By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@ttribunemedia.net

DESPITE low new COVID-19 infections being recorded in New Providence for the past several weeks, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis revealed on Friday that he has no intention of relaxing curfew hours for the island at this time.

He said it is not the recommendation of health officials.

“The scientists, the medical professionals, they are monitoring the situation and they will advise us of the way forward. It’s not a political decision. It’s strictly science,” he told reporters on Long Island.`

“(But) I am not considering extending the (curfew) not at this particular point and time and that was not the recommendation put forth, but we continue to monitor the situation and make definitive decisions as we go.”

New Providence is currently under a 10pm to 5am curfew, according to the latest Emergency Powers Order.

Many residents have been calling for an ease of the restriction given the stable COVID-19 situation.

Some observers have even pointed to Dr Minnis’ decision in February to reduce the curfew on Grand Bahama after low COVID-19 cases were being reported there at the time.

Since then, the island has seen a recent uptick in new cases, a situation health officials said they are continuing to monitor.

When pressed about the matter, Dr Minnis was adamant that he is not considering relaxing the curfew for New Providence, saying he is guided by the advice of health professionals.

But while relaxation of curfew restrictions may not be in the pipeline for New Providence residents at the moment, Dr Minnis suggested that Bahamians can look forward to Independence Day and Junkanoo celebrations possibly being held later this year.

The cultural events did not take place in their usual fashion last year due the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in Junkanoo parades being cancelled and the national independence events being celebrated virtually.

“We are coming now I could say to an end of COVID here in The Bahamas,” Dr Minnis said.

“With the progression of this post COVID era, I can most likely say that we will have independence in July this year—though modified—and for those junkanooers who are listening, we will most likely have Junkanoo in December and start to move back to our life.”

As the country looks to move beyond the pandemic, Dr Minnis also urged people to take the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.

He also reassured Bahamians that the vaccines are “safe” and “effective.”

He said as soon as the government procures more vaccines, officials “will come to Long Island” to administer the doses there.

Since the roll out of the country’s national vaccination campaign on Wednesday, many have questioned when residents on the Family Islands will be able to book appointments for the jab.

Asked about the matter on Friday, Dr Minnis replied: “You would realise that we got 20,000 (doses) initially. We’re aggressively pursuing both the COVAX vaccines and we’re in discussions with other entities to determine and try to obtain as many as possible and we will segmentally roll it out but again, the whole programme is written by and put together by the vaccine committee and we’ll be driven by them so that nobody could cherry-pick to say this one or the next one.”

It is not clear how many people have been vaccinated to date, with officials remaining tight-lipped on the matter.

With vaccinations now underway, Dr Minnis was also asked about the possibility of the COVID-19 Emergency Powers Order finally coming to an end when it expires at the end of May.

However, he replied: “That would be my greatest and happiest moment to release the emergency orders. I would be elated and in fact on that particular day, you would probably see me jumping and kicking my two feet together.”

According to the Ministry of Health, 24 new COVID-19 infections were recorded on Thursday, bringing the nation’s total to 8,839. Twenty-five people are currently in hospital with the virus.