PM assures food security on Bimini during two-week lockdown

PM assures food security on Bimini during two-week lockdown
Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. (FILE PHOTO)

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis confirmed boats carrying food and supplies will be allowed to call on Bimini to ensure food security on the island during the two-week lockdown.

Minnis announced the lockdown last Thursday after two new cases were confirmed, taking the total number of cases on the island to 13.

The prime minister said the measure was “absolutely necessary” to slow and control the community spread as Bimini has become a COVID-19 hotspot.

During a national address today, Minnis assured residents that there will be sufficient food and supplies on the island.

He said a team of 12 volunteers will assist the island administrator with checking-in and assessing residents in need of assistance, as well as managing the island’s food pantry.

Minnis said the Royal Bahamas Police Force has agreed to provide escort service for the administrator and her team as needed.

Groceries and supplies arrived in Bimini over the weekend to re-stock food stores in advance of the lockdown. Shipments to the island had been delayed last week due to inclement weather.

Minnis advised the Department of Social Services distributed 600 food vouchers on Friday, while the government’s National Food Distribution Task Force has also coordinated the delivery of 100 food packages through The Bahamas Feeding Network.

He said additional food packages are expected to be delivered before the end of the lockdown.

The lockdown begins at 9pm tomorrow, May 19, and ends at midnight on May 30.

The entire country is currently under 24-hour curfew, with weekend lockdowns each Friday at 9 pm.

The first recorded case on Bimini was also the country’s first recorded virus-related death.

Kim Johnson-Rolle, the sister of Immigration minister Elsworth Johnson, died in Princess Margaret Hospital shortly after being airlifted from Bimini on March 30.

As he applauded Bimini for its cooperation and discipline during the weekend lockdown, Minnis scolded residents in South Eleuthera.

“I’m extremely disappointed with the behavior of those in South Eleuthera who had engaged in a car motorcade on Friday,” he said.

Minnis announced Cat Island, Long Island, Abaco and Andros will now be able to resume commercial activity tomorrow.

Those islands join Inagua, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay.

About Sloan Smith

Sloan Smith is a senior digital reporter at Eyewitness News, covering a diverse range of beats, from politics and crime to environment and human interest. In 2018, Sloan received a nomination for the “Leslie Higgs Feature Writer of The Year Award” from The Bahamas Press Club for her work with Eyewitness News.

1 comments

Listening to PM speech on May 17, either he has misconstrued the facts about Bimini and presented an “all is well on the Island” misleading the rest of the country or the Island Administrator is lying to him. Having “boots on the ground” Bimini reveals an entirely different scenario. The are many who do not agree with the government dictatorship of instituting an very unplanned lock down for 2 weeks, pending an additional 2 more if ….. The PM made it clear if there is any type of uprising, the PM will make a nasty face and scold them like kindergartens as he did with the Eleuthera residents, essentially attempting to bully the Bimini residents that if they misbehave, the lock down will persist. The boat supplying food arrive during lock down Sunday, and the mail boat just prior. Within hours, the small two to three isle grocery stores were out of fresh meat and vegatables. The food vouchers/coupons were reduced from 100 to 80 and then 40 dollars. An example of a food donation for family of 3 was 1 doz eggs, 2 breads and chicken that would take care of one meal. Back to rationing food as the Island Administrator was reported as saying. South Bimini contines to have power outages including one on May 17th and 4 prior to that over past couple of weeks. South Bimini is ignored by any of the “pantry workers” on North and of any updates unless one has internet and seeks information. The PM has hours to retract this unwarrented and unhealthy restriction on the Bimini resident lives, as it further devastates the economy and spirit of the people, unless that is what he is trying to do.

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