Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced in the House of Assembly on Thursday that the Bahamas is moving into Phase 3 of the country’s reopening.

While warning that we must continue to follow the advice and recommendation of health professionals, the Prime Minister announced changes to the current restrictions, including:

• The weekday 24-hour curfew will be lifted on Tuesday 2 June for all islands. The new curfew is now 9pm to 5am Monday to Friday. Weekend lockdowns remain in effect.

• During Whit Monday and the Labour Day holidays the lockdown will remain in effect but grocery stores may open 6am – 7pm, and food takeaways and drive-thrus, as well as restaurants with curbside and delivery services may open from 6am-7:30pm.

• Public parks and beaches will open on all islands except for Bimini, Eleuthera, Exuma, Grand Bahama, Harbour Island, New Providence and Paradise Island and San Salvador, effective 2 June.

• Worship services are now allowed in sanctuary for New Providence, Grand Bahama and Bimini, effective 6 June, 7am - 1pm – following health and safety protocols.

• Effective Tuesday, 2 June, commencement and graduation ceremonies, funerals and weddings, in groups of no more than 30, may take place with the approval of the competent authority.

• All islands of may resume normal commercial operations, except for New Providence, Grand Bahama and Bimini, effective 2 June.

• For all non-essential storefront business, in-store operations are permitted on New Providence, Grand Bahama and Bimini, Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm, effective 2 June.

• Gaming House operators may operate with physical distancing and sanitisation protocols, from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, effective 2 June.

• Law firms, Justices of the Peace, and real estate agencies may now extend their operating hours to 5pm. Financial services, inclusive of accounting services, may operate with physical distancing and sanitisation protocols between the hours of 9am to 5pm.

• Restaurants, except for curbside and deliveries, bars, gyms, hair salons and barbershops, movie theatres, cultural facilities, and entertainment facilities remain closed on New Providence, Grand Bahama and Bimini. Dr Minnis assured restaurant operators, hair salons and barbershops that the government is working with the National COVID-19 Coordination Committee and industry partners to finalise protocols for operations.