By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
Nassau Cruise Port's top executive has conceded that New Providence's high COVID-19 infection rate is "a material concern" but believes it has established protocols to mitigate any health risks.
Michael Maura, in a recent interview with Tribune Business, agreed that the island's average of between 50 to 100 new cases daily could be a potential turn-off for the cruise lines based on the industry's recently-released Healthy Sail Plan.
That plan advises the cruise lines to look at "three key parameters when determining whether to travel to a given port", with the top two being a destination's COVID-19 infection, testing, death and "positivity" rates as well as their testing capacity and use of such measures.
The Bahamas is presently not faring well on either indicator, but Mr Maura voiced optimism that Nassau Cruise Port has developed health and safety protocols to address the industry's concerns, such as an evacuation procedure via ground and air transportation for any passenger/crew member that becomes seriously ill in-port and needs to leave The Bahamas.
The cruise industry was last night eagerly awaiting word from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as to the fate of the 'no sail' order that was imposed upon it. That order is set to expire today, and media reports last night suggested that it may be extended for another month to October 21 after the health regulator's desire for a longer ban to February 2021 was overridden by the Trump White House.
"I've gone through the Healthy Sail Plan in great detail already with the team," Mr Maura told this newspaper. "We are extracting, and have extracted, those elements of the plan that speak to the destination. For the most part, 75-80 percent we were already well ahead of, but for the other 20-25 percent there's an action plan we're working on."
Asked about the plan's criteria for determining which port destinations are safe, especially when set against New Providence's current COVID-19 data, the Nassau Cruise Port chief executive replied: "I would say it's a concern for us because it's part of the Healthy Sail Plan.
"That said, another material element of the plan speaks to the evacuation and disembarkation protocols that support, if it becomes necessary, the removal of passengers or crew that become sick through ground and air transportation.
"We already have a protocol that we have shared with the cruise industry, the Government, a fixed base operator (FBO) and Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) that allows that to happen," Mr Maura continued.
"While the point you raised is material, and would be a concern for every port destination, I would say that the work put into a safe evacuation by ground and air of both crew and passenger that needs to leave Nassau and fly somewhere else, we have developed that protocol."
With the cruise industry planning to restart by calling on its private island destinations only, so that it can test out health protocols and keep passengers safe in a controlled environment, several observers have raised concerns that sector could use New Providence's high COVID-19 infection rate as a means to bypass Nassau for an extended period of time.
Such a move would inflict further economic devastation on Bay Street merchants, restaurants, taxi drivers, straw vendors, hair braiders and others who have already been hit hard by the industry's absence, as well as impacting Nassau Cruise Port's own financial forecasts and projections of 2.6m passengers for 2021.
However, Mr Maura, who backed the cruise industry's return in "an organised and systematic manner" by initially sailing to its private islands only, said he was confident The Bahamas would not allow such a practice for an extended period of time.
"If the cruise lines were to take a position of only going to call on their private islands for 2021, and not call at Nassau and not call at Freeport, bypassing the commercial hubs in the country, would I be concerned? Absolutely," he told Tribune Business. "Absolutely. Would I be alone in my concerns? No.
"If that were to happen I don't think the cruise lines would be playing fair. The minister of tourism has also advised that the Government would not support such a move. I feel somewhat confident we would not permit that to happen as a country.
"That said, I do understand and appreciate during the first 30 days it does make sense for the cruise industry and lines to use their private islands to test their protocols and get back on their feet before experimenting with cruises to Nassau and Freeport."
Comments
Clamshell 3 years, 6 months ago
Maybe we feel the same way about the roach hordes living and partying in tight quarters aboard the cruise ships!
tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago
Bingo!
John 3 years, 6 months ago
Even whilst the government may be reluctant to implement further lockdowns, it should attempt to identify the cause of the growing numbers of corona cases, especially on New Providence and Abaco. But it is a complete lie that the cruise are not sailing because of Nassau’s Corona numbers. They were trying to deft the ‘do not sail’ orders lifted by the CDC long before Nassau’s numbers started to surge. There are some logistics pertaining to cruise ships the CDC have not yet worked out. Maybe they are still monitoring the European cruises to see what happens with them
rosiepi 3 years, 6 months ago
Unfortunately the CDC has been cut out of the loop, and while the Plan looks good on paper, who will do the enforcing? We know how well that works for their so called environmental controls. And those who cater to the trade should note the plan is for passengers to only be allowed to disembark w/ tours booked on ship w/strict monitoring. And it cuts both ways, why have protocols for shelter in place for all visitors except cruisers? As the season progresses Covid is only going to get worse and the US, in particular FL that had all controls lifted last week is not a healthy place
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 6 months ago
Our covid rate???????
Um. They sail out of Florida. Our rate is miniscule compared to Florida. Hell compared to the entire US.
Mike is full of crap...
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 6 months ago
They better damn well only allow sailings to their islands until a vaccine is ready. A safe non-American vaccine that has gone thru proper protocols. Not a stupid warp speed vaccine released only to help the worst president in US history get re-elected...
Dawes 3 years, 6 months ago
Please just go into isolation until the vaccine is here and let those of us who need to work and are willing to take the risk to try and continue. Your way we would be collapsed long before a vaccine is here. But that probably won't affect you so you don't mind.
Proguing 3 years, 6 months ago
Instead of repeating the senile’ s candidate stupid utterances, go tell Baha Mar and Atlantis unemployed workers that there is no need to speed up the vaccine process, and see what happens to you.
SP 3 years, 6 months ago
@proudloudandfnm.....You fell hook, line, and sinker into their scapegoat reason for not sailing to Nassau!
Cruises originate in Florida which has more COVID than the Bahamas. As governor Desantis just canceled all COVID protocols including masks and now allowing all businesses to operate at 100% capacity, COVID will explode exponentially throughout Florida.
Yet the cruise companies have no problem sailing out of Florida! How is this remotely possible?
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 6 months ago
What puzzles me is all the issues the lines are having now that they're sailing in parts of Europe. Obviously it isn't safe and will not be safe until a vaccine is available. Who in their right mind would want to go on a cruise right now? How stupid are these people? They must all be trumpies. Dumbest people on the planet....
TalRussell 3 years, 6 months ago
Before you begin to focus on the cruise ships, what do you comrades think about, if it is possible that the Royal Constabulary/military, just maybe is on the shortlist those to be granted access to the database of the addresses of those testing positive for COVID-19?
The Cruise Ships and comrade minister Dioniso James have done struck an agreement set course, bypassing Nassau Town on the way their private island enclaves. Shakehead once for Yeah, Twice for Not?
John 3 years, 6 months ago
The CDC has again extended the ‘Do NOT sail’ orders for US cruise ships to October 31st. To try to blame or imply it’s due to the increased COVID-19 cases on New Providence is disingenuous and slimy. Over 35 US states including Florida are seeing surges in corona cases and deaths. And quite a number of states, including Florida are seeing new records for cases and deaths. And it is not affecting just the cruise industry but the airline industry may lay off or furlough as many as 45,000 employees as soon as today. People are just refusing to fly. Disney Land and Disney World have plans to lay off as many as 28,000 employees. People are refusing to take their families out to public places. So Nassau’s port and The Bahamas are just links on the cruise line train of operations. And until the Corona cases are brought under control in the state of the ports of embarkation, trying to place the blame is petty, mischievous and discriminatory
tribanon 3 years, 6 months ago
This is an ideal opportunity for our nation to pivot away from lower-class (cheap) tourists who arrive by sea to higher-class tourists who arrive by air. Our tourism industry must start focusing on the type of tourist that contributes to our economy rather than just the total number of tourists.
We should be telling the cruise ship companies to go fly a kite until such time that they are willing to pay us a per passenger head tax that adequately compensates our country for the very significant costs of properly managing and regulating the liability, health, pollution and environmental risks these behemoth floating hotels pose for our small nation.
They should have all along been paying us a per passenger head tax many multiples of times greater than the current pathetically low head tax just to compensate us for their very greedy 'all-inclusive' business model that capitalizes on our excellent weather conditions for most of the year, our pristine seas, our small islands and our world-class beaches. Their unwillingness to establish significant linkages to local businesses for the benefit of our economy speaks volumes about their insatiable greed at our expense.
Proguing 3 years, 6 months ago
How about starting by getting their ships to pull up their anchors from our coral reefs?
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