Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis is surprised over the reactions of Bahamians to the government’s proposal to accept Dominican students in The Bahamas following Hurricane Maria, according to Press Secretary Anthony Newbold.

Mr. Newbold told the media that the prime minister was surprised over the reactions of Bahamians yesterday, during his weekly press briefing, after he was grilled to provide information on when the government would reveal more of the specifics surrounding the agreement made with Dominica’s prime minister over the weekend.

The announcement of The Bahamas accepting Dominican students and families was received with much skepticism and queries from the general public, as persons seemed angered by the government’s decision, to which the press secretary said surprised the nation’s chief.

“The prime minister has been surprised that the offer for students of Dominica to receive education received that kind of reaction,” Mr. Newbold said.

“He will speak extensively to it tomorrow as there have been a lot of questions raised, some of them with merit and people have a reason to ask questions they don’t know the answers to, so that’s what he will attempt to provide tomorrow.”

Mr. Newbold said the prime minister is expected to give a comprehensive communication on the deal in the House of Assembly today.

However, the government remains “tight lipped “on the details of that deal to bring in students from the hurricane ravished island of Dominica, at least for now.

“Again those details are being worked out in terms of education and immigration details, but again Cabinet is meeting to discuss these things,” Mr. Newbold said.

“I don’t the exact numbers now. He can very well have some numbers tomorrow, but again those questions will be answered tomorrow.”

Earlier this week, Bahamas Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson expressed concerns on behalf of teachers, and said it will be difficult to get the students acclimated due to the differing curriculums.

Furthermore, she said the issue of immigration, coupled with housing, healthcare and schooling should be addressed also.

While the details are still being worked out in terms of actually accommodating those students displaced by Hurricane Maria, Mrs. Wilson told reporters this week that there are already mixed reviews coming in from board members and teachers.

Bahamas Christian Council President Bishop Delton Fernander said on Monday that he “fully supports” the Minnis administration’s plan to accommodate students from Dominica displaced by Hurricane Maria, but said the “details of how it will be done” are “very crucial.”

In a press briefing following the departure of Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit from jet aviation on Sunday, Dr. Minnis declared that whatever needs to be done will be done as quickly as possible to accommodate as many of the country’s students displaced by the storm here in The Bahamas in both the public and private school systems.