By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A NUMBER of people who crowded Cabbage Beach over the weekend were cited by police, according to Commissioner Paul Rolle.

This week, The Tribune published a photo showing scores of people bunched together at an entryway to the Paradise Island beach on Sunday, most not wearing masks or social distancing.

Asked yesterday if police were present at the beach, Commissioner Rolle said action was taken that day.

“The police we were called to Cabbage Beach and officers went to Cabbage Beach and we took action. They cited a number of persons that were on the beach and persons were allowed to leave,” he said.

Asked how many were cited, he said: “I don’t have that number, but I know a number of persons were – some for not practising social distancing, all the various offences.”

This incident comes when there are fears the country is on the brink of a third wave of the pandemic.

Dr Nikkiah Forbes, director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme at the Ministry of Health, previously said: “There is a sustained uptick in the number of cases and that is very concerning and there could be an increase in cases after the holiday weekend if we are not following the health instructions. (It) is fully possible.”

As for what the public can expect this holiday weekend, the police chief said officers will be at the beaches and in the communities. He added police want people to enjoy themselves on the beaches and just simply abide by the rules, but they will be out to make sure that everybody is safe.

In New Providence, Paradise Island and Grand Bahama, people are allowed to congregate on beaches in groups of not more than five. Masks are supposed to be worn when entering or leaving beaches.

“I would ask persons within the community who want to have their gathering, whatever is permitted, to do so within the confines of the emergency orders and they need to be mindful. In recent times, we’ve seen an increase and you know every Bahamian citizen, resident, and visitor must take responsibility, personal responsibility, first of all for their own safety and for the safety of others,” Commissioner Rolle said.

“The police are gonna do their part, but I don’t wanna make this a police centric thing because it is the people who are refusing to abide and then you find in few days, later, persons are falling sick. This whole thing is really designed to keep people safe and I think they need to get the message that this is really designed to keep us all safe and hopefully we’ll soon be out of this and you know we’re moving out gradually but just be patient. I’d ask people to be patient and to follow these rules until we get out …we’re still in a pandemic.”

The commissioner also revealed two officers have recently tested positive for the virus.

Health officials said 22 new cases were recorded on Tuesday. Fourteen of those are in New Providence, six are in Grand Bahama, one is in Abaco and one is in Bimini and Cat Cay.