By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian restaurant proprietor yesterday argued that this nation needs to be “more like” Florida and eliminate all COVID-19 protocols if the sector is to fully recover from the pandemic.

Peter Maury, owner of the Green Parrot and Margaritaville restaurants, told Tribune Business he was now considering reopening both his restaurants to indoor dining after the Government raised seating capacity limits to 75 percent as the Omicron variant’s surge tapers off.

This represents an increase from the previous 50 percent limit, and although the Government also stipulated that all patrons are either fully vaccinated or have a “valid” rapid antigen COVID test result. No timeframe was given for when that test must be taken, but the Ministry of Health and Wellness added that the mask wearing mandate remains in effect.

“This probably won’t give us a bump in sales because there are a lot of other indoor restaurants that are going to come back on stream,” Mr Maury said of the relaxation. “But the biggest thing is we need more tourists. I can’t fill it with all locals. If you have gone to Florida everything is operating at 100 percent. We have to try to be more like that and get rid of all of these protocols.”

Lamenting the “pain” that tourists must endure in visiting The Bahamas, due to the pre-arrival, in-country and pre-departure COVID tests they must take, as well as the Health Travel Visa and other protocols in effect, Mr Maury said: “We are definitely 100 percent past the worst of it.

“People are still dying from COVID-19, but they are dying from all kinds of other issues as well, and actual COVID-19 is a small percentage of the deaths these days. People have a lot of other things going on in the normal course of life. It just seems that with the vaccinations and the treatments, we are better able to manage it. It’s no mystery any more; people know what to do to take care of themselves.”

With COVID-19 case numbers having decreased significantly, Mr Maury said persons must take personal responsibility for their own health and safety. “If they don’t want to be in an environment that is conducive to stopping the spread, then maybe they can just stay outside,” he added.

“But they can wear a mask or get a vaccination, or whatever they want to do..... it is their personal choice. We just can’t keep closing any more; it is hurting the country. There’s still a lot of people that are unemployed.”

Mario Cash, general manager of Restaurants Bahamas, operator of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Burger King franchises, said the greater relaxation for indoor dining will likely have little impact for the business given that most customers rely on takeout and drive-through services.

Another restaurateur, speaking under condition of anonymity, said: “I’m happy we can get back to serving customers inside now. It has really crippled our business. All we have to do now is make sure everyone is safe, wears a mask when they can and sanitises their hands. We can only hope for the best.”