leadership team keeping the country informed with COVID-19 and also was the last minister of health in the Ingraham administration.”

Richard Simms, a certified public accountant, thinks Dr Sands was honorable in resigning. However, the resignation has left many questions behind, he said.

“He broke the rules that were set out by the prime minister,” Mr Simms said. “However, he could not have acted alone so there should have been more resignations. Someone had to give the approval for the plane to land. Someone had to give customs and immigration permission to search the plane and its passengers.

“If Dr Sands had orchestrated this he should have known the amount of persons on the plane. There are so many unanswered questions that will or will not be answered. Dr Sands was a sacrificial lamb and he did it with his head held high.”

Antoinette Lotmore, an operations and training professional, said: “I have a lot of respect for Dr Sands for his work in the healthcare field and for what he has done for years which is managing the health of the Bahamian people. I have even more respect for the way he has handled this pandemic. It has been comforting to me to see him at the head of it. “Everyone knows that I am not a personal fan of his, but I cannot take away from him the excellent job he has been doing.

“What has impressed me even more is that what he did in this residents travel fiasco was wrong, but he owned up to it. He never once ran away from it, he never once tried to justify it, he never blamed anybody and he never tried to hide behind anyone. He was honest and upfront. Of course it needed to be addressed but I think it should have been shelved until we have gone through this crisis and then let the chips fall where they may. This is not the time for us to play politics and this is not the time for us to change our direction right in the middle of this pandemic,” she said.

Architect Sheldon Maycock said Dr Sands’ resignation has not brought a fair and just end to the controversial matter.

“Customs, immigration, civil aviation and the health department were all involved here,” Mr Maycock said. “As Dr Sands was just in charge of health, these other departments and their ministers are not doing the public the fair service by not specifically stating their roles in this debacle.”

Bahamian classical singer and consultant Franz Hepburn said what has occurred should usher in a new era in politics.

“I have lived in the UK for 30 years and I am used to seeing Cabinet ministers resigning for certain actions taken by their ministries,” Mr Hepburn said. “Dr Duane Sands did the right thing in resigning as health minister. If not, it would have sent the message that has blighted Bahamian politics, ‘Do as I say and not as I do.’ I am sure it was a difficult decision for Prime Minister Minnis to accept the resignation, but he made the right one and the optics quite powerful for our country and the region.

“PM Minnis taking on the role of health minister should be an interim measure due to the magnitude of the current pandemic, but a new health minister should be appointed in due course.”

The Elizabeth MP offered his resignation to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on Monday for his actions related to six permanent residents who landed in the country last week with COVID-19 testing supplies and were allowed to quarantine at home before they produced a negative COVID-19 test result.