The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net FREEPORT - DNA leader Branville McCartney says the Bahamas has slipped from the top position in tourism to third place in the region. He believes that not enough is being done to market the rest of the Family Islands in the Bahamas, including Grand Bahama. "The only way you get business from tourism is if they know about you. They don't know about Grand Bahama and they don't know about the rest of the Bahamas unfortunately," Mr McCartney said in Grand Bahama. "Like any other business you have to market your country, you have to market your island, and you have to really market your people," he said. Mr McCartney said that Reggae legend Bob Marley was able to sell Jamaica to the world. He stated that while on a trip to Thailand in 2006 persons there knew about Bob Marley and Jamaica, but they didn't know about Ronny Butler and the Bahamas. "I made the point of Bob Marley and Ronny Butler because Jamaica was sold through Bob Marley, and we have so much talent in The Bahamas." "We are doing all this advertising for New Providence over and over again and we have slipped to third place for tourism in the region." "We were the ones in the lead, just like...we were the ones in the lead for Gaming back in the 1950's. Atlantic City came here for the blue print and they ran with it and made a big industry. Mr McCartney stated that Barbados is now considered a developed country and has left the Bahamas behind. He said: 'We have slipped, and what has happened over the last 20 years is not working for the future. We know who were there (in office) for the last 20 years." "We need to move the country so that we are on the world stage. Before we advertise we need to make sure the environment is clean and that it is a safe place. He believes that in addition to sun, sand, and sea, the culture must be able to sell the country. Grand Bahama tourism has suffered. Major tourism developments such as Ginn and the development plans for the Royal Oasis property by the Harcourt's Group have stalled. Mr McCartney believes that East and West Grand Bahama should be looked at more for development of the tourism sector. He is confident that the DNA can bring real change to the Bahamas. He said the candidates selected by the party are made up of Bahamians with a fighting spirit for positive change. Mr McCartney said their slate of candidates consists of accountants, architects, educators, engineers, electricians, taxi-cab drivers, youth leaders, humanitarians, entrepreneurs, CEOs, general managers, lawyers, and every day Bahamians who are passionate about where the country is headed. "We have an election to win...and we must remain focused," he said. "It is time for us as a people and a nation to join the rest of the changing world ensuring our present authority that the power of the people is greater and will always be greater than the people in power," he said.