extension

Prime Minister Hubert Minnis tabled a resolution of the Emergency Order in the House of Assembly today, seeking an extension to August 13.

But he expressed hope that the extra three months may not be all necessary.

Why it matters

The Emergency Order was due to end May 23, but on Friday, Governor General C.A. Smith issued another proclamation for a state of emergency.

This means the competent authority has another six months to execute his emergency powers.

What Minnis says

“It is our hope that we would not need the three months.

“It is our hope that with vaccinations aggressively and progressively moving throughout the world and continuing in the Bahamas, and with the cooperation with our populace following the mitigation protocols for the pandemic, that we would see a turn.

“Once that commences, we would love to remove all emergency power orders so that individuals can turn back to their normal life following the new protocols and world standards as quickly as possible.

“Once we see the turn, we would be more than happy to remove the emergency order,” Minnis said.

The majority of the members in the House of Assembly voted in favor of the continuation of the Emergency Order to May 23.

Members wrapped up the debate at 10:45 on Wednesday night to debate the extension.

Seventeen members voted ‘yes,’ to the extension, seven voted ‘no’ and fourteen members were absent for the vote.

Why it matters

Prime Minister Hubert Minnis on Monday presented a resolution to extend the state of emergency in the country as the pandemic is still ongoing and continues to challenge the country’s health facilities.

He acknowledges, however, that the COVID-19 numbers are now low compared to recent times when double digits were recorded.

The big picture

Countries around the world are fighting variants of the disease and health officials are trying to secure vaccines to combat the virus. The Bahamas has not accessed the vaccine but has secured them for 20 percent of the population for when they become available.

PM Minnis’ Case for Emergency Order Extension

— “Let me be very clear with this point: The pandemic is not over. Though there is light on the horizon, because vaccines are slowly starting to reach more countries, we still have a long way to go before we get back to normal. The Bahamas has had many months of low COVID-19 numbers. Our health guidelines are working; the emergency measures are working, and the Bahamian people are complying with the rules.

— “With new strains circulating, it is quite possible for us to have additional waves before our population is vaccinated. We cannot, under any circumstances, let our guard down. The more we abide by the measures, the more we prevent a greater resurgence of the virus. We cannot become complacent and think the pandemic is over just because we have had a few good months.

Parliamentarians voting against the resolution

• Opposition members–Philip Davis, Chester Cooper, Glennys Hanna-Martin, Picewell Forbes, and Vaughn Miller
• Former Minister of Health Duane Sands
• Independent MP for Centerville Reece Chipman

Worth noting

The Senate will now vote on the extension.

In Prime Minister Hubert Minnis’s New Years National address on Wednesday, many Bahamians expected an announcement of relaxation of COVID-19 measures.

Instead, Minnis cautioned a tightening of measures if the COVID-19 cases rise before the arrival of vaccines into the country.

“It is possible that cases will rise again before vaccines arrive,” he said. “If this happens, as a government and people, we will have to return to some of the measures that worked to beat back previous waves.

“Through our experience during the pandemic year, we now know the formula that works. Tough times do not scare us. Difficult circumstances do not break our resolve,” he said.

Some social media posters were critical of the address, asking for Dr. Minnis to address when the COVID-19 restrictions will be further relaxed.

However, Minnis emphasized in his address that the reopening of the country depends on the successful distribution of the vaccine, which he expects in the coming months.

“Thankfully, because there are now successful vaccines for COVID-19, our country, and our economy, are set to reopen more fully in the months ahead.

“The end is in sight. Restrictions will end. We will get back to our way of life. Jobs and the economy, are coming back, he promised.

This means the emergency order is expected to extend beyond January 31, 2021.

In November of last year, the House of Assembly passed a resolution for a two-month extension of the emergency order.

Minnis at the time said when the emergency orders help in lowering cases, the restrictive measures will be reversed, permitting residents to live a more normal life.

House Speaker Halson Moultrie  said the media reports that he referenced the competent authority as a “demigod,” is “false.”

Moultrie’s comments came in the House of Assembly on Thursday during the debate on the extension of the emergency order to January 31.

Opposition Leader Philip Davis while arguing against the renewed emergency order, said it gave the impression that Prime Minister Hubert Minnis was someone of divine status.

Davis said, “There is a view emerging that the member (competent authority) might be a demigod.”

The issue is, the label “demigod” was attributed to Moultrie as reporters spoke to him on the sideline of a constiutency event. Moultrie then called for the autonomy of Parliament, which he believes is held hostage by Cabinet.

He told reporters at the time, “We have developed situations where the leader or the prime minister in these jurisdictions can function like a demigod–like a person who is maximum leader, a person who could dictate.”

When PLP Leader Philip Davis used the term to describe Minnis in the House, Moultrie then presumed that Davis was underhandedly using the words attributed to him as quoted in the newspaper, to describe the competent authority.

Moultrie said, “You are sliding down a slippery slope. It is clear what the honorable member for Cat Island and San Salvador is attempting to do. And what you are attempting to do, you are trying to attribute something to a member in this parliament (Moultrie himself) that was falsely reported in the newspaper. And so I would advise you to…

Davis then interrupted and said, “I said emerging. I never attributed that comment to anyone. I didn’t ask. I said a view is emerging that the member may be a demigod. I attributed that to no one.”

“If you feel as if I’m talking about what you have been saying, that’s not it.”

Many Bahamians have expressed issue with the competent authority as they say he is operating without the consent of the Cabinet and solely by his own authority.