PM accepts resignation of health minister

NASSAU (CMC):

PRIME MINISTER Dr Hubert Minnis on Monday night announced he had accepted the resignation of his embattled health minister, Dr Duane Sands, effective yesterday and promised to make a further statement on the issue later.

“I have accepted the resignation of Minister of Health Dr Duane Sands ... , I thank him for his service to The Bahamas, including during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Minnis, adding that he would also be announcing Sands replacement on Tuesday.

Sands offered his resignation on Monday evening after accepting responsibility for the decision to allow permanent residents to enter the country during a strict border closure that has left Bahamian citizens stranded abroad.

Embarrassment

In his letter of resignation, Sands said the controversy has caused embarrassment, and he acknowledged that he acted outside of the scope of his authority in this matter.

In his address to the nation on Sunday night, Prime Minister Minnis made reference to an incident last week involving some residents who flew by private aircraft to New Providence and brought COVID-19 test kits with them.

He said the protocol for allowing Bahamians and legal residents to enter the country at this time was breached last week.

“I have now been informed that instead of the stated two permanent residents who were allowed to disembark and remain in the country, that it was actually six permanent residents, who are all related.

“All of these individuals have tested negative for COVID-19 and will remain under a mandatory 14-day quarantine,” Minnis said, promising that the minister of health would issue a statement on the matter.

In his letter of resignation, Sands said, “I refer to the unfortunate controversy surrounding the delivery of COVID-19 test swabs and the landing of permanent residents under what you have termed a breach of protocol regulating the entry to The Bahamas by Bahamian citizens and permanent residents under emergency (COVID-19) regulations.

“I accept responsibility for this breach of protocol. I acknowledge that I acted outside of the scope of my authority in this matter.

“My actions were guided by my great desire to obtain the much-needed testing swabs which are in short supply both here and internationally, and which are key to our efforts to trace the spread of the coronavirus so as to better focus our responses. I acted at all times in good faith.

“We continue in the midst of a most serious pandemic, when focused attention should be trained only on how best the spread of COVID-19 might be slowed and eventually stopped.”