Prime Minister Hubert Minnis calls for grocery store chains to implement systems that ensure order
As the five day complete shutdown comes to an end on Tuesday and shoppers prepare to pick up essential items from the grocery stores, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis urged grocery store owners to design a shopping system to prevent chaos.
“I encourage store owners to design a system for their stores that works best. For example, in some stores on New Providence and Grand Bahama a ticketing system appears to be working well.
“This is a process other food stores may wish to adopt,” he said.
Dr. Minnis said if store owners find that their customers are having difficulty practicing physical distancing while standing in line to enter a store, they should consider using a number or ticket system that allows individuals to wait in their vehicles until their number is called.
“This system is working well at some establishments, but what works well at some stores may not necessarily work well at others. We encourage individual store owners to adopt systems that make sense and work for their specific establishments and that ensure physical distancing protocols are being followed,” he said.
Dr. Minnis said store owners should enforce the shopping schedule when it is in effect, and should enforce the physical distancing protocols. Store owners should also ensure that their employees are wearing the appropriate protective equipment.
He temporarily suspended the alphabetical shopping schedule for this week until April 20th.
Dr. Minnis added that he held a teleconference with owners of the major food store outlets, who assured him that stores are well-stocked.
“There is enough food for everyone. There is no need to panic buy. There is enough food,” he said.