Hopetown is not the only lawless place. Treasure Cay is exactly the same. It's a criminal free for all with no police presence. Supposedly police from Nassau are there, but in 5 weeks there I saw one police car. There is no phone number for police and like it was said, even if they do get some robber reported they are back on the street in hours. Why the police aren't out patrolling around is amazing? People are trying to rebuild and applicances, tv's and furniture are all fair game for the robbers. They are even stealing the generators, air compressors that their fellow Bahamians are using for construction. I even heard of a fiberglass shower being ripoped out of a house. How are the second homeowners ever going to return into a lawless state?

Maybe the government could “mobilize all available resources” to get Abaco power with crews that don’t suffer “mental fatigue”. They were able to clean Shanty Towns in record time. But they can’t pitch in to haul Dorian debris. The Shanty Towns get more recognition than the hard working people trying to rebuild and save their lives!

Instant tests are the only answer. I don’t think a family of 4 is going to want to shell out $100 each for the test on top of the 50% or so taxes and fees on their room. But, if the gov pays the $100 they will more than make up for it in tourist income, less handouts, and more good will.

He didn’t say he was a good accountant. You are spot on with these numbers. Like a lot of politicians he manipulated these numbers to fit his theory. He forgot to mention that the Bahamas death rate is almost 10% from Covid-one of the highest in the world! Just wait for hurricane season to see what happens. Oh, wait a minute, they still have supplies in Nassau that were donated for Abaco recovery- maybe they can use those.

With Bahamar, Sandals and I am sure Atlantis very soon, not opening until November, and no cruise ships until November, how much money is the Bahamas going to have to borrow (if they can even borrow it) to stave off bankruptcy? $3 or 4 billion. The 1 to 1 peg to the dollar will be gone-causing a disaster. Their only answer is to invest in instant testing and open the doors. In some countries, everyone who arrives has to self quarantine for 24 hours until test results are in. Their is a workable solution.

They can kiss the tourists goodbye! No ifs, ands or buts. Atlantis can’t operate with 100 tourists and I doubt they will have that many. What about all the people that booked flights that were told no Covid test necessary beginning July 1? They can’t cancel and she’ll out $800 for tests? Who would trust the Bahamas now?
And, it is a huge waste of resources to use 10 day tests. If they really want tourists they are going to have to do like Cyprus where they have rented a hotel and pay the lodging for anyone that tests positive. Don’t stop the carnival!

If only the Bahamas would have taken this opportunity to stock up on tests, PPG and ventilators. Unfortunately, that is not the case it appears. So, now the government has to borrow over $1 billion to stay afloat. Will somebody really loan them the money? Is that just the beginning if everything stays shut? Are they going to need another $1 billion by the fall? Without tourists the Bahamas is crushed. How much money can the government afford to pay out to unemployed people? Can they do it for another 6 months? What about the businesses that will be gone forever. As Fauci said this virus can be tamed-somewhat-if people wear masks and social distance. Hopefully, with far fewer tourists this can be accomplished and save some of the businesses that will go under along with the jobs. I think the government has realized that they don't really have a choice. Not everyone is getting the Covid in Miami. But, you have to be smart-and careful.

While the good Father is criticizing the statue of Columbus, he should have also alluded to the fact that the Crusades, funded by the Pope, killed millions of people in the name of Christianity. Do we need to remove all the churches now too? Where do you stop with history? Better to look forward and see how to improve mankind. We can't change the past.

Why doesn't the union do what a number of unions do in the US? Collect money from union members, and when a strike or pandemic occurs they can pay the union members out of that fund. Forcing the hotels to raise their rates when they are going to have limited occupancy and income could be deadly.

The current rule for private pilots and boats to enter requiring a covid test is insane. Furthermore, they just announced this on Thursday with 4 days until the 15th. It is conceivable that you would be entering the Bahamas with a stale 15 day old test which only wastes tests. The only reason that they are requiring this is political since they are requiring people traveling on commercial aircraft to have a Covid test-which by the way is also stale. You would think the PM, as a doctor, would realize this. The fact is there is no way, except for closing the gates, to prevent Covid from coming in. Even instant tests upon entry, which are unreliable and currently not available in bulk, aren't the answer. I highly doubt the Bahamas has taken this closure to stock up on PPG and ventilators and prepare hospitals for the next wave like they have done in the U.S. The Bahamas is stuck between a rock and a hard place-economic annihilation and potential sickness. No one knows the answer. There is a point where the Bahamas can't borrow enough money to stay alive. All of us have a choice to stay inside and avoid contact. If you have this legitimate fear, and have enough money to do this that is your best choice. If you have to earn money to live, there is a calculated risk you have to take. And, they have to let the tourists in. Sounds like the cruise ships, Baha Mar, Sandals are delaying until the fall. That may slow things down but slows the economy down. Only time will tell. But, do away with these stupid stale tests. That is the one thing that definitely doesn't work.