NASSAU| We are learning that the Minnis Government is considering delaying all that was promised with the normal reopening this week. But we are not surprised – the whole COVID19 management has been a mixup and ‘jookup’ from the start!
Minnis said last week Thursday the quarantine facilities in Nassau and Grand Bahama will be “decommissioned” as of Friday, June 5th. But now even that is a lie.
The Breezes Hotel in Cable Beach and the Sun Fun Motel out in Western New Providence still remain quarantine facilities as Bahamians are still in them up to today – Monday, June 8th.
A large surge in cases in Florida, though, is forcing the Minnis Government to rethink its plan to reopen. Mass protests across the US have raised the fear that a higher rate of serious community spread of COVID-19 will be seen in the coming days. Who knows what will happen?
Meanwhile, the Covid-19 pandemic economic collapse is here and is being felt deep inside every home and apartment complex. Businesses across the Bahamas are laying off at alarming rates and NIB cannot service the requests for unemployment benefits. Government revenue has slumped to beyond 50%. As the country limps it is facing junk bond status by credit rating agencies, and further downgrade with blacklisting exercises by the EU. The situation is worst than being described!
There is no investment inflows in the country. Grand Bahama doesn’t even have a decent airport to ease the constriction to save its economic life. There are food shortages already, coupled with massive eviction notices to tenants thrown on the doorsteps. Healthcare is in shambles and hunger rampant across the land. It’s The People’s Time and the Minnis Administration only has a plan of LOCKDOWN and curfews. Minnis is the new Master of Disaster!
Finance Minister Peter Turnquest told reporters last week the Government has not planned yet where it will find some $1.3 billion needed to fill the deepening hole in his 2020/21 national budget. Meanwhile, the IMF has agreed to lend the failing administration some $252 million which will only sustain the country til JUNE 2020. This could only mean that it is the end of the road and the Minnis Administration cannot convince any lender to give its administration any money! It is about to get rough around here!
The snapshot is sad, depressing, and so bad that even the illegals housed at the detention centre are screaming to be deported back to Haiti.
Meanwhile, the Minnis government is still funding – with three meals a day – scores of foreign nationals from Abaco displaced in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian while Bahamians are struggling to get a piece of bread from NIB! This cannot be sustained!
Some are asking the question: When will the People Time COME? But then you must ask yourself: WHO PEOPLE?
We report yinner decide!
