By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
TOURISM Minister Obie Wilchcombe said yesterday he was “disappointed” in a video made by Disney Cruise Line employees that portrayed The Bahamas in a negative light but admitted that there is more that can be done to “beautify” downtown Nassau.
The controversial video went viral on social media over the weekend and attracted the ire of many Bahamian viewers.
The three-minute long video starred Americans Casey Gill and Joseph Oster, both said to be Disney Cruise Line employees, and was shot in downtown Nassau.
The video, a spoof styled as an infomercial, showed the pair acting as a couple on vacation, experiencing the worst that Nassau has to offer.
Mr Wilchcombe said he saw the video on Sunday and immediately called the president of Disney Cruise Line.
“He assured me that the video had nothing to do with the company and it was not their policy,” Mr Wilchcombe said.
“It came from the staff and obviously we don’t appreciate anything, but it will help us better our product, our service and improve our service port. So it is something that we can learn from and something that can continue to happen if we do not do better, there is always room to improve. If we do the best we can do, then we can eliminate the criticism.”
In one scene of the video, Mr Oster is sitting on Junkanoo Beach playing in sand littered with cigarette butts and bottle caps as a pile of garbage is shown in the background.
In another scene, Ms Gill is shown in front of several derelict buildings that the narrator called “four star hotels and fine dining establishments.”
The video ends with the couple frolicking on the beach with the words “visit www.nassau.com/getoutnow or call 1-800-IDONTFEELSAFE,” scrolling across the bottom of the footage.
The video had nearly 70,000 views on Facebook and was shared about 1,000 times.
The Tribune contacted the cruise line to see if the employees in question faced any punishment, but was told: “We cannot comment on personnel matters for privacy reasons.”
Mr Oster and Ms Gill have since deleted their Facebook pages.
Comments
DreamerX 8 years, 7 months ago
You can't defame a country with facts.
The_Oracle 8 years, 7 months ago
Exactly, can't make a video like that unless it is as things are. The truth hurts.
Cobalt 8 years, 7 months ago
What in the world is Obie Wilchcombe talking about???? Furthermore... what does he mean "he's disappointed???" Instead of directing his vexation at Disney Cruise Lines, he should be directing his chagrin at his government and the citizens of the Bahamas for making Nassau the filth ridden dump that it is.
Does Obie Wilchcombe and the Bahamian people not realize how disgustingly dirty, filthy and nasty Nassau really is??? Bahamians have become so conditioned to living in these degrading conditions that they've actually gone nose-blind to the pungent, putrid odor of human and horse deification that saturates every corner and crevice in the downtown area! Obie Wilchcombe, as Tourism Minister, should realize that this is not considered normal living conditions of decent people!! Believe it or not, some people who visit the Bahamas do take pride in their surroundings (unlike most nasty Bahamians) and are not use to these types of unsanitary conditions!
My wife and I travel as much as we can, and I must say that compared to much of the rest of the world, the Bahamas is NOT an attractive destination. Walking off of the cruise ships in other destination is a pleasant experience when compared to the decaying, fetid, stagnant smell of the Bahamas. Not to mention the deplorable, dilapidated building that are a constant eye-sore to any visitor. The humble truth is that if it weren't for Atlantis and Paradise island, NO tourist would frequent Nassau!
In various surveys, tourist have complained on numerous occasions about the state of affairs and crime in the Bahamas! But in the face of this reality both governments have turned a deaf ear to this vexing problem. Now... all of a sudden in his third year as tourism minister, Obie Wilchcombe is attempting to act surprised at this revelation, while deviating from the real issue at hand by blaming the Disney employees! Get the hell outta here, Mr Wilchcombe!!! We're not buying your brand!!! The Disney employees are absolutely correct!!! Nassau is a crime ridden reservoir of filth!! Have the balls to tell these stinking nasty Bahamians how nasty they are, or get somebody in office who can!
BahamaPundit 8 years, 7 months ago
In my opinion, anyone who says the two Disney employees should be fired should themself be fired, because they have revealed themself to be a moronic idiot. Those two Disney employees should be given medals by the Bahamian Government for providing valuable consultancy on the putrid filth that is down town. How dare you offer this filth of a town as a tourist port. How dare you offer broken buildings and trash to 3 million tourists each year. Better your product or get out of the market altogether. How dare you broadcast commercials that paint the Bahamas as divine, and then serve tourists a load of crap -- that, my friend, is misrepresentation.
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
What port you walk on that was better than Nassau. Please you just talking.
Cobalt 8 years, 7 months ago
Omgosh.
Are you a fool??? Or are you simply not well traveled???
Take a cruise to St Croix, St Barts, Grand Cayman, or Aruba. Even Cozumel! You obvioulsy havnt been throughtout the Caribbean tourist destinations much, to post the nonsense you just did! Go and google the best tourist destination in the Caribbean 2015- 2016! The Bahamas isn't even in the top ten! Some of y'all Bahamians are always taking shit, man! Das way y'all mouth is smell so bad!
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
You just looking at what writers say. I doubt for one minute you have been to any of those ports. You probably just going on hearsay. Again as I said, before Nassau is the crown jewel of caribbean ports. Maybe hard for some of your to swallow.
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
@bandit surely you cannot be serious. Is your travel experience limited to Walmart on University Drive? It has to be to ask a question like that. The Port of Nassau is a joke compared to many cruise ports in the Caribbean. Anyone who is well traveled, myself included, knows that to be a fact.
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
Again you haven't name one just generalizing ports that are supposed to be better than our beautiful port of Nassau. Why all this hate.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Must be a joke. I don't get why people think they can corral tourists to the area in front of, let's say John Bull and say look how wonderful this is. Tourists walk and they can see and smell. The walk from the Hilton to East st may be challenging for the average Bahamian, but American tourists walk farther than that to get to their car at the mall. Then what?
Don't talk of the mess they've made of Rawson square with all those billboards. Who is in charge of design at the ministry? Must be a primary school student. Put that stuff in a museum it looks "JUNKY". And stop draping parliament in those ugly yards of cloth.
Hotelier 8 years, 7 months ago
Oh please. We are offended by the truth? Nassau is a crime ridden garbage dump full of tourist trap overpriced restaurants and surly service people. We need to stop believing our own press. It is not Better in The Bahamas. Minister Wilchcombe needs to man up and stop feeding this crap to Bahamians. How about real talk......like how to compete....it is tough out there and getting tougher with all of the negative press generated by Bahamar and our anti foreign message to travelling anglers.
Romrok 8 years, 7 months ago
Amen
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Is Obie saying that the video is not a fair and balanced view of a typical tourist's jaunt through downtown ........... or is he crying foul because it is mashing his (MOT) corns?????
Until Obie stops this policy of building tourism through attracting cruise ships to Nassau, our tourism industry will continue to slump ............ this is a losing policy ....... cruise ships are a burden on our government, infrastructure and taxpayers ........... low-impact, Family Island eco-tourism is the answer for future sustainable tourism ..... not inclusive, match box urban hotels ......... is that what we are paying these so-called expensive tourism experts for????
MaLambee 8 years, 7 months ago
Please allow me to say that not only Bahamians live in Nassau, not all Bahamians are nasty. I have seen expat residents and tourist alike 'dump' . Yes the place is filthy, but, but all residents should be addressed as not only Bahamians are responsible for the nasty state of the city
CatIslandBoy 8 years, 7 months ago
Bahamians, and Bahamians alone are responsible for the filthy condition of Nassau. Unfortunately, the PLP government never sees filth. I remember in the last days or Sir LOP how filthy the island had become. It was such a relief under the first FNM government to see the clean-up crew trying to beautify the island. Of all the tourist ports I have visited, Nassau and Freeport are at the bottom of the list. There is nothing to see and do in Nassau, and it is getting so bad that many cruise visitors never leave the ship while it is in port.
Cobalt 8 years, 7 months ago
Thank you very much!
Out of a misplaced sense of pride, people like Malambee attempt to sugar coat the plain, embarrassing truth! Bahamians have become a nasty people who take little pride in their surroundings! Call it what it is!
BahamaPundit 8 years, 7 months ago
Anyone angry at the video is a complete moron. Firstly, the video was factual. Baystreet is a complete dump and it's surprising the only tourists that still go there aren't rats and roaches. There's absolutely nothing to do after 8 PM and absolutely nothing worth seeing, other than Graycliff. Junkanoo Beach is a cesspool and a national disgrace filled with bums, vagrants and thugs. Secondly, the video was satirical. If you don't understand satire and figurative language, I advise you to go back to school. Thank goodness for these two persons, who pointed out the obvious for all the dummy Baystreet merchants: your product sucks! To the radio personality that took offence, I am very surprised. You seem very willing to spout off whenever "black" politicians do something stupid. Now that the Baystreet Boys are criticized for being lazy monopolists, you take offence. Finally, the very fact this video sparked outrage suggests it hit close to home -- the truth hurts. Rather than deny the obvious, do something about it.
OMG 8 years, 7 months ago
Just think what the money wasted on Carnival could have done paying clean up crews, establishing many garbage bins (that are emptied) painting Bay street etc etc etc Wake up politicians as many have said this destination is becoming jaded and there so many other places to go that are much cheaper and much better.
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
What port in the caribbean do you know that is better than Nassau. You all on here just talking a bunch of crap defaming our beautiful city. No other caribbean port is better than Nassau plain and simple.
Cobalt 8 years, 7 months ago
You're obviously a typical Bahamian fool who has never traveled.
No one else need respond to you.
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
@Cobalt It is blindingly obvious that person has no exposure and does not travel.
digimagination 8 years, 7 months ago
The plain truth always hurts. Period!
CatIslandBoy 8 years, 7 months ago
Bandit, please enlighten us. Tell us what is so beautiful about the port of Nassau, please. I will try to keep an open mind and pretend to ignore the stench that welcomes the cruise ship passengers to Prince George Wharf area; the dilapidated buildings that adorn Bay Street (a coat of paint would be nice); the expensive stores with all imported goods that are cheaper in St. Thomas, Montego Bay, or Puerto Rico; the congested and polluted Bay Street that begs re-pavement, where tourists must navigate competing jitneys; the fact that Bay Street is a "Ghost Town" after 6:00pm; and the only game in town at night is the "Fish Fry" that offers nothing more than a decent Bahamian meal. If not for Atlantis, most tourists on their second cruise here have indicated that they would never leave the ships in Nassau Harbour.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
I agree .......... can tourists walk the streets of Nassau and leave with the same feeling as compared to the way we (Bahamians) can when we go to London, Paris, Rome, Toronto or New York??????
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
Look where you gone London, Paris, Rome, New York, etc. We talking about the caribbean ..Please stay in region where our competition is. Thanks
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Bahamians do not compare themselves with the rest of the Caribbean ..... we have this bloated belief that we are richer and smarter than them (BOL) That is why I chose to use the comparisons that we use ...... Miami, West Palm, Atlanta ??????
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
You talking about the prices of things in stores while I am talking about the beauty of the port itself. Which one of those ports that you have mentioned is actually prettier than Nassau??? Please tell me. I bet you don't have any answer for that one. Nassau is the crown jewel of the caribbean.
BMW 8 years, 7 months ago
Well mudda lipstick Bandit which Nassau you talkin about, you got to be joking. Seems you have never been anywhere else. On another note wait until many of these cruise lines start heading for Cuba (some are now).
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
You all talking about old buildings in Nassau??? Havana is where you will find thousands of old unkept buildings but yet you all have the nerve to be talking down our beautiful city of Nassau. Shame on you all. I am not afraid of Cuba opening. we just have to step up our game.
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
Bandit, if you think Nassau is a crown jewel of anything, you are delusional. Nassau smells like feces and urine, is dirty, and the people that harass you there are nasty. There is no single person who can say Nassau is an example of a thriving, bustling, city that they are proud of, unless of course they either are being paid or have unbelievably low standards. These two people told the straight truth and instead of being disapointed in them or getting our pantie's in a twist we should be trying to fix what is so obviously wrong with our capitol shitty.
Cobalt 8 years, 7 months ago
Don't bother answering that fool.
Some students are just F students, and always will be. And there is nothing you nor I can do for them, except not become one of them.
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
I don't care what you all have to say. I am proud of my beautiful Nassau. NO port in the caribbean is as modern and beautiful as Nassau the capitol of the Bahamas. To many haters on this site. Bahamians are always putting down their own and lifting up other places. Nassau is the crown jewel of the caribbean. Name any port that comes near to the beauty of Nassau.. Name one.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Try comparing Nassau with Kingston, Port-au-Prince or Georgetown (Guyana) and what do you get??????????? How do we stack up???
Now thats nasty places!!!!!!!
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
That is true but you would never hear any Jamaicans, Haitian or Guyanese putting down their cities. Leave it up to Bahamians and we are the first to say and jump on any band wagon putting down our place.
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
I do not lie, cheat, or steal. To say that Nassau is clean and something to be proud of is a LIE!
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
I will say that if you think Nassau is clean and beautiful, I would hate to see what you think nasty and dirty look like. I guess by your standards Harold Rd. Dump is fit to be a park? Just went through town and saw a white man cleaning Rawson Square, I guess there are some people who have a sense of pride and duty to country.
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
What caribbean city have you visited. Which one would you say is nice??? let me know
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
Just because another place is a dump does not excuse the state of Nassau. School child defense, go chat with Birdie. The simple fact of the matter is Nassau is dirty, with little to offer, peopled by hacks and drug dealers. Just because you think it is an insult does not mean it is not true. I know Bahamians have an issue with honesty, but maybe in the least you can be honest with yourself.
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
What do you mean that Bahamian have a issue with honesty. Because I say that Nassau is the crown jewel of the caribbean I am not being honest??? Our leaders have always instilled in us that we are the best in the caribbean and no where comes close. Are you saying that our leaders are not honest with that assumption????
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
The fact that you believe our supposed leaders to be honest says it all. You keep living in your own special LaLa land, hope it works out for you.
BahamianFisherman 8 years, 7 months ago
The problem is that we're immune to garbage , and drug dealers . I've done a lot of traveling and nowhere has anyone tried to sell me drugs , Nowere except home , when I walk the streets of Nassau or Freeport like a tourist it seems like there's a drug dealer on every corner . Nothing is more annoying and scary to a tourist family as a criminal trying to push drugs .
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
Now you talking about drugs and stuff. I guess you have not visited any other islands in the caribbean to make a statement like that. What caribbean island have you visited. Those are the places that are competing for the same tourist dollars. If you talking about the States then that's a different situation. Or maybe you have not travel at all
newcitizen 8 years, 7 months ago
What?! How come they never offer me drugs? I am insulted!
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
@bandit-Since you wanna compare the other ports of the Caribbean, Central and South America to the Bahamas, then let me enlighten you. I have worked on the Dolphin Cruises, both Seabreeze and Ocean Breeze, Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean. To make a long story short, I have been to all of the ports in the Caribbean, Central and South America. Let me say this without any reservations my friend, the Bahamas is by far one of the worst. Even Jamaica has a clean and organized port that make tourist feel comfortable when stepping on land. Nassau is a national disgrace and the government should hang its head in shame and all those people who I see throwing garbage out of their vehicles daily should be penalized to the fullest extend of the law.
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
Again there you go with generalizing. You can't even name any port. But then you just throw in Jamaica. I hope you are not taking about Kingston.
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
It's a sad day in the Bahamas for so many bahamians to be taking so much crap about our city of Nassau. Shameless set of good for nothing.
Zakary 8 years, 7 months ago
It's a sad day in the Bahamas for so many Bahamians to be talking so much crap about our city of Nassau.
..Or perhaps today is the day for a reality check. As far as I’ve read, not one person in this comment section agrees with your sense of reality.
I live in Nassau, and that video didn’t shock or disappoint me at all, in fact, it was a very factual video. This island is filthy, I’m sorry, but it’s true.
For a video that tame, a lot of people sure got offended, so I guess it’s a good thing that the more raw stuff doesn't hit social media, because I’ve seen some interesting things. Maybe the shame will motivate? Who knows..
BahamianFisherman 8 years, 7 months ago
Bandit I have not been to any caribbean ports as you asked , but I have been to countries in North American , South America , Europe , Africa , and Asia without a doubt Nassau is the dirtiest and most dangerous city I've seen .
Bandit you should be encouraging Bahamians to improve the situation ; not be content with a problem that can so easily be fixed .
BahamianFisherman 8 years, 7 months ago
Every where I go I meet people who say ," I've visited The Bahamas , I went there on a cruse . The cruse ships are the first contact most tourist have with the Bahamas . The ministry of tourism needs to take note of this video and make some changes , because %90 feel that way .
With the size of the ministry of tourism's budget cleaning up garbage and bums in the main tourist path is a no brainer , but if Bahamians don't see garbage as problem and see Junkanoo as a priority , then the government will keep giving Bahamians what they want .
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
What do they say. I know they say it's a lovely place and they want to return. Speak the truth Dude.Nassau Nice!
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
@bandit-Hopeless....When you get off that angel dust, come join the rest of us in the real world.
bandit 8 years, 7 months ago
I am not Hopeless. I just speak the truth. Nassau is a great port and that's why we have so many cruise ships calling at this port. If Nassau was not beautiful the cruise ships would not have made any stops in this nice port. Tell me I am wrong about that. Are you all saying that the cruise ships don't have good business sense? They would not have made Nassau the top port of call that it is. Please answer that.
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
If Nassau and the port are so pretty, why did these people make the video, just to be spiteful? Bandit, I understand your pride but I also think it is misplaced. If we are to fix what is wrong with Nassau we must be truthful with ourselves. Nassau IS dirty, Nassau DOES smell, The derelict buildings ARE an eyesore, Garbage IS everywhere. Drug dealers DO harass tourists. Do you deny these facts or are just fine with the state of our capitol and main Cruise ship port?
iamatruebahamian 8 years, 7 months ago
I have read all the the comments above... so first and foremost I'm disappointed the lack of patriotism that the Bahamians have for our country, and I think that lack of patriotism can't not be found any where else in the world, from America to India to China. No matter what you say about citizen of a wide range of countries they will never side with foreigners, that talks down about their cities and the counties that they love so much. For instants those people who shot that video probable do or have live in USA, where there is a lot filthy dirty slums that tourist flourishes everyday but you don't see them talking about it and videoing it right? because to them, their county means the world and they will always defend it from outsiders no matter how wrong the slums may be. "I know this cause I have seen it with my own eyes". having live in the USA for numerous years, THEY WILL DEFEND IT TO THE END. Some people in other countries have bomb blasting on they streets every minute of every day, " the way of life they call it" and will defend it just the same, So it sick my stomach that we as Bahamians are not proud of ourselves that we are a small country and we hang with the BIG DOGS, do not let foreigners define who we our as a country, self hate is very destructive love our people and love your country and DEFEND IT TO THE END.
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
So you are just fine with what we sell the world, no improvement needed? You would be happy to spend your hard earned holiday money on Bay St./Nassau? Just what one needs to relieve the stress of the daily grind, Nassau? Think on that.
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