BAHAMAS Christian Council president Bishop Delton Fernander said it was surprising that a one-hour limit on religious services was implemented in the latest Emergency Powers Orders which took effect yesterday.

He, along with Hope Centre Pastor Carlos Reid, said the government cannot dictate what churches do.

The latest order says that in New Providence a worship service may be conducted daily for the maximum duration of one hour provided it is limited to 33 percent of the occupancy of the facility where it is being conducted.

Further it must be conducted in accordance with the protocols established by the BCC and approved by the Ministry of Health.

“We had dealt with the aspect of the one hour before. It is surprising that it came up again and we are hoping to settle this matter with the Office of the Prime Minister and back to the Christian council guideline as it was before,” Bishop Fernander told The Tribune.

The restriction is a part of a series of new measures announced on Friday at a Ministry of Health press conference as the country is facing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

Bishop Fernander explained he was informed a day before of the rule change by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis in a meeting

“This was an informative meeting where he would have received this report out of what I’ve said here’s what he had his mind to do, but the detail might have changed by the time he presents. So, we never reveal the contents of that conversation because by the time he presented it might change,” he said.

In response to the church capacity rule of 33 percent, Bishop Fernander said the church will try to come up with an allowance.

“Only the one hour part was not introduced by the church, but we came up with the entire protocol for the church,” he noted.

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