The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net FREEPORT - PLP candidate Gregory Moss says tourism is virtually dead on Grand Bahama and the FNM government has done nothing to reduce government taxes in the tourism sector. According to Mr Moss, many small hotels have closed and the escalation of airport fees and increased government taxes has left the island uncompetitive. "Instead of attempting to address that they (the government) have advertised Nassau as if it is the entire Bahamas and left out Grand Bahama and the other Family Islands," he said. Mr Moss was speaking to supporters on Friday at the Grand Lucayan resort. The attorney is the standard bearer for the PLP in Marco City. He said the FNM government continues to lie to Bahamians saying that the global recession is the blame for the state of the economy. Despite the recession, Mr Moss stated that tourism has increased in many of the Caribbean islands, except the Bahamas. He reported that the Caribbean Tourism Organisation website shows that tourism has actually increased from 2008 to 2011 by four to 10 per cent in just about every other island of the Caribbean, while at the same time tourism decreased in the Bahamas. "The reason for that... is that they were selling higher arrivals number by bargains of discount. In other words, they were selling a deal. "What did the Ingraham administration do? They didn't sell a deal," Mr Moss said. "The FNM government increased departure taxes, increased hotel taxes, increased National Insurance contributions, increased the cost of importing and licensing cars, and made tourism more expensive for the entire Bahamas, including Grand Bahama. It did nothing to reduce the cost of tourism," he added. Mr Moss said the PLP will lower government taxes at the airport and for hotels to make the island more competitive. PLP Leader Perry Christie announced that through a programme called Project Grand Bahama, the government will provide an incentive for the rejuvenation of existing hotels and the expansion of new ones. Mr Christie proposes to cut government taxes at the airport and harbour in half, and cut hotel taxes by 50 per cent for a period of five years for existing hotels and 10 years for new hotels. Mr Moss said the five FNM MPs did nothing for tourism or to create job growth and reduce the cost of electricity. He stated that many Bahamians are unemployed while a large number of foreigners are employed in the industrial sector. "The Prime Minister admitted that he did nothing for Grand Bahama because of he did not like Hannes Babak (former GB Port Authority chairman)." Mr Moss indicated that while many foreigners catch the bus to go to jobs and line up in banks to cash cheques, Bahamians are out of work and made to line up on the welfare lines. "There is no shortage of jobs in the industrial sector, there is just a shortage of jobs for Bahamians," he said. Mr Moss said now that an election is drawing near, the FNM has put people to work through its 52-week job programme and assisted persons to open businesses.