Shortly before 4pm on Monday, August 24th, 2020, the Office of the Prime Minister released a statement with New Family Island Emergency Order Provisions – relaxing a number of the restrictions in recent orders. See the full statement below:
“The Office of the Prime Minister advises the following measures will begin Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at 5 a.m. for Grand Bahama, Andros, Crooked Island, Acklins, Eleuthera, Cat Island, Exuma, Bimini, the Berry Islands, Mayaguana, Inagua and Abaco.
The curfew for these islands will be 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily.
Permitted commercial activities include:
• Daily (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
o Food stores, pharmacies, gas stations, and water depots
o Hardware stores
o Laundromats.
• Monday through Friday
o Commercial banks, Credit Unions and Money Transfer Businesses 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
o Financial institutions with essential staff 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
o Law Firms for criminal and urgent civil matters
o Retail bakeries 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Other daily operations
o Wholesalers and manufacturers may operate
o Other businesses that can provide curbside, online or delivery services can operate, including retail and gaming houses
o Restaurants can open with outdoor dining, takeout, delivery and drive-through services, except for fish fry restaurants.
Hotels with guests can operate with current restrictions of: no outdoor dining allowed, no gaming, gyms and spas.
The National Food Distribution Task Force, NGOs and churches may continue food distribution.
Churches may continue to have office hours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Daily private prayer may continue. Churches may also have indoor services following the Bahamas Christian Council Guidelines.
Weddings are permitted with 10 people, excluding the officiant. Funerals are permitted with 10 people, excluding the officiant and mortuary staff.
Government offices will be open with essential staff. As directed by Permanent Secretaries, those who can work from home will be advised to do so.
No gatherings will be allowed in homes except those limited to a maximum of 20 people.
Exercise is permitted from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. in a person’s neighborhood, except for Grand Bahama which will be limited to 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. Exercising in one’s yard is permissible at any time.
Attending the beaches and parks is permitted 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, except for Grand Bahama which will be limited to 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Schools can open for academic instruction with physical distancing and sanitisation.
For those homeschooling, a maximum of five students are permitted in programmes. Requests for permission to instruct more than five students are to be made to the Ministry of Education.
Construction is permitted, along with commercial fishing, crabbing and subsistence fishing.
These provisions allow for commercial activity and opening up, while also maintaining provisions to preserve public health.
Additionally, effective Tuesday, August 25, 2020, at 5 a.m., the islands of Chub Cay, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay, Ragged Island, and Spanish Wells will continue to have no curfew. San Salvador and Harbour Island are also moved to this category of islands.
Commercial activities are allowed with physical distancing and sanitisation protocols.
Social gatherings should be limited to no more than 20 people; physical distancing protocols for church services, funerals and weddings are to be followed; and beaches and parks are open.”
Source:
Office of the Prime Minister
Commonwealth of The Bahamas
August 24th, 2020
