Davis charges that PM offered ‘no help and no hope’ in address

Opposition Leader Philip Brave Davis yesterday lambasted Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis’ national address charging that it offered “no hope” to Bahamians who are hurting after months of lockdowns and curfews. 

“Bahamians watching the prime minister in the hopes that he would offer a plan to alleviate the pain caused by the FNM lockdowns were sorely disappointed,” Davis said in a statement.

“No help or hope was offered. For months, the PLP Action Plan has called for emergency cash support for families, support for small business payrolls, and a program that works with banks and landlords to help Bahamians keep their homes.

“That is the only competent, compassionate way to address the fallout from the nation’s terrible unemployment crisis.”

Minnis did announce though that the government will extend its unemployment and food assistance programs to the end of January 2021.

He said 36,959 Bahamians benefitted from the unemployment program, which paid out just over $70 million at the end of November. 

Minnis said the food assistance program helped over 100,000 Bahamians. 

Minnis also announced the relaxation of several more COVID-19 restrictions as he touted the continued decrease in new cases. 

He said the decrease proved that the government’s plan worked. 

But Davis accused the prime minister of taking a victory lap. 

“Once again, Hubert Minnis has sought to rewrite recent history, taking a victory lap for his COVID policies, which in reality, led to thousands of COVID cases in The Bahamas and a series of lockdowns, which greatly damaged the local economy,” Davis said.

“When The Bahamas reopened our borders on July 1, the competent authority had not prepared the country for the importation of new cases.

“Because he did not have sufficient testing and tracing resources in place, a few cases quickly turned into thousands of cases, leading to pain, suffering, and tragedy for many Bahamians.

“With cases climbing, our borders had to be shut down again. Foreign nations warned their citizens not to travel here. The competent authority was forced to implement a series of lockdowns and curfews, which greatly damaged small businesses in New Providence, Grand Bahama, Exuma, Abaco, and Eleuthera. 

“This was not inevitable. Many nations in the region have fared much better.”

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/davis-charges-that-pm-offered-no-help-and-no-hope-in-address/