The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Baha Mar’s filing for Chapter Eleven bankruptcy in the US and bringing a lawsuit against China State Construction in a UK court, which could take months if not years to resolve, drives another nail into the coffin of our tourism industry and further exacerbates the government’s unemployment dilemma.

The question begs does President Barak Obama’s announcement yesterday of the reopening of embassies in Havana and Washington portend the beginning of the end of our once dominant position as the region’s premier tourism destination?

With more than double The Bahamas’ number of hotel rooms, as many or more beaches, a much more diverse country and cultural experience on offer,Cuba will soon be poised to pull our tourism rug rudely from under us. Until we can provide better value for money for our now jaded tourism product, as well as a serious and immediate facelift for a very dirty Nassau, are able to get our ridiculous crime rate under control thereby avoiding further damaging travel advisories, we are in for a rough ride.

Messrs Christie & Wilchcome, and all you other pretenders to the throne, enlighten us please.

IAN MABON

Nassau,

July 1, 2015