Yes please tell the EU when they start treating the Bahamas fairly then it may start jumping through hoops again. There is the soon to be independent UK, and others to engage with- perhaps the EU is acting out of their own anticipated desperation or soon to be disintegration - obviously not from what they know to be the case.

Any measure to comply now will only set them at ease for the shortest possible period. I’d recommend telling them it has been a pleasure and have a good day! One may see a huge influx of investment once things are relaxed... The Bahamas needs to look out for itself in this environment.

Maybe this mess will bottom out when nations work together and decide to move forward with opening society completely for all but the very vulnerable, everyone wearing face masks etc. supply protection and disinfecting services/ supplement primarily. What recovery numbers are you looking to meet- are you looking for an 18 month closure?)

Decide and coordinate as a group of nations that by say July 15th or August 15th that all countries agree by signature to be 80% open. (Cruise ships won't be part of the group reopening by then). Countries should agree to a proportional adjustment on loan amounts owed to each other without condition and right off the interest (NOT deferred) for the next two years that may get everyone through.

If fear is not overcome and economies not opened collectively relatively soon, people will likely meet their demise otherwise from a lot more than COVID 19.
( By the way all retail and wholesale stores need to be open right away regular hours- just institute curb side pickup with a phone number posted outside, numbered parking spaces awaiting pickup and a bank card payment. People know or will arrange with friends with cards and ways to pay electronically).

5 or 10 minute test results are available. It is practical. Please Google it.

"I don't know that that is a public issue at this point until such time as the ministry sets its budget and we advise the public.“

Bull - it’s time the government take a hard look at its size and effectiveness and reduce it to 50% its size. Put honourable ministers on NIB and a hope and a prayer like everyone else.

Forget about the country borrowing into oblivion! Cut costs aggressively. Wouldn’t it be better to use only US dollars.

Other testing to reopen travel if saliva testing not proven:

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/emir…

There are community spread cases - self imposed lockdown and massive testing and detailed Unending tracing of cases would be needed to control the spread. Rapid testing like:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics…

The top US immunologist quoted in the New England Journal of medicine [ Covid-19 — Navigating the Uncharted
List of authors.
Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., H. Clifford Lane, M.D., and Robert R. Redfield, M.D.
March 26, 2020
N Engl J Med 2020; 382:1268-1269
doi: 10.1056/nejme2002387]: “ If one assumes that the number of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic cases is several times as high as the number of reported cases, the case fatality rate may be considerably less than 1%. This suggests that the overall clinical consequences of Covid-19 may ultimately be more akin to those of a severe seasonal influenza (which has a case fatality rate of approximately 0.1%) or a pandemic influenza ...”

Perhaps- Don’t allow people to lose their livelihoods and not have housing when this is over- some need food now or next week. If the medical supplies and hospitals are prepared for it- voluntary quarantine everyone for three weeks with a simultaneous massive testing effort and then open back up with masks and gloves?

Otherwise plan for 12 more months and no economy at the end of it. (Trust free nations only for help and partnerships moving forward until patient zero is confirmed)

This is nonsense. No doubt the minister of transport should immediately close road traffic until further notice and allow expired vehicle inspections and expired driver's licenses to be used until things clear up.

This is what is happening elsewhere in the world.

SP sounds right on this one- and facts rule

Bulk inbound shipping is basically a monopoly (ORG should publish a little study on who owns what and what the shipping cost or options are to bring a container in, insurance companies are basically a monopoly (try to find a home/other insurer where you can get optional pricing that might lower your premium significantly and who are they underwritten by), inbound fuel is taxed heavily (shouldn't it be public knowledge what percentage of the cost of a gallon of fuel/ gasoline goes to the special private group/s (25%?), what amount goes to government(25%) (for road repair ETC lol?) - so that would bring fuel down to what $2.30 per gallon and power down to? Per KWH?. Ask the hotel industry what impact the all inclusive hotels have on the economy - "anyone ever heard a tourist on the plane leaving say - "oh we had a great time - didn't even need to leave the hotel property since everything was included (m l ?a)" - some won't even let tour operators use their driveway if they don't use tour agents on property (s n ?d l s)." Cruise ship passengers also - ?
Not to talk about food wholesalers or retailers - but you get the idea
Automatic gratuity at restaurants - absolutely nuts - how will one see improvement in service or attitude with that?

Of course what came first - our inability to offer hotel rooms or the all inclusive debacle- and where did the money go back in the day anyways right?

Capitalism at work without support for competition - wow

Also remember whe Australia said VAT should be across the board -no exceptions - why not publish which resorts or others don't have to pay VAT or import duties and why?

With all due respect Mr. AG, Mr.PM, Mr DPM, and related oversight committees, don't your children also have to live their lives here, enter the work force, buy food, rent a place to live, in the hopes of a life? You have to actively chip away at these old bad decisions.

Wow - Government please stay out of the private sector and stop making socialist decisions ... wouldn't health insurance and the cost of food be equally as important and yet he Government still charges VAT on those without effective pricing oversight - few can afford private health insurance - gov has to have their hand in every "income stream" lol so they can spend/ borrow whatever comes to their mind.

Hate to tell you but a lot of VAT is just being paid by the small vendor or service provider - they are just paying it effectively by reducing their sale price (which again sucking money out of the private sector).

So please don't give false information to the public.