In this May 2020 file photo, parishioners of Believer’s Embassy International Church gather in the church’s parking lot on Carmichael Road to take part in a drive-by service.
Italia Clarke
The Nassau Guardian
With COVID-19 cases skyrocketing on New Providence, some local pastors yesterday expressed that while the data provided by health officials does not suggest churches are contributing to the spike in cases, the new restrictions implemented by Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis on Wednesday were needed as the cases are “out of control”.
“Something had to be done,” said Bishop Neil Ellis, who is the Bishop of Global United Fellowship and Mount Tabor Church.
“I don’t know whether the lockdown is necessary. I don’t know. But I know they had to do something because the numbers were out of hand, actually, which is the reason why I didn’t bother to open up the first Sunday in September. I wanted to see the numbers go down a little bit. If we hadn’t got this body sanitizer, I would not be opening [on] Sunday.”
Administrative Bishop of Church of God Moses Johnson shared the same view.
“The competent authority had to make a decision with the COVID-19 numbers being where they are and going up every day; sometimes 75 to 100 going up every day. I think that they had to make a decision as to what to do,” Johnson told The Nassau Guardian.
Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis this week announced new restrictive measures to assist in decreasing COVID-19 numbers on New Providence and Abaco.
Churches are currently allowed to operate within their buildings within the health guidelines.
However, new restrictions only allow them to operate on Saturdays and Sundays for one hour between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. Read more >>