After nearly a year closed, Fusion Superplex has now been granted permission to operate its indoor cinemas, a letter from the prime minister revealed yesterday.
When contacted yesterday, Fusion Superplex Chief Legal Officer Tecoyo Bridgewater said the company appreciated the prime minister’s consideration, but could not say when the cinemas would reopen because multiple things have to first be in place before it can serve the public.
The letter from Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fusion Superplex Carlos Foulkes, dated February 12, came a day after Guardian Business reported that the facility remained closed despite having completed necessary COVID-19 protocols, including a December 17 inspection by the Department of Environmental Health Services, which led it to conclude it had “no objections to the consideration for the reopening of the facility”.
The prime minister said he would allow the entertainment facility to operate its VIP cinemas – which have limited two-seater cubicles – at full capacity and other cinemas at one-third capacity.
“I, Hubert A. Minnis, prime minister of The Bahamas and the competent authority, pursuant to the provisions of
paragraph 53 of the Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) (Risk Management) (No. 4) Order 2020, do hereby exempt Fusion Superplex from the restriction contained in paragraph 43 (1)(a) of the said (Risk Management)(no.4) Order, so as to permit the opening of indoor cinemas, pursuant to the written directives and advice of the Ministry of Health, dated the 8 February 2021, as follows,” the letter from the prime minister stated.
“VIP Cinemas Pure 1 and Pure 2 (well-spaced self-contained cubicles) at full capacity; with staggered showings and full sanitation after every showing; all other cinemas with occupancy levels limited to 33 percent of capacity, with staggered showings and full sanitization after each showing; no indoor dining. Subject to strict adherence to the physical distancing, mask wearing at all times and sanitization protocols,” the letter added.
Bridgewater had previously written the prime minister on three occasions since December, requesting permission without an official response from the competent authority.
He said the company was happy to get back in business and re-engage more of its 350 employees.
“We went through the process and at the end of the day the process has birthed exactly what we needed and we appreciate the competent authority’s consideration in allowing us to open under the COVID-19 protocol measures. It allows us to bring most of our staff back, it allows us to service our customers and it allows us to continue and to be viable in business. So, we do appreciate that and we just want to get back to doing business in a safe COVID-free environment,” he told Guardian Business yesterday.
“We do know that in receiving the exemption we first now have to call staff back, we have to go through the proper training and we have to put the other necessary things in place in order for us to reopen, so we can’t give a specific date at this time.”
The prime minister specified in his letter that no indoor dining would be allowed, however Bridgewater said he doesn’t believe that restriction would impact the ability to serve staple concessions like popcorn, nachos, hotdogs and beverages.
“We do believe that the indoor dining restriction was in relation to restaurant indoor dining. As it relates to concessions, concessions go along with the movie, so we do believe that those things will be allowed. We believe he just meant indoor restaurants,” he said.
Fusion Superplex reopened its outdoor dining restaurant Edge in December.
The post PM grants permission for Fusion to operate cinemas appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/pm-grants-permission-for-fusion-to-operate-cinemas/
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