PLP Agrees With Complete Shutdown for Medical Workers’ Sake

Davis does not believe such measures will be successful until comprehensive testing is conducted

Following Prime Minister Hubert Minnis’ announcement on Friday, that the Progressive Liberal Party supports the complete shutdown of all services in the country in an effort to help save lives, Leader of the Opposition Philip Davis said its agreement with the motion was part due to the wishes of medical professionals.

“I wish to say to our supporters, people of goodwill and all Bahamians that we base our decisions about support on the evidence. The professional people indicated that they needed a more complete time of quiet and public inactivity in order to defeat the virus. We are asking all to give these measures time to work.

Davis said he expressed to Dr. Minnis, his concern for the less fortunate in society.

“There are people who have no food. We must prepare to feed these people and provide support for them,” he said.

“We made our concern for them plain to the Prime Minister.”

Davis added, “The opposition also continues to stand by its previously held positions of comprehensive testing. These isolation measures cannot be successful unless there is such testing.

“We now repeat our pledge of critical support of these measures. We want the country to succeed. We stand ready to encourage broad support of the measures outlined but we remain watchful on behalf of the public,” he said.

Dr. Minnis announced a complete shutdown of services for more than 48 hours.

He said these “necessary measures…are designed to limit the spread of the virus and to save lives and to protect health.”

The ‘complete shutdown’ begins Friday at 8pm until Monday at 5am.