MINNIS PUTS US IN JAIL AGAIN OVER COVID: DARVILLE ANSWERS
Senator Michael Darville
The following statement was issued by Senator Michael Darville who is the Shadow Minister of Health in answer to a statement made by the Minister of Health Renward Wells:
On The New Covid Orders
For Immediate Release
24 July 2021
The Minnis administration in its most recent communication regarding COVID-19 restrictions has defied logic with the number of contradictions in the list they have circulated in the public domain.
Gyms can function at one third capacity without having a requirement for persons to be vaccinated but persons attending private gatherings of no more than five persons must be vaccinated.
Up to 30 persons can attend a wedding indoor or outdoor without being vaccinated but campaign workers who for the most part work outdoors are limited to gatherings of no more than five persons all of whom must be vaccinated.
We remain concerned about the Minnis administration’s complete failure to procure sufficient vaccines for the public, as well as the almost non-existent public engagement campaigns to address vaccine hesitancy within The Bahamas. At the very least, the government should ensure that there are adequate supplies to vaccinate those impacted by this change.
This is especially important as the new COVID variants rampage throughout the country, exposing the FNM government’s failure to implement a successful strategy to save lives through proper testing, tracking, protecting and retaining our nursing talent.
At this crucial time, the Minnis administration’s complete lack of strategic planning and effective policymaking is costing the Bahamian people dearly.
The fact that this administration has chosen to single out, by category, campaign workers as being required to be fully vaccinated points to what we have contended some time ago – this government is more focused on the upcoming general elections than on protecting the lives of our citizens.
The Bahamian people are tired of the political games. It is time for the Prime Minister to prioritize people over politics.
As always, our party’s decisions are guided by the most recent scientific research. We continue to encourage Bahamians to be vaccinated as the best means of protection against COVID-19. We also implore the government to ensure that the policies being implemented reflect the reality on the ground, taking into account any issues with the supply of vaccines and sufficiently addressing concerns about personal freedom and health that the public may have.
End