Tyler Symonette, Journal Staff Writer

Minister of Transport and Local Government Renward Wells said despite public transportation being shut down, Bahamians will find a way to make it to and from work.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Bahamas now has 14 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, the governments ordered that public transportation cease to prevent the spread of the disease.

While the bus system was a main means of transport for many Bahamians, Mr. Wells said the decision was a necessary one to “flatten out the curve.”

“In order to be able to ensure that we have a level of control over what obviously the world is grappling with right now, public transportation had to be shut down. We know that Bahamians are extremely industrious,” he said.

“The Bahamian people are brilliant. We are the most bold, beautiful, brilliant people on the planet. We have family members and those who would’ve taken the public transportation system normally obviously, will be able to get assistance from family members and others who would be able to drive them to the requisite places that they would need to go.”

Mr. Wells also pointed out that at the present time the government has only sanctioned a certain amount of places for Bahamians to go.  Therefore, the need to be out on the road should be less than usual.

Affected by this issue were workers at the Persis Rodgers Home for the Aged.

It is well known that the coronavirus affects the elderly greatly and that they must be watched over carefully.

President of Persis Rodgers Frances Ledee commented on the issue.

“For one evening, our staff couldn’t get around when the buses got stopped. Our staff couldn’t get to work. Some of them could not get to work and we had a complete shift where those staff could not have come to work,” Ms. Ledee said.

”So, what we did, we utilized office staff where possible and we asked the staff who were on the previous shift to remain for us and that helped us out. But the following morning and so forth we had to work. You have to be proactive.  You have be concerned.  You can’t wait for anyone to direct you.” Ms. Ledee added that currently their bus driver is giving rides to and from work to those employees who are currently without transportation.