The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

IN stopping by to convey views that many Bahamians have, but for reasons unknown unable to make them in the print media. Early in my childhood on North Andros, I was acquainted with our tourist product, hearing how the peoples from many countries have descended upon this little country, because some had heard so much about it spoken of by those who visited previously.

And as I tried to ascertain what exactly were the elders speaking about? Those answers were supplied, but me being just a young kid, still could not sufficiently grasp what were substances versus anything else? What I did remember is that they talked about the crystal clear water, beaches with sands so white, that the sunlight presented challenges for the bare sights. What stayed with me also was that they were fascinated by the friendliness of the people.

And as the years passed I was persuaded that yes, those tangibles expressed waste driving force behind how the Bahamian people, family islanders were able to sustain themselves, coupled by the fact that we ploughed the fields, harvested the bounties derived from our labors.

Now, as Father God has envisioned it, He provided all of the sustenances, the industries, the manufacturing companies, for there to be employments, this He did for all countries of the globe, including the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, cementing it with the appropriate talents to be able to make good on His desires for a people( but many countries have squandered their talents).

Reflecting on our little Bahama land, it was suggested that the key earner to our Public Treasury of the Bahamas (Consolidated Fund) derived from tourism, but what does this mean)? I also wished to invite queries, as I seek to provoke the inferences: what exactly were they selling? And the Banking, which used to be solvent, really having enough money to pay The Bahamas’ debt and liabilities, but due to covetous international posturing, muscle flexing large countries, versus small there has been a very noticeable decline in the financial services industry (for we have denigrated to having to borrow to defray the expenses of the government, every budget cycle, thereby having to pilates the masses).

And the fisheries are said to be the third leg of our economy, but what have we seen over the decades, hardly a catch to be had, in part to the illegally overfishing in-season-and-out-of-season by especially Dominican fishermen and others, with little to no penalty? And as a country’s economy hinges a couple of streams, the gross domestic product, the total value of goods and services provided in a country in one year? There is also the gross national product which is the gross domestic product plus the total of net income from abroad, a determinant mechanism for quantifying those checks and balances for a country’s economy (to be able to strive), but does it matter?

In conclusion, there was a time that cruise ships came to Bahamas with its cruise passengers, wanting to see the country, experience the nightlife, try the local cuisines, enjoy the beaches, and by 7pm, many of them were steaming out of the Nassau Harbour, few of them overnight. Now, what do we have? Cruise ships have purchased little Bahamian cays and God knows how they were able to get lawful conveyances, custody of Crown land (never for sale, property of generations of Bahamians-unborn), lawfully-owned by The Bahamian people and for the sole purpose of engaging in direct competition with Bahamas tourist product, and as a consequences, they have deprived, and continuously have been depriving the Public Treasury of The Bahamas of Taxes (all of the excessive revenues it has made, and is making from (from the people that the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism have advertised, and market for their visits to the Bahamas), these unlawful and unpatriotic sales, is legally problematic)?

Editor, what is so egregious about it, is that many of these cruise ship companies have more money than our entire country. And what becomes of these so-called island purchases? They equip them with all of the amenities found on Paradise Island and The City of Z, so really their first stop is at their private concern, where the cruise passenger spends most of their money and take in the beaching environment, arriving at the Nassau Cruise Port at Prince George Dock, when the travellers were either broke, or too tired to explore Nassau, or Paradise Island. No wonder the taxi drivers have been complaining about going home without a job. Now I ask what, who Bahamian politicians would be so inept, and non Bahamian interests that they word sacrifice the tourist product?

Might I remind the Powers That Be, that the Public Treasury of The Bahamas pays under the umbrella of the Ministry Of Tourism, to market the destination, and apart from the head taxes, what are we really getting for our things, what bang for the dollar?

If the powers that be, believe that it doesn’t matter, where will the funds, the revenue be derived to defray the expenses of the government? If it allows the cruise ship companies to In-House trading, the interception of funds that would have been made and routed to the Public Treasury of the richest country on the globe? No wonder when a country is allowed to hit rock bottom, there is the perception, queries why, when they were so rich, is it because of these acts of unpatriotism?

Also of consequence is the numbers of foreigners in Downtown holding down businesses related to tourism, no question that they export the revenues out the country?

The handwriting on the wall said God Most High has spoken it. Lord, for behold your words are forever settled in the Heavens, hallelujah.

FRANK GILBERT

Nassau,

July 18, 2024