BPL to execute controlled power shutdown in high risk areas tonight

The headquarters of the Bahamas Power and Light on Baillou Hill Road. FILE

Residents in high-risk areas in New Providences can expect a controlled power shutdown at 8 p.m. today, according to Bahamas Power and Light (BPL).

The announcement comes as The Bahamas braces for Hurricane Isaias, which some forecasters project will develop into a Category 2.

“Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd. (BPL) wishes to advise that at 8 p.m. this evening, we anticipate that there will be a controlled shutdown of certain high-risk areas in the New Providence grid,” the power company said in a statement today.

“This would be necessary only if Isaias maintains current conditions and New Providence sees sustained winds of 40 miles per hour.”

A second controlled shutdown will be executed if storm conditions deteriorate, BPL said.

It said customers in the flood-prone areas of Pinewood, Marshall Road, Yamacraw Shores, Winton Highway/Culbert’s Hill, Winton – Twynam, Nassau East North and South, Perpall Tract/Vista Marina/St. Alban’s Drive, Bay Street and Nassau Village will likely be impacted by that second shutdown.

“Once power is cut, it will remain off until it is safe to reenergize,” BPL said.

“BPL is acting per its approved hurricane plan, and wishes to advise customers that regular updates will be issued via social media and regular news outlets in order to keep customers abreast of the latest developments.”

It said power will be restored to affected areas once it is “safe to do so”.

BPL said that will likely happen once winds die down to below 40 miles per hour.

The power company also confirmed that controlled shutdowns were executed on Mayaguana at 12:15 a.m. and Inagua at 5 a.m.

It noted that those islands were among the first to experience the effects of Isaias.

Power was restored on Inagua at 10 a.m., according to BPL.

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Olympics one year out…again!

The Summer Olympics Games is less than a year away, set for July 23 to August 8, in Tokyo, Japan. So far, just six Bahamian athletes have qualified outright. AP

If not for the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the world’s best athletes would be at the Olympics right now.

This is the time when they would have gathered in Japan’s capital city of Tokyo for the grandest sports spectacle in the world, but that was before COVID-19 hit, forcing a stoppage of sports across the globe.

As a result, the Summer Olympics Games is set for an odd year for the first time in its 124-year history – postponed to July 23 to August 8, 2021, still in Tokyo. The training schedules for thousands of athletes have been disrupted, and additionally, training venues and facilities were closed for a significant period of time. A number of those places have since opened, but now a second wave of the coronavirus is upon us.

For some athletes, this is an opportunity to get healthy and fine-tune their bodies for 2021. For others, it’s an opportunity lost as they get older and out of prime condition as the days and months go by.

For the most part, Bahamian athletes support the decision to postpone the Olympics, particularly given what is going in the world today with COVID-19. Even the qualifying period has been suspended, and as a result, The Bahamas finds itself in the same position it was in 12 months ago as no additional Bahamian athlete has qualified.

Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) President Romell Knowles said he feels confident that The Bahamas will be well represented at the Olympics and the chosen few will once again make a tiny nation of just under 400,000 people proud.

“I can tell you that our athletes are coping as best as they can with COVID-19 to prepare themselves for the Olympics. It’s been challenging with the protocols and restrictions that are in place but mentally I believe that our athletes are up to the task at hand,” said Knowles. “They are being responsible and taking care of themselves and have pride in the representation of our country. We are optimistic that they will perform at a very high level. They’re excited, motivated and they’re going to give it their all. We’re not challenging them to win medals, but rather to do the best that they can and if that lands them on the podium, then we’ll be excited for them and excited for the country. Once the all clear is given, hopefully a vaccine will be found for this coronavirus, putting everyone’s minds at ease, and I believe our athletes will rise to the occasion.”

So far, a total of six Bahamian athletes have qualified outright for the Tokyo Olympic Games – all in track and field. A couple of Bahamian female swimmers have achieved “B” cut qualifying times.

The track and field athletes who have qualified outright are Shaunae Miller-Uibo in both the women’s 200 and 400 meters (m), Steven Gardiner in the men’s 400m, Tynia Gaither in the women’s 100 and 200m, Samson Colebrooke in the men’s 100m, Pedrya Seymour in the women’s 100m hurdles and Jamal Wilson in the men’s high jump. Laura Morley and Joanna Evans have achieved “B” cut qualifying times in swimming in the 200m breast and 400m free events respectively. Miller-Uibo and Gardiner were fantastic this past weekend, the former with a pair of world leads in the 100 and 200m, and Gardiner with a sub-20 mark in the men’s 200m – the second-best time in the world this year.

Knowles said the Olympic movement in the country is doing what it can to get the best representation possible for The Bahamas in Tokyo, providing Olympic development grants and Olympic scholarships and facilitating national federations where possible.

COVID-19 has turned the world upside down, and this period continues to create setbacks in sports. World Athletics has suspended the qualifying period for track and field events for the Olympics until December 1, 2020, and the International Swimming Federation (FINA) has postponed or canceled all qualifying meets. It appears that those two disciplines will account for the bulk of Team Bahamas in Tokyo.

One Bahamian athlete who would have qualified if not for the suspension of the qualifying period is Anthonique Strachan. She won the women’s 200m at the Velocity Fest 2020 event in Kingston, Jamaica, in 22.72 seconds, this past weekend – her fastest time in five years. The qualifying time in that event for the Olympics is 22.80 seconds.

Knowles said there is nothing that can be done about the pandemic; it’s here and we just have to navigate around it in preparation for Tokyo. The BOC chief said he foresees no additional setbacks once the spread of the virus dies down and the world returns to a state of normalcy.

At the last Summer Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, The Bahamas was represented by a 26-member squad in three sporting disciplines – athletics, swimming and rowing. Miller-Uibo won gold in the women’s 400m, and the men’s 4x400m relay team of Alonzo Russell, Michael Mathieu, Steven Gardiner and Chris Brown, in that order, won a bronze medal.

Knowles remains confident that more Bahamian athletes will qualify for Tokyo, and at the end of the day, The Bahamas will have one of its better collective performances at the Olympics.

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Hield, Ayton resume NBA season today

It has been just over four months since Bahamian professional basketball players Chavano “Buddy” Hield and DeAndre Ayton played a regular season game in the National Basketball Association (NBA). That is about to change for both players as they prepare for game action today.

Ayton and the Phoenix Suns will be up first when they look to get a win over the Washington Wizards. That game will be played at 4 p.m. Hield and the Sacramento Kings will play a crucial game against a conference foe, the San Antonio Spurs, who are also fighting for the eighth seed in the Western Conference of the NBA. That game will get underway at 8 p.m.

Bahamian sharp shooter Hield missed some time in training camp before the scrimmage games started last week. He told reporters on Wednesday that he feels conditioned heading into the match-up tonight.

“I feel I am there now. Of course, preseason (scrimmage) is different form a real game,” Hield said. “The anxiety and the mental preparation is different but we will go out there and just compete. I am ready to go out there and compete for everything we worked for. When my number gets called, I will go out there and produce for my team. The goal is to take threes and score as [many] points as I can score or get my teammates involved as much as I can and play on both sides of the floor.”

The Kings sit tied for 10th in the Western Conference with a 28-36 win/loss record – three and a half games behind the 32-33 Memphis Grizzlies who occupy the eighth and final spot in the west. Sitting six games behind the Grizzles at 26-29 are the Suns.

If the team with the eighth-best record in its conference is more than four games ahead of the team with the ninth-best record in the same conference, no play-in tournament would be necessary. The final playoff berth would simply go to the team with the eighth-best record, regular season games plus seeding games, in the conference. There are just eight seeding games remaining for each team.

If the team with the eighth-best record in its conference is four games or fewer ahead of the team with the ninth-best record in the same conference, then there will be a battle for the final spot between those two teams.

The tournament would be a two-game series, where the number nine seed would have to win two head-to-head match-ups to take over the number eight spot. If the number eight seed wins just one of the two games, they advance to the playoffs. The playoffs will take the traditional format.

Both the Kings and the Suns will have to get close to an unblemished record in order to get a chance to advance to the playoffs.

The Kings had a 1-2 record during the scrimmage portion of the restart over the past week. Held, the 2020 Mountain Dew Three-Point Champion, said that he and his teammates have switched it on and are ready to go out there and compete.

“The guys have picked up the intensity level. I think we are competing now, and we know what is at stake. It’s an eight-game tournament and every game is serious so we have to go out there and compete every possession… We are going to try be mistake-free and play Kings basketball. Every game we are going to try win,” said Hield.

The Suns had a better scrimmage portion, winning two games and losing one. Ayton had a quiet scrimmage experience, but he is looking forward to the restart, particularly after missing 25 games due to a violation of the NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Anti-Drug Program this season when he tested positive for a diuretic.

During the scrimmage games, the big man flashed a little of his arsenal when he went a perfect 2-for-2 from three-point territory. He is averaging 19 points and 12 rebounds per game – both career highs. He is also averaging a career-high in blocks at 1.7 per contest. Ayton became the fastest Suns player to reach 1,000 rebounds in team history.

Hield is averaging 19.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. The Grand Bahamian has connected on 244 three-point shots this season, second in the league, and 34 three-pointers shy of his career-high and franchise record of 278 from a year ago. The 278 threes was the seventh most prolific shooting performance from downtown in NBA history in a season. Hield is also the fastest player in league history to reach 800 made three-pointers. He accomplished that in 296 games.

Players from the 22 teams selected for the NBA restart are housed in a bubble at the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, Florida as the league enforces strict COVID-19 prevention protocols. They are away from their family and friends as they look to complete the 2019-2020 season. Hield is away from his toddler daughter and says it is not only difficult for him but for everyone.

“It is something that nobody has been through before and we have to adjust but it is life. We are blessed to be here,” he said. “We may not get to see our families, but we get to provide for them, giving them food on the table and a roof over their heads and that is the main point. I am thankful to God for this opportunity to resume the NBA season, so we are able to make money to help our families. It sucks right now but it will all be better in the long run.”

After today, Hield and the Kings will return to the court on Sunday to play the Orlando Magic. The Suns’ next match-up will be against the Dallas Mavericks at 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Jump Line – Both players will be back in action on Sunday

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Dance, Music & Rhythm

The Bahamas, like the rest of the world, is battling a pandemic, but COVID-19 won’t stop the Junkanoo Summer Festival (JSF), even though the 2020 Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades have both been canceled.

The Ministry of Tourism simply moved its popular summer festival to the online platform, taking the form of a digital competition and workshop which affords locals the opportunity to compete, and everyone, including visitors, the opportunity to learn about one of the most authentic expressions of Bahamian culture.

“If there is anything that would lift the Bahamian spirit, it’s Junkanoo,” said Charity Armbrister, director, events management, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

Armbrister said they felt it was important for them to do something.

“We had to come up with an innovative way to celebrate the JSF while adhering to physical distancing measures, and at the same time be able to promote, celebrate and educate persons on the greatest festival there is. And of course, the way to make that happen was via the digital platform.”

The JSF digital competition will highlight the music, dance and rhythm of the greatest show on earth, with $1,000 and two Bahamasair tickets going to winners in three categories – best beller, best drummer and best choreography. Entrants are encouraged to be as creative as possible for the chance to win.

Entering the competition requires three steps: creating a 30-second to 60-second video showcasing drumming, belling and choreography skills; uploading the video to Bahamas.com/junkanoo-summer-2020; and sharing the entry with family and friends, encouraging them to vote August 3 through 9 with an 11:59 p.m. voting deadline. Winners will be announced on August 10.

The digital festival kicked off with a four-day online workshop embracing the educational component, which concludes today. The workshop featured Arlene Nash-Ferguson, creator and founder of Educulture Bahamas Ltd., speaking to the rich heritage of the Junkanoo tradition; Chris Justilien speaking on Junkanoo music; Carolyn Vogt on the art of dance choreography in Junkanoo; and Percy “Vola” Francis demonstrating the art of costume construction and design.

The workshops conclude with a livestream of the Kalik “Who Are We!” documentary today.

Armbrister said the digital version of the popular JSF also gives people who are thinking of visiting the country, a “taste” of what is done in The Bahamas, and would “whet their appetites” to the point that they would hopefully join in the fun when the country returns to normality.

But she said the benefit of being forced to host a digital festival means they now have an add-on through an additional platform through which to sell the JSF.

“It’s important to keep the Bahamian spirit alive during this time, and this competition and workshop will do just that,” said Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation. “This initiative encourages our competitive nature, allowing Bahamians to showcase their talent, while learning from one another.”

While the JSF show goes on, albeit digitally, the big shows – the 2020 Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades through downtown Nassau – have been scrapped in an abundance of caution as health officials recommend physical distancing as an effective measure to mitigate the spread of the new coronavirus disease as there are no preventative medicines or treatments.

In a press release, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture commended the representative groups of the Junkanoo community for the creation and publication of virtual Junkanoo presentations. And it encouraged Bahamians to support the “Stay Safe Virtual Parade Platform” that will preserve the unique expression of cultural heritage.

“The videos currently circulating on multiple social media platforms have received high commendation from virtual spectators – locally and internationally. From all indications, virtual reality for the entertainment of large crowds seems to reflect the new norm.

“We anticipate that, emerging from this new reality, Junkanooers will marshal their efforts and embrace this opportunity to integrate technology to transform Junkanoo in a way that will capture the essence and spirit of Junkanoo as a unique Bahamian cultural expression.”

Dion Miller, Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence (JCNP) chairman, was excited for the JSF competitions which he says will allow Junkanooers the opportunity to enter several competitions, and win serious prize money in these tough economic times.

“One pillar of the Junkanoo experiences will be the virtual experience which includes pre-recording of Junkanoo routines, rushouts, etc…, this is our new reality in COVID-19 as Junkanoo parades, rushing and social distancing do not equate,” he said.

Miller said the digital platform will be an excellent way to expand Junkanoo and take the art form to the world.

With the cancelation of the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades, he said the JCNP is guided by health officials, and once they get back to all clear to parade on Bay Street, they will. He said they are also proactively working towards getting Junkanoo active again, with plans in place for a phased reopening, which he said may start by eliminating all wind instruments, and implementing social distance practices that are closed to the public until they can get to the day and time when everyone can come back together.

Miller said the JCNP is looking at the parade cancelations as a glass half-full and not half-empty.

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Cargill impressed by senior swimmers

Algernon Cargill.

The swimming season was cut short this year but Bahamian swimmers who managed to get some meets under their belts performed admirably, said Bahamas Aquatics Federation (BAF) President Algernon Cargill.

Female swimmers such as Joanna Evans, Laura Morley and Albury Higgs were looking forward to qualifying for this year’s Summer Olympics. However, the season was cut short due to the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the Olympics has been postponed back to July 23 to August 8, 2021, still in Tokyo, Japan.

“The female swimmers continue to excel. Laura Morley already has her Olympic ‘B’ cut. Joanna Evans and Albury Higgs are the female swimmers who are out front in the program but The Bahamas is certainly well-positioned to have a great year in 2021. Hopefully we can restart the program very quickly,” Cargill said.

Morley made the Olympic “B” cut in the 200 meters (m) breaststroke with a national record time of 2:27.83 back in December 2019 when she competed at the US Open Swimming Championships at the Georgia Tech McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, Georgia. That time smashed her old national record of 2:30.21.

Multiple national record holder Evans has a “B” cut time of 4:11.06 in the 400m freestyle and was hoping to lower that time later in the season. Evans also has a top time of 2:01.55 in the 200m free, and the “B” cut qualifying time is 2:00.80. She holds the national record in both of those events, and with the Olympics being pushed back, she now has additional time to lower both of those times and outright qualify for the games.

The “A” cut time in the 400m free is 4:07.90 and in the “B” cut time is 4:15.34.

Higgs had an impressive season for her University of South Carolina Gamecocks. She was able to qualify in the 100 and 200-yard breaststroke events for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI) Swimming Championships in March. However, that event was canceled due to the pandemic.

She is close to the “B” cut qualifying time in the 200m breast with a time of 2:30.50. The “B” cut time is 2:29.89.

On the male side, Cargill mentioned swimmers such as Jared Fitzgerald, Izaak Bastian and Vereance Burrows as some of the Bahamian male swimmers who are looking to qualify for next year’s Olympics.

“Unless someone achieves a qualifying time, we have three male swimmers who are vying for one spot on the Olympic team. We have Jared Fitzgerald who had an outstanding year at the University of Tampa (UT). He is ahead in FINA points as we speak. Izaak Bastian also had an outstanding year at Florida State University (FSU). DaVante Carey, Vereance Burrows and Kohen Kerr are all outstanding swimmers who want to represent The Bahamas at the Olympic Games and had terrific seasons. We expect it to be an intense battle,” said Cargill.

Fitzgerald, the 100m free national record holder, has 786 FINA (International Swimming Federation) points – the highest among the Bahamian male swimmers. He swam 50.81 seconds at the 2019 Pan American Games last year in Lima, Peru. Fitzgerald had a great season in the pool for UT, qualifying individually for the NCAA Division II (DII) Swimming Championships in the 100-yard freestyle event.

Breathing down Fitzgerald’s back by five points is Bastian with 781 points. The 200m breast national record holder has those points for his efforts in the 100m breast. His top time in that event during the qualifying period is 1:01.99 and the “B” cut time is 1:01.73. The FSU swimmer was impressive this season, qualifying for the first time in an individual event for the NCAA DI Swimming Championships. He qualified in the 100-yard breast.

Carey holds the national records in the 50 and 100m backstroke events. The freshman at McKendree University qualified for the NCAA DII Swimming Championships for his performance in the 100-yard backstroke.

If no Bahamian male swimmer qualifies, Fitzgerald is the swimmer who will be called upon to represent The Bahamas at the Olympics because he has the highest FINA points and will get in because of the universality standard of the Olympics which allows a country to enter one male and one female swimmer regardless of time.

For those elite swimmers like Fitzgerald and Carey who were in The Bahamas in recent weeks, they had a chance to get back into the pool in early May after Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis announced that elite and professional athletes would be allowed to resume training, as highlighted in the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) Orders.

“I am happy that the government allowed for the training of elite and professional athletes,” Cargill said. “We contacted the National Sports Authority (NSA) to see if they can give permission to those in school because some of these athletes have commitments to their colleges and they have a very stringent program that they had to adhere to.”

Cargill, who sits on the FINA board as a regional representative, has a key input on approving some of the COVID-19 protocols in swimming. He said he adopted those same protocols for the federation.

“One thing that I am happy about is that with Bahamas Aquatics, we have developed protocols based on FINA best practices… We provided each recommendation for the NSA that they have adopted outright. We have been a pacesetter for all federations in that regard. From what we understand, some of our protocols were adopted as a part of the standard operating practices. It can be used by the other federations in terms of required social distancing in their programs,” Cargill stated.

A number of Bahamian swimmers will be looking to lower their times in preparation for next year’s Summer Olympics. Unfortunately, FINA has canceled a number of regional and international qualifying meets due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

 

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Two coming of age flicks take different paths

This past week saw the release of two dramatically different approaches to teenage coming of age stories.

Netflix’s “The Kissing Booth 2” is a sequel to a film that had some teenagers in some adult-like situations. The new one tones down those scenarios, appearing to more actively target its high school audience in a wholesome way.

Appearing on Video on Demand, “Yes, God, Yes” definitely won’t be something you can play at the church youth group meeting (unless it’s a really progressive, new age church).

Only one of these will likely appeal to adults, the other is strictly for the young’uns

“Yes, God, Yes” (US-rated R)

Cast: Natalia Dyer, Timothy Simons, Wolfgang Novogratz

Genre: Comedy-drama

Dwight’s Rating:

Being a teenager surely ain’t easy!

Everybody knows that – especially with hundreds of movies and TV series dedicated to documenting and demonstrating this every year.

And while there have been many movies that focus on the sexual awakenings of teenagers, the sly wit of “Yes, God, Yes” makes this an exceptionally fun and fresh experience.

Set in the early 2000s, Alice, a Catholic girl in the Midwest, finds herself having tempting thoughts after an AOL (yes, America Online – remember that?) chat turns unexpectedly racy.

While this is about teenagers, some of the raunchy material may not be entirely appropriate for all teenagers. However, we see everything from Alice’s confused and innocent point of view, adding to the hilarity to most of the situations. Natalia Dyer (Netflix’s “Stranger Things”) as Alice is superb, as is the rest of the supporting cast.

With some clever jabs at the Catholic Church and school system, and at hypocrisy and double standards, in general, “Yes, God, Yes” should delight adults who are relieved they are far removed from their teenage years and never want to go back.

“The Kissing Booth 2” (US-rated TV-14)

Cast: Joey King, Jacob Elordi, Joel Courtney, Taylor Zakhar Perez

Genre: Romantic comedy

Dwight’s Rating:

Did you know there was a “The Kissing Booth” part one?

If your answer is yes, then you likely watched that 2018 movie, and are inclined to watch the second instalment of this romantic comedy.

But if you’re like me and had never even heard of the thing, then you might be disgusted by the thought of spending time watching a movie about teenage love.

After seeing a preview for “The Kissing Booth 2”, something told me that I’d better watch the first one, which I did. And yes, sitting through the original is highly recommended, should you, for some reason, need to watch this.

But if you can’t be bothered, or if you just need a refresher… In the original, teenage Elle’s first kiss leads to a forbidden romance with Noah, the hottest boy in high school, risking her relationship with her best friend.

Got that?

The second one picks up after their romantic summer together. Noah is off to Harvard, and Elle heads back to high school for her senior year. With college decisions looming, Elle juggles her long-distance romance with Noah, the changing relationship with her bestie and feelings for a new classmate.

Okay. So, while the first film deals with a lot of sexual situations, the second one is a lot more sappy-and-sentimental, and definitely toned down in its content.

In full disclosure, while both these movies are incredibly cheesy, the original is actually not entirely horrible. “Cute” might be the best way to describe it. It’s certainly not entirely original, but it is a lot more interesting than this sequel, which seems to have decided that the young teen audience needs to see less sex and more angst. A case can be made for that, but that doesn’t mean it should be dull, right?

But even though it lacks the energy of the original, if you do start watching (especially if you begin with the first film), just like with lame soapy TV series, you’ll want to stick around to see what happens to these characters, even if these are largely predictable tales.

Joey King (“Ramona and Beezus”) as Elle is the best thing about this whole franchise. Her presence on the screen goes a long way to making the whole experience adequate. This young actress is destined for greatness. She just turned 21 yesterday, and has already been nominated for a Lead Actress Emmy (“The Act”). She can do comedy and drama. Remember her name!

If you do decide to enter “The Kissing Booth 2”, know that it is afflicted with the Netflix curse – and a very bad case of it indeed. There is no reason on the planet why this movie has to be 2 hours and 14 minutes long.

And there’s also no reason why there needs to be a “The Kissing Booth 3”. But apparently that’s already in post-production.

I can probably already write that review. It’ll start off with, “Did you know there was a “The Kissing Booth 2?”

• Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of “Morning Blend” on Guardian Radio and station manager. He is a television producer and writer, and an avid TV history and film buff. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on twitter @morningblend969.

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NIB pays out $8.7 mil. in UEB extension program

The National Insurance Board’s (NIB) headquarters on Baillou Hill Road. FILE

The National Insurance Board (NIB) has paid out approximately $8.7 million to 18,000 Bahamian workers as a part of the government’s Unemployment Benefits (UEB) Extension Programme, which began two weeks ago.

The government allocated $48 million for the expansion of its unemployment assistance program, which provides supplemental income for Bahamians who became unemployed due to the COVID-19 shutdown between March 23 and June 30 and continue to be unemployed.

NIB Director Dr. Nicola Virgill-Rolle said based on the actual time when COVID-19-related layoffs started to be recorded – which is March 13 – 5,000 more workers were added to its database to receive assistance.

“NIB is working around the clock with a dedicated team that is committed to assisting as many people as possible, including processing a backlog of emails based on the volume of queries. We are asking for the public’s understanding and patience,” she said in a press statement.

“So far we have disbursed over $8.7 million in one week since restarting the program. That is remarkable as it continues to demonstrate the commitment of our team to deliver the much-needed relief to almost 18,000 Bahamian workers receiving direct cash assistance in these difficult times.”

There are 35,000 Bahamians enrolled in NIB’s recently launched online portal, which administers the program, however, Virgill-Rolle said there have been several challenges regarding employment verification.

“We need workers to declare their current employment status. If they do not verify, the system assumes they are back to work and they will not be included in the payment roster. Verification is an important step, so we urge everyone to log into the system and declare whether they remain unemployed,” she said.

“Workers must verify before each two-week payment cycle to ensure the smooth release of assistance payments.”

NIB stated it has also resolved a system issue that changed the form of payment for some direct bank deposit clients.

“Many clients received notifications that their payments were going to a digital wallet through our fintech partner IslandPay. The issue was resolved for about 1,800 impacted clients. Another challenge continues to be incorrect registration data,” NIB added.

“The online system looks for direct matches when it comes to inputting dates of birth, names and NIB numbers. NIB is encouraging individuals with challenges registering to reach out for assistance via email to govUEBex@nib-bahamas.com. A review process has also been established with NIB and Ministry of Finance staff to review cases that were deemed ineligible.”

Earlier this month, Minister of Public Service and National Insurance Brensil Rolle estimated that NIB would pay out approximately $100 million because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Cheesecake Heaven is the place for delicious treats – and bread

Fresh baked bread is just gosh darn good. And you had to have had your head under a rock for the past few years if you’re even remotely surprised to realize that Cheesecake Heaven offers more tempting pastries than just cheesecake. They also do breads as well – loaves and buns that have become so popular that whenever Chef Jameel Lightbourn bakes them, they “fly” out the door like hotcakes.

One of the reasons Cheesecake Heaven’s breads are such hot sellers is that he used the COVID-19 lockdown period to experiment with flavors beyond coconut, raisin and plain – and came up with his now popular guava bread or a combination of coconut guava. And by special request, he will whip up a bread with the combination of the client’s choosing. Walk into the store today, and the specialty bread featured will be his Bailey’s bread. Actually, Bailey’s is the flavor of the day and you will find it in almost every treat offered in-store today.

“I’ve been working on diversifying the business by not only providing cheesecakes and pastries, but venturing into the fresh bread market,” said Lightbourn. “We were traditional – plain or raisin, but the new flavors we’re coming out with include new flavors that people would be familiar with that’s not together in bread. The most popular is the coconut bread with the guava swirl.”

During lockdown, he even experimented with a cinnamon roll loaf with cream cheese, nuts and brown sugar.

With his guava loaves being the most requested, he said he finds himself having to churn out dozens of the guava or coconut guava bread flavor.

“Every time I make that one, you have persons that either buy all or almost all.”

Other than pastries and swapping out, and changing, and renaming and re-flavoring pastries, Lightbourn said he’s looking to introduce hot lunch specials featuring slow-cooked meats and root vegetables, which means customers can come in for a wholesome lunch to go with their pastry choice.

“Nothing heavy like rice – but if we do rice on a given day, it would be something healthy.”

He already offered salads (salmon, chicken and vegan) and sandwiches (oven-roasted ham, oven-roasted turkey breast and salmon) on the menu.

“What COVID-19 has taught me is that…not really taught me, but what it has reiterated, or spoken loudly to me, is just keep being different and don’t follow the crowd when it comes to producing. Just come up with new stuff all the time, whether it is before lockdown or when the city is open and free for business. Just stay outside the box and make your own lane and people will search you out once they know you’re producing [a] delicious product – no matter what,” said the proprietor who opened his brick and mortar storefront located at Madeira and Bradley Street, Palmdale, in 2010.

While many despaired the lockdown downtime, Lightbourn said he was appreciative of the time because it allowed him to experiment and come up with the new treats he’s now offering.

“It gave me a lot of time to rest, and once I have rest, my mind moves at 100 miles an hour all the time,” he said.

With some sense of normality returned, he can’t bake his keto cheesecakes fast enough. Like his breads, they fly out of the showcase as people following a low-carb, high-fat diet snatch them up.

Even while he continues to churn out new treats, his faithful clients can still expect to find their tried and true favorite treats that Cheesecake Heaven built its reputation on – decadent and unique cheesecake flavors. And it’s a flavor list that seems to be unending.

Last year, he tempted patrons with the likes of his bread pudding stuffed with cream cheese and topped with a whipped guava duff sauce, and his cheesecake-stuffed donuts. He didn’t stop there with the decadence – fried cheesecake and fried ice cream were also added to the already indulgent menu.

Lightbourn’s seriously generous-portioned raw salad comprises a heaping mound of greens topped with roasted asparagus, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), avocado wedge, spiraled beets and carrots with plum tomatoes. You can top it with a protein of choice – grilled salmon or chicken, which are topped, or a scoop of hummus with micro greens. All of the salads are served with a house-made Vidalia onion and poppy seed vinaigrette and a grilled lemon half, which adds a subtle, smoky flavor when spritzed on food; and they look cool too!

Sandwiches are served on bread that’s baked in store, as well as ham and turkey breast roasted in-house, which is a central theme for Lightbourn as he seeks to maintain control over the quality of the foods that he prepares, ensuring quality, consistency and flavor day-to-day.

The salmon sandwich is served with a tangy caper aioli. The turkey and ham sandwiches are served with a sauce that Lightbourn won’t reveal, but that has a hint of sweet.

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Isaias takes aim

With a Category 1 hurricane expected to be in The Bahamas as early as tonight, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis last night relaxed this weekend’s lockdown to allow for storm preparation across The Bahamas.

The Department of Meteorology has issued a hurricane warning for the northwestern and central Bahamas.

This came one day after Acting Director of Meteorology Trevor Basden told reporters that Tropical Storm Isaias had a 75 percent chance of not developing into a hurricane.

During a press conference at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Minnis said, “To prepare for Tropical Storm Isaias, this weekend’s lockdown will be relaxed to allow for storm preparations and to respond following the passage of the storm.”

He added, “I also wish to announce that — based on current indicators and data provided by health officials — a lockdown will still be necessary following the passage of the storm.”

A 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew will be imposed as of tonight. It remains in place until further notice.

Grocery stores, water depots, pharmacies and gas stations will be permitted to be open until 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Hardware stores will also be allowed to open until 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Individuals will be allowed to move around for the purposes of storm preparations and to respond to any emergencies during and after the storm.

Those relaxed restrictions will also apply to Grand Bahama, which is currently on a lockdown after being declared a COVID-19 hotspot, according to Minister of States for Disaster Preparedness Iram Lewis.

Isaias is the first storm to hit The Bahamas for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

It comes 11 months after Hurricane Dorian — the strongest storm to ever hit The Bahamas — ravaged Abaco and Grand Bahama, displacing thousands and killing at least 74.

Senior Deputy Director in the Department of Meteorology Jeffrey Simmons told The Nassau Guardian yesterday Isaias will likely become a hurricane “around Saturday morning”.

“Even though that is the case, we still expect it be no more than a Category 1 hurricane,” he said.

“A consensus of the models actually has the storm passing, the center of the system passing more or less between New Providence and Andros.

“Depending on the size of the eye, New Providence and Andros may be in that area.

“So, we’re looking at that happening late Friday night, early Saturday morning; and so, we expect winds to be minimum hurricane strength which should be around 70 miles per hour or so and, of course, a lot of rain because this system does have a lot of rain.

“One of the good things about it is because it will remain just a minimal hurricane storm surge will not really be a significant factor in this.”

If storm surge were to happen, it would not exceed five to 10 feet, according to Simmons.

He said four to eight inches of rain can be expected with the storm.

An all clear will likely be issued late-Sunday afternoon, according to Basden.

Prepare

The prime minister urged Bahamians to take the storm “seriously”.

“I beg you do not use this period for hurricane preparation to go socializing and visiting friends or family,” Minnis said.

“If you do not need to be out, please stay at home. We are in the midst of a pandemic and if we do not act responsibly the consequences could be dire. During this time, I ask you to be respectful, courteous and helpful to others.”

He described the situation as “fast moving and fluid”.

Minnis said the government has mobilized all of its resources.

“Before I close, I send a message out to the young people,” he said.

“I know that many of you are booking into the hotels during the hurricane. Use that time for security and safety. Please do not engage in hurricane or COVID parties. It will not help us and it can be devastating and we will see the after effects if not in two weeks, possibly later.”

There are 508 cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas.

Twenty-four new cases were reported yesterday, bringing the total number of cases reported this month to 404.

On Wednesday, Director of Social Services Lillian Quant-Forbes said hurricane shelters will have designated isolation areas for individuals who present with COVID-19 symptoms.

She said social distancing will be enforced in shelters.

Last night, NEMA Director Captain Stephen Russell said shelters will be activated today at 9 a.m.

He said there were no evacuations planned for the Family Islands.

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BPL moving forward with disconnections

The headquarters of the Bahamas Power and Light on Baillou Hill Road. FILE

Despite the economic hardships of many and thousands still unemployed, Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) confirmed yesterday that it still intends to move forward with disconnections.

BPL announced last month that 11,399 of its residential customers were subject to immediate disconnection because they had a balance $500 or more in arrears for longer than 90 days before April 1.

However, the corporation said 1,048 customers on New Providence and 263 customers on the Family Islands who were facing disconnections have made payment plans.

“Following consultation with the government of The Bahamas, on July 1, 2020, BPL resumed disconnections of residential customers who fell into three specific bands. The company has confirmed that this remains the case up to this time and encourages customers liable to be disconnected to come in and make payment plans,” BPL noted in a statement.

“Residential customers with a balance more than 90 days in arrears since April 1, 2020 (488) and customers who had enrolled in the BPL COVID-19 Relief Programme (559) had until July 28, 2020 to bring their accounts current, or to enroll in a payment plan. Up to July 30, 1,361 customers have been disconnected, with 646 of those reconnected.”

In April, BPL suspended disconnections for “so long as the government says” and also rolled out a three-month bill deferment program for people who were laid off or in quarantine because of the pandemic.

However, that suspension expired in June.

BPL said the total amount owed to the corporation by those delinquent accounts in arrears is $36.9 million in New Providence and $9.1 million in the Family Islands.

BPL stated it will work with customers who find themselves liable to disconnection.

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Government discouraging domestic travel, notes D’Aguilar

In an about-face from its initial stance of promoting domestic tourism, the government is now discouraging Bahamians from traveling, Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar said.

When it became apparent that visitor arrivals would be slow, tourism officials touted plans in May to encourage Bahamians to visit the Family Islands.

That was before the second surge of COVID-19 which led to the government restricting inter-island travel and implementing a mandatory 14-day quarantine for residents or visitors traveling to any part of the country.

“If you want to go to a Family Island, you’re going to have to quarantine for 14 days. You’re going to have to take a test, domestically if you can, if you want to move from a COVID-19 center. So let’s assume, if you want to move from New Providence you’re going to have to take a test if you go down there,” D’Aguilar said earlier this week.

“We want to discourage travel right now, we want to flatten the number of cases and bring it down. So yes, these will be difficult rules to adhere to but the attempt is to – and coming from the minister of tourism this is difficult to say – discourage travel until we bring the cases under control and then we’ll review it again.”

The Bahamas opened its borders to international commercial flights on July 1. Foreign visitors were required to submit a COVID-19 PCR negative test less than 10 days old to enter the country, while Bahamians wanting to travel out of the country for less than 72 hours were not required to produce a negative test or quarantine.

In the four weeks since allowing open travel through its borders, the country has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases by more than 400.

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Isaias stirs new fears among Dorian survivors

This 2019 file photo shows destruction from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island. AP

With a tent in her backyard on Guana Cay, Abaco, as her family’s only shelter, Beckylee Albury, 36, has given up on any semblance of a plan for Tropical Storm Isaias, now forecast to develop into a hurricane.

“I already cried yesterday and today,” she said.

“And I don’t know what else to do anymore.”

Isaias was dumping heaving rain over portions of the Dominican Republic yesterday and the National Hurricane Center said it is forecast to become a hurricane by tonight.

With memories of Hurricane Dorian still raw, many who lived through that deadly storm are still attempting to put their lives back together.

News that The Bahamas is in the cone of Isaias has hit hard.

“Emotionally, I’ve been drained since

Dorian,” Albury said. “So, this is just making it even worse. After Dorian, I couldn’t sleep for weeks. And now with this storm, I’m just numb basically.

“There’s nothing I could do. There’s nothing. I have no plan because there’s nothing I can see to do. We’re going to probably be in the tent for the storm.”

With no official shelters on Guana Cay, she said she can only hope that a friend or neighbor will allow her family to stay with them.

“We’re hoping that somebody will think about us and, at least for the storm, give us a place to stay or something like that,” she said.

Having had a traumatizing experience in Marsh Harbour during Hurricane Dorian, in which her four-year-old son nearly drowned, Albury said she will not seek shelter on mainland Abaco.

“We ended up swimming. I almost lost my four-year-old. He almost drowned,” she said.

“…If we would have stayed in Guana, we probably would have been better off than staying in Marsh Harbour last time.”

Dorian ravaged Abaco and Grand Bahama last September, killing at least 74 and leaving thousands homeless.

Albury said she still has nightmares about the experience.

Albury, her fiancé and their two-year-old moved back to Guana Cay a few weeks ago, having left Abaco for New Providence after Hurricane Dorian.

She said her other children are still in Nassau with her mother.

Albury said the Disaster Reconstruction Authority provided help with building supplies to repair their home, but things are still in limbo, especially financially.

“I started a job a few weeks ago,” she said.

“My husband was supposed to go crawfishing this morning, but the storm changed that. So, he’s left with nothing to do right now. It’s very stressful.”

To make matters worse, she said, her mother no longer has housing security in Nassau as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Even while we were there, we ended up losing our place of residence because of COVID-19 and all the impact and everyone being laid off from their jobs or going to part-time,” Albury said.

“…They are still without somewhere to live. They are basically between hotels and Airbnbs and searching for an apartment.

“It’s a lot of stress. It’s not only the storm. It’s just a lot.”

High risk

For Melissa McPhee, 44, who lives on Grand Bahama, COVID-19 is directly impacting her ability to feel secure in a storm.

“I’m really concerned,” she said. “A whole lot.”

Tarp is the only thing stopping McPhee’s home in Columbus from flooding after it was severely damaged in Hurricane Dorian.

“It was really severe and we’re still trying to come back from it,” she said.

“…The roof is still covered with tarp. It’s kind of putting me on edge to know that we are faced with another storm that is quickly approaching. It’s really been intense for me.”

However, as a sickle cell patient, who is at high risk for COVID-19, she said she can’t risk going to a shelter.

Grand Bahama currently has the most cases of COVID-19 in The Bahamas, with 239 of its 247 cases confirmed since July 8.

The island is in the middle of a two-week lockdown in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

While government officials have said they will ensure social distancing in shelters, McPhee, a mother of two, is not willing to take the chance.

“I just can’t personally take that risk,” she said.

“I can’t do it at all. On top of that, I have a problem with seizures.

“…I try to keep myself and not be clustered or around many people because the least little things trigger the seizures.”

McPhee said she experienced a sickle cell crisis during Dorian.

“So, I was unable to do anything,” she said. “My 19-year-old had to run out in the storm to go and get the ambulance.

“…The water was already up to his chest.”

But McPhee said she has nowhere else to go.

“We just said we are going to stay right here,” she said.

“We don’t really have anywhere else to go.”

McPhee said she is also afraid to leave her home to prepare for the storm.

She has to rely on her son for assistance in getting supplies.

“I only have him to depend on,” she said.

McPhee added, “I just don’t want to take a chance being a high-risk person.

“If anybody is out there that can reach out and give a helping hand, I would truly appreciate it. I would really appreciate it.”

The post Isaias stirs new fears among Dorian survivors appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/07/31/isaias-stirs-new-fears-among-dorian-survivors/

Three more deaths, 24 new cases

Three more people died of COVID-19 in The Bahamas, and 24 new cases were recorded in the country yesterday.

Health officials did not give details on the deaths, noting that more information will be provided at a Ministry of Health press conference this afternoon.

The deaths are the first since April. There are now 14 deaths.

According to the ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard, hospitalizations increased from 16 to 19.

Of the new confirmed cases, 20 were recorded on New Providence.

The other four were recorded on Grand Bahama, which still leads the country in total confirmed cases.

A nine-year-old girl was among those who tested positive for COVID on New Providence.

Also among the new cases on the island are eight women – ages 27, 36, 30, 80, 37, 25, 32 and 28 – and 11 men – ages 56, 54, 41, 42, 43, 63, 51, 42, 45, 47 and 43.

On Grand Bahama, three men – ages 68, 51, and 29 – and a 44-year-old woman tested positive.

Health officials did not provide any travel history for the new cases. It is also unclear how many healthcare workers, if any, are among the confirmed cases.

In total, 508 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in The Bahamas.

Of the cases in The Bahamas, 404 have been recorded since July 8, a week after the country’s border reopened fully to international travel.

Grand Bahama has the most confirmed cases in the country with 247, followed by New Providence with 205 and Bimini with 21.

Guana Cay has recorded nine cases; Moore’s Island, nine; the Berry Islands, six; Cat Cay, four; Cat Island, three; Exuma, three; and Abaco, one.

So far, 91 people have recovered from COVID-19 in The Bahamas and there are 404 active cases.

As of last night, 4,167 tests were completed, according to health officials. These include tests conducted by private facilities.

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No Junkanoo parades in upcoming season

A participant in a previous Junkanoo parade. FILE

The 2020/2021 Junkanoo parades will not take place as a result of a worsening COVID-19 pandemic, officials have advised.

The decision was announced in separate statements by the Junkanoo Corporation of New Providence (JCNP) and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, and followed weeks of speculation regarding whether the annual parades will be canceled as the COVID situation in The Bahamas deteriorated.

The prime minister and Culture Minister Lanisha Rolle held joint meetings with the JCNP and group leaders (Category A and B groups) to discuss the impact that COVID-19 has had on the Junkanoo community, the corporation said in its statement yesterday.

“We ended those sessions in agreement that due to health and safety concerns for both Junkanooers and the viewing public, as well as the financial constraints that both our partners in government and corporate Bahamas that sponsor the parades are currently experiencing, it would be in the best interest that traditional Junkanoo parades which host between 7,000 to 9,000 spectators not take place this year,” the JCNP said.

The statement added that the JCNP — along with the ministry; National Junkanoo Committee (NJC) co-chairs Kishlane Smith and Dr. Dwight Marshall; and Junkanoo leaders — have begun the process of planning a phased approach to “safely” relaunch Junkanoo and Junkanoo activities.

It said they are finalizing several alternative Junkanoo experiences that will take place during the holiday season.

“We ask that the Junkanoo community and public continue to display patience as we continue to finalize these plans,” the JCNP said.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture added that it will not “lend support to hosting” the traditional parades.

It said this decision was the result of advice given by the Ministry of Health on July 16.

The ministry said health officials advised that “given the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health cannot lend support to the hosting of this cultural activity at this time”.

“The health and safety of our citizens, residents and visitors are paramount to this government and its decision-making,” the ministry said.

“Hence, considering the volatile state of affairs surrounding the COVID-19 phenomena, we must err on the side of caution and stand with our sister Ministry of Health.”

The ministry said it — in partnership with the JCNP and with the support of the NJC — will strategize “a strategic plan to relaunch physical Junkanoo activities commencing Spring 2021”.

“To assist with the execution of an agreed and approved strategic plan for the relaunch of Junkanoo, the government of The Bahamas has made a 2020/2021 budgetary allocation,” it said.

“The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and, by extension, the government of The Bahamas, remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting our Junkanoo community and investing in the preservation of our premier cultural expression.”

The ministry said it anticipates that Junkanooers will integrate technology to transform Junkanoo in a way that captures “the essence and spirit of Junkanoo as a unique Bahamian cultural expression”.

“We encourage every Bahamian and Junkanoo stakeholder to support the ‘Stay Safe Virtual Parade Platform’ that will preserve this unique expression of our cultural heritage in the form of creative arts, rhythm, dance and the pulsating sounds of the goatskin drums and cowbells vital to creating a quality Junkanoo Parade experience,” it said.

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Man stabbed to death in Nassau Village

A man was stabbed to death on Lawton Street, Nassau Village, shortly before 8 p.m., police said.

Police received reports that there was an altercation involving three male relatives that resulted in them “receiving injuries to their bodies”. Emergency medical services personnel pronounced one of them dead at the scene.

The two others were taken to hospital and were in stable condition, police said. Police could not say how many times the male was stabbed and also could not confirm his age.

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PMH wards reconfigured after COVID-19 exposure

The Princess Margaret Hospital.

The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) yesterday announced a reconfiguration of its wards at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), Sandilands Rehabilitation Center and the Rand Memorial Hospital on Grand Bahama.

The announcement came two days after The Nassau Guardian reported that roughly 50 patients were potentially exposed to COVID-19 across three wards at PMH in the last week.

The incident led to the closure of the wards, according to a hospital source.

In a statement, PHA said, “The move comes as the authority has recorded an increase in the number of persons presenting to hospital and staff testing positive for COVID-19 which has put a significant strain on resources, including bed capacity.

“For the purposes of continuing clinical services, the PHA has reconfigured ward utilization during this time to manage patient admissions subject to their medical needs and gender. The current exposure of employees and patients across our hospitals is being managed subject to international infection prevention control guidelines for infectious outbreaks of this kind and the policies of PHA.

“The normal process follows that contacts (patients and employees) are screened, tested, quarantined or isolated subject to the presentation of symptoms. Every effort is being made to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within our institutions.”

On Wednesday, Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) President Amancha Williams sounded the alarm over what she said is a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) made available to nurses on the affected wards.

“The only thing that the nurse is wearing on the ward is a surgical mask, gloves and an apron, not even a yellow gown,” Williams said.

She added that nurses haven’t been provided with N-95 masks, commonly used by healthcare professionals on the frontline.

Yesterday, the PHA said it has also increased its distribution of PPE for staff working across the hospitals.

It said this was done “to ensure the safety and protection of our valued employees”.

“We are making every effort to ensure that no COVID-19-positive patients are housed or treated at the main campuses of our hospitals,” PHA said.

“All cases identified for hospital care will be referred to the designated government facilities for care.

“The public is asked to partner with us as we fight to contain this pandemic by contacting their personal physicians or local community clinics during the day for non-emergencies and only access their respective Accident & Emergency Department in the event of an actual emergency or after-hours.

“Similarly, requests for ambulance services should be limited to emergencies only.”

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Doctors union: What is the plan?

Dr. Melisande Bassett.

Bahamas Doctors Union (BDU) President Dr. Melisande Bassett yesterday called on health officials to “come up with a plan” as she claimed there are insufficient doctors working at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bassett expressed doubt over the hospital’s capacity to keep patients and employees safe from potential exposure to the novel coronavirus, as there is a limited number of beds and space available.

“We’re beyond where we should be concerned,” she said.

“We need to act to come up with a plan. It’s challenging in that our numbers are overwhelming and we don’t have adequate staff to deal with the influx that we’re seeing, in terms of even monitoring the staff and taking care of the staff in addition to the patients and ensuring that they’re cared for. So, it’s a challenge.”

Bassett said with three wards at the hospital impacted by the confirmation of at least one COVID-19 case and the potential exposure of healthcare workers as well as patients, she expressed her concerns to Employee Health officials at the hospital, who assured her that they are going down the line and doing their best to address the issue.

“The hospital has a fixed number of beds, 450 beds, no more,” she said.

“And because of infrastructural challenges, our capacity for the suspected cases has also been under challenge. So, there’s the aspect of ensuring that persons that come in for non-COVID-related issues are secure, that they are safe and that they’re not put at risk.

“We have to ensure that they are safe. We have to ensure that we have a secure place for those positive patients that could potentially spread to other people and the space is limited.

“Four hundred and fifty positive cases, you can see that that can happen at any time given the rate of rise that we’re seeing. So, even the sheer numbers of persons that are being infected will overwhelm the healthcare system.”

When she spoke with The Nassau Guardian yesterday, Bassett explained that some of the doctors were in the process of screening to determine their level of exposure and whether they should be quarantined.

In a statement yesterday, the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) said it activated an aggressive reconfiguration of wards across PMH, Rand Memorial Hospital and Sandilands Rehabilitation Center.

“The move comes as the authority has recorded an increase in the number of persons presenting to hospital and staff testing positive for COVID-19, which has put a significant strain on resources including bed capacity,” the statement said.

It continued, “We are making every effort to ensure that no COVID-19-positive patients are housed or treated at the main campuses of our hospitals. All cases identified for hospital care will be referred to the designated government facilities for care.”

Dr. Locksley Munroe, consultant general surgeon, said at least three teams have been negatively impacted by the new surge in cases.

There are over 30 doctors awaiting confirmation of employment.

“We’ve sent a communication and we haven’t heard anything as yet,” Bassett said.

“We’re hoping that, you know, common sense prevails and we get the staff that we need back in hospital because we’re short staffed and we’re overworked.”

On Wednesday, Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) President Amancha Williams decried the lack of proper personal protective equipment (PPE) for nurses on the impacted wards at PMH.

Bassett said she has been in discussion with the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health to assist with restocking PPEs.

“We’ve had meetings to discuss how we’re going to ensure that persons are adequately protected on the wards,” Bassett said.

“I can’t tell you what the ministry’s current stock pile is, but when we are low we usually have to make a call. It’s certainly going to impact what we do if supplies run out.”

The post Doctors union: What is the plan? appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

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‘Appropriate’ protections in Rand’s ER although doctor tested positive for COVID-19

Rand Memorial Hospital. FILE

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Delon Brennen said yesterday the emergency room (ER) at Rand Memorial Hospital on Grand Bahama will not close after a doctor tested positive for COVID-19 there.

He was unable to say when the incident took place.

Brennen said COVID-positive patients are “constantly” evaluated and treated in the ER.

“It’s what happens in ERs,” he told The Nassau Guardian.

“People present for evaluation and treatment of their symptoms. In this situation, that includes those with symptoms of COVID-19. Some of them will later be diagnosed via testing as COVID-19-positive.”

Asked whether patients will still be allowed to enter the ER, Brennen said, “Appropriate precautions are being taken.”

When pressed on those precautions, he replied, “PHA (Public Hospitals Authority) would have to say.”

Brennen said patients are “appropriately protected” in the ER.

Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) President Amancha Williams said six nurses have already tested positive for the virus on Grand Bahama.

She said at least 16 more are currently quarantined.

On Wednesday, The Guardian reported that roughly 50 patients were potentially exposed to COVID-19 across three wards at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) in the last week.

The incident led to the closure of the wards, according to a hospital source.

Consultant Physicians Staff Association (CPSA) President Dr. Sabriquet Pinder-Butler said on Wednesday that doctors are concerned about the public healthcare system’s capacity to handle a surge in hospitalized COVID-19 cases.

She said given the state of Rand Memorial, where there is a surge in cases, as well as Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), a shortage of beds and space to accommodate more COVID-19 cases has become worrisome.

“What we’re seeing with increases in the numbers, and we know that we already have challenges within the institution with bed space and potential exposures to staff, as well as patients, it is a concern for us,” Pinder-Butler said.

“It’s a very real concern that we won’t be able to have the capacity to properly care for patients, to house them, those types of things, and to provide the care that is needed.”

Five hundred and eight COVID-19 cases have been reported in The Bahamas since March 15.

Four hundred and one cases are active. There have been 14 deaths, with three reported yesterday.

Grand Bahama, which has been declared a hotspot, has 247 cases.

It has reported 239 new cases this month alone.

The post ‘Appropriate’ protections in Rand’s ER although doctor tested positive for COVID-19 appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/07/31/appropriate-protections-in-rands-er-although-doctor-tested-positive-for-covid-19/

Central and SE Bahamas residents brace for Isaias

Nearly five years after Hurricane Joaquin barreled through the central and southeast (SE) Bahamas as a Category 4 storm, residents on those islands are making final preparations for another potential hurricane to make landfall as early as this afternoon.

For some, a state of panic has set in, while others have made no attempt at battening up as they anticipate the storm won’t be as damaging.

After experiencing widespread damage, from which the island has still not rebound, residents on Long Island have battened up and secured their property, according to Clarence Town resident Vincent Lockhart.

“We’re putting up shutters and securing stuff in the house and getting our last-minute groceries,” Lockhart said yesterday.

“Everyone here seems to be taking it seriously. The island hasn’t quite rebounded from Joaquin and so some people are now panicking. People are on edge.”

Lockhart lives in the island’s capital with his wife, his mother and two children – one of whom has special needs.

“I can’t take it lightly, you know,” he said.

“I have to secure my home and ensure my family is safe. But, you know, Long Islanders are strong. We’re pretty resilient. We’ll get through this one just fine like we always do.”

On Crooked Island, which saw homes, churches, hotels and schools wiped out during Hurricane Joaquin, not much battening up has occurred, according to Michael Carroll.

“People are not really battening up their houses,” Carroll said.

“I guess most people are just thinking it’ll be probably just a water event, you know. As far as battening up, I haven’t seen anybody doing any preparation at that level and I don’t think they see the need for it, you know.”

Asked whether he has plans to batten up, Carroll said, “No, uh uh. I actually have hurricane windows. But from what meteorologists saying, this is going to be more rain than wind.”

Carroll, a businessman who owns a food store and gas station, said depending on the weather, he would determine when he will close his businesses.

“According to how things are, I will see whether I can open,” he said.

“I know one time I flew to Crooked Island on Bahamasair in a tropical storm. I mean it wasn’t a strong tropical storm but it was still considered a tropical storm. When I came home I met pieces of shingles from my roof on the ground. But I hope this storm doesn’t get any stronger.”

To the most southern end of The Bahamas, on Inagua, Flavioa Cox said residents on the island aren’t taking any chances and that most of the island shut down early yesterday so that residents were able to go home and prepare.

“We’re taking this very seriously,” he said.

“All of the shelters that the government designated, they have put in the emergency generators just in case the power goes out and the home owners, people are battening up and securing their properties from any potential flying debris. As far as the general food store, that’s already closed, giving all of the workers and those at Morton Salt time to prepare. Only really the mom and pop stores open to give last-minute shoppers the chance to get things.”

Cox said Inagua residents have seen images of damage being done by Isaias in other countries, which prompted them to take the storm a bit more seriously than they had anticipated.

The post Central and SE Bahamas residents brace for Isaias appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

source https://thenassauguardian.com/2020/07/31/central-and-se-bahamas-residents-brace-for-isaias/