NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Opposition Leader Philip Davis yesterday urged the government to change course as he underscored failed policies amid an escalating number of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Pointing to some 600 new infections and 10 deaths due to the virus since last Monday, Davis said the government’s tourism reopening plans are disconnected from reality.
He renewed calls for expanded and free testing, adding the Minnis-led administration has only offered “lockdowns and blame”.
“Our country still does not have enough testing,” Davis said.
“After all this time, after all these lockdowns, after all the sacrifices made by Bahamians, this government still is not carrying out enough testing to contain COVID. That our positivity rate is over 20 percent is proof. WHO (World Health Organization) requires a positivity rate under five percent to consider the outbreak under control.
“A high positivity rate is evidence that many cases are being missed. When cases are not identified, the virus spreads.
“The government has failed to hire and train enough contact tracers. Many people who test positive are reporting to me that no one has reached out to them for a list of people they saw in the days when they were most infectious. This is inexcusable.
He said: “Things could not be more serious. We urge the government to change course.”
In a statement, Davis said he attended a virtual briefing by the country representative for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday.
“PAHO confirmed that The Bahamas is behind countries like Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados in securing therapeutic medicines for patients with COVID. This is another reason why our country is performing much worse than our peers in the region. Indeed, we continue to rank at the bottom of countries globally when it comes to our country’s response to COVID.
“As we have said repeatedly, our country cannot begin to recover economically until we first contain the virus. The United States has already warned its citizens not to travel to The Bahamas and PAHO indicated other nations were considering similar warnings.”
He said: “The government’s announcements about dates for hotels to re-open and cruise ships to return are disconnected from reality.”
“Bahamians are hurting,” Davis added.
“Bahamians are getting sick and dying. We need the government to succeed. All our lives depend on it.”
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