By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration plans to expedite any plan to buffer increased gasoline prices that may come as a result of the Russian Ukrainian war, according to press secretary Clint Watson.

He was asked whether there were plans to speed up initiatives to procure oil from Saudi Arabia, as was recently announced.

Last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said prices at the pump could increase to as much as $8 per gallon because of the conflict.

“We’re going to fast track any opportunity that we can find to be able to buffer what could possibly be happening in our country,” Mr Watson said on Friday during an Office of the Prime Minister press briefing.

“I think that it’s unconscionable to imagine $8 at the pump and so we’re going to do what we can as an administration to ensure that Bahamians hopefully never have to realise that.

“I think what you would have heard from the minister would have been the possibilities of what could happen. We don’t want it to happen. If we have a part to play in it, we will do what we can.”

He also responded to critics of The Bahamas’ public position against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“I saw there were people who criticised when the Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a statement and that’s not unusual. For people who don’t understand what’s happening at Foreign Affairs that’s normal, particularly when you are a part of the United Nations,” Mr Watson said.

“You’re required to take certain stands and positions as a country and to make your case public and known. So, it’s not The Bahamas getting in somebody else’s business and on the other hand it is our business. Because what happens there will affect every one of your pockets and so it is important for The Bahamas to make its stance clear so that we can do our part in preventing anything from happening. We’re a part of the global community that wants to do that, so that no one has to experience more hardships at a very difficult time already.

“…So, we will do whatever we need to do to ensure that we can safeguard our people from any of the unnecessary.”

Mr Watson also commented on the government’s efforts to procure child doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, adding that officials in the Ministry of Health and Wellness were discussing how to retain nurses who continuously seek more lucrative opportunities abroad.

“(We are) still trying,” Mr Watson said of The Bahamas receiving vaccines for children ages five to 11. “It is one of the most difficult things that we are finding ourselves in because of the demand and those vaccines.

“…It’s also one of the agenda items at CARICOM because the region is having the same kind of challenge and so I suspect one of the things that will probably come out of CARICOM meeting is a regional bloc moving forward and trying to get vaccines for the region and then distributing them regionally because the world always deals with greater numbers and if we come together perhaps our numbers together may be able to get some attention.”

Regarding nurses in the country, he said: “…It’s been a challenge for decades trying to retain nurses. We simply cannot compete with what the bigger countries like the US are offering nurses. They’re offering them great deals, great packages, great opportunities and it’s hard to keep and retain people when they’re going for greater opportunities.”

He added: “One of the things that we did because of the shortage during the pandemic is, of course, source nurses from Cuba who are working here and are looking well in the system, but that’s not sustainable.

“And what we’re doing is trying to find ways and what we need to do to keep nurses (at) home. That’s the first (thing). Second (thing) is how do we incentivise people who are studying nursing to stay at home.”