NASSAU, BAHAMAS — New emergency orders released today imposes a 10pm to 5am curfew and provides for essential services, including laundromats to operate daily from 6am to 9pm.
According to the ‘Emergency Powers (COVID 19 Pandemic) (Storm Preparedness) Order, 2020’, signed on August 19, all businesses shall remain closed except for named essential services.
These include hospitals, law enforcement agencies, air, maritime and disaster preparedness authorities, customs, the National Insurance Board, social services, waste disposal and sanitization, the government’s food distribution task force, essential workers, including contractors and subcontractors, public and private utilities providers, and range of freight and shipping suppliers and companies and their employees.
However, in the event of emergencies, an individual must seek the permission from the commissioner of police to leave his residence by calling 311 or the nearest police station.
Authorities advised the public this week 511 can also be contacted.
Food stores, water depots, pharmacies, gas stations, and hardware stores have been authorized to operate between 6am and 9pm.
Laundromats will now allow to be reopened in the new orders, from 6am to 9pm at 50 percent occupancy, with sanitization controls at the entrance; and social distancing.
The order provides for individuals to leave their home to obtain water from a public standing pipe between 6am and 9pm.
However, all businesses and offices may continue their business operations by allowing their staff to work remotely from home, unless those employees are permitted as designated essential workers.
With the exception of essential workers, no person should leave their home other than to seek urgent medical care or activities permitted by the order.
All public servants, unless designated as essential workers, shall work remotely from home.
Employees in the public service with ‘essential’ status shall report to their place of work.
In addition to the National Food Distribution Task Force, non-governmental organizations or religious organization shall be permitted to distribute food.
Employees and volunteers of these organizations must carry identification when leaving their homes, but do not require approval from the commissioner of police.
Farmers of crop of sheltered animals will be permitted to tend to them, essential workers of print or electronic media may operate.
Construction activities may continue between Monday and Friday between 7am and 5pm, and on Saturdays between 7am and 1pm.
Funerals prearranged to be held between today, August 18, and next week Tuesday, may proceed with a graveside service once limited to five people excluding the officiant and mortuary workers.
Hosting or attending a wedding is prohibited.
Religious services shall be permitted to operate this Saturday and Sunday via live stream between 7am and 1pm from their place of instruction with no more than 10 people.
However, the orders do not speak to services beyond Sunday, August 23.
Individuals may exercise is in their immediate neighborhoods between 5am and 8am, and in their yards at any time.
Additionally, hotels may open once guests do not leave the premises except for purposes outlined in the order, and once indoor dining, casinos, discos, gyms, spas, salon services remain closed.
Hotels should provide the names of their employees to the commissioner of police.
Manufacturers may continue to produce goods to be delivered to food stores or mail boats for inter-island trade on weekdays from 6am to 6pm, provided the manufacturer does not open to the general public.
Wholesale grocers or bakers may operate for wholesale delivery to food distribution centers, the Department of Corrections, a retail grocer or to a mail boat for supply to the Family Islands.
Commercial banks may operate on weekdays from 8am to 5pm.
Insurance brokers and agents will be able to open daily between 8am and 5pm.
Commercial fishing businesses may operate to deliver catch to a processing plant.
According to the orders, a restaurant in Abaco shall be permitted to operate takeaway and curbside service between Monday and Friday between 6am and 7pm.
Attorneys can also operate when discharging instructions in relation to civil, criminal or will-related matters or taking instructions in new matters where it cannot be done via audio or visual means.
Contravention of the orders upon conviction carries a $10,000 fine or term of imprisonment not exceeding 18 months.
Paragraph four of the orders allows residents to make “necessary hurricane preparations to secure himself and his property including” a building, vehicle, boat, crop or animal when a tropical storm watch or warning has been declared.
The orders apply to all islands except, Mayaguana, Inagua, Chub Cay, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay, Ragged Island and Spanish Wells.
The new order notes that the Emergency Powers (COVID 19 Pandemic) (No. 3) Orders, 2020, and the accompanying amendments, continues to have effect.
According to those orders, in order to travel inter-island an individual must obtain a negative RT PCR COVID test prior to travel, and upon arriving on the island, submit to mandatory quarantine at a government or government-approved facility for a period of 14 days.
Residents of these islands travel within them without meeting the testing requirements.
Beaches and parks on those islands remain open to the public in accordance with the orders and all health guidelines.
According to the orders, a “peace officer” is empower to stop motorists and question occupants on the purpose of their travel.
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