Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman and Senator Fred Mitchell criticized the emergency order declared on Thursday by Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis to help combat the COVID-19 virus.

Dr. Minnis imposed a curfew which began on Friday.

But Mitchell said this calls into question an abuse of power by the prime minister.

He added that the government has not indicated the degree to which the virus may affect The Bahamas.

Mitchell asked for more supplies to supplement the need that may arise, if the virus hits The Bahamas worse than expected.

“For 11 days and nights, maybe more, there is hardly to be any work. Businesses have shut down, the public service is at a stop and schools are closed. But the bills of course will keep piling up. Our freedom of speech can be threatened with the rest and detention by the prime minister,” Mitchell said.

“Now if they say and they haven’t said that we’re going to have masses of this virus and disease which follows, if we don’t lock ourselves up. Where are the respirators, the test kits, the hospital beds, the doses of medicines, the food storage to avoid what we see happening in Italy if that is the example they expect?”  

Mitchell wants the government to do the following:

“First of all follow the directions of the professionals on sanitation, washing hands is the main one. Then we call on the government to do testing, testing and more testing,” he said.

“Right now, we have the impression that the authorities in this country have no idea of how wide spread this matter is in The Bahamas, yet they are confining us to our home.”

On Thursday evening, the PLP held a press conference contending that the emergency order declared by the prime minister was rushed.

Davis added that the prime minister did not consult with the opposition before making the decision.