By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Questions have been raised over the “motivation” behind Carnival Cruise Lines’s crime warning, the Opposition’s tourism spokesman asking whether it was intended to drive thousands of visitors to the $5 million Blackbeard’s Cay project.

While acknowledging that “the writing has been on the wall” for such an alert over Nassau’s crime problem, John Bostwick, the FNM Senator, noted that none of the other cruise lines had issued a similar warning to their passengers.

Pointing out that no other cruise line had “an island a quarter of a mile away from Bay Street”, Mr Bostwick told Tribune Business he was “shocked” that Carnival did not first inform the Government of its intentions.

He argued that the Bahamas was due advance notice given Carnival’s “special relationship” with the Government, and the fact this nation had been extremely accommodating to the cruise line when it came to private islands and investment incentives.

Admitting his concern over the warning and general crime situation, Mr Bostwick said: “I’m a little annoyed at Carnival, especially given the fact it is one of those agencies that has challenges in other jurisdictions.”

Pointing out that its ships had been pushed out of parts of Alaska, and other oil-protected zones, because they burnt Bunker C fuel, Mr Bostwick said Carnival was accommodated in this nation since many of its ships were Bahamian flagged.

And, pointing out that Blackbeard’s Cay now had all the relevant licences to operate “in the middle of the harbour”, the FNM tourism spokesman said: “When you’ve got that, you have to wonder how much [of that crime warning] is self-promotion; how much of this is to ensure passengers don’t go to Bay Street, and take the launch to the private island and keep the money in house?

“What’s the motivation. Have Royal Caribbean, Norwegian done this? Do they happen to have an island a quarter of a mile away from Bay Street?”

Blackbeard’s Cay is located opposite Sandals Royal Bahamian resort, just off New Providence’s north coast.

Bay Street businesses, in particular, fear its redevelopment Blackbeard’s Cay into a breach break/getaway destination will deprive them of thousands of dollars in revenue by luring away hundreds of Carnival’s passengers daily.

The project is being spearheaded by St Maarten businessman, Samir Andrawos, who works closely with Carnival throughout the Caribbean and has taken over Blackbeard’s Cay’s operations from the previous all-Bahamian ownership group.

The project has been the subject of sometimes fevered debate, with allegations that Blackbeard’s Cay will become a replica of Atlantis’s Marina Village and be staffed by largely Carnival employees.

None of these claims have been proven, but environmentalists, led by the reearth organisation, are threatening to launch Judicial Review proceedings against Blackbeard’s Cay in protest over the Government’s alleged lack of transparency in approving the development.

“They’re building a facility that can accommodate 2,000-3,000 at a time,” Mr Bostwick said of Blackbeard’s Cay, suggesting that Carnival was developing a single, exclusive destination for its passengers on New Providence.

And he added his voice to those questioning whether much of the revenue generated by Blackbeard’s Cay would remain ‘offshore’, paid for via cruise line ‘swipe cards’.

In its letter, which is being distributed to cruise passengers in their cabins before they disembark in Nassau, Carnival warns them:

• Stay in tourist areas

• Don’t leave the ship after dark

• Don’t openly display expensive jewellery

• Don’t carry large amounts of cash when away from then ship

“It’s just shocking that it would have been Carnival to make the move, as I thought Carnival was the Bahamas’ special partner, since it is clearly working with the Government on Blackbeard’s Cay,” Mr Bostwick told Tribune Business.

“I would still think that an entity with such a relationship with the Bahamas would send a copy to the Minister of Tourism and the Government in advance, and say: ‘If you don’t address this, we will start warning our passengers.

“Our government would have reacted to that,” Mr Bostwick added, “but rather than get a shot across the bows, we got a shot across the stomach. As far as I am concerned, there was no warning shot.

“That’s my complaint, especially given the accommodation Carnival, in particular, has had with their fuel burning and everything we’ve given away in the Bahamas.

“To get a blow like that is just off port.”

Still, Mr Bostwick said the questions he had raised did not detract from the seriousness of New Providence’s crime problems and the potential consequences for the Bahamas’ largest industry.

Pointing out that he lived in downtown Nassau himself, as a resident of George Street, Mr Bostwick said he spent two hours with the Commissioner of Police several months ago, presenting nine measures to combat to crime’s impact on tourism.

Suggesting that the Bahamas had failed to respond proactively to the threat, Mr Bostwick said a promised increase in police visibility in tourist areas, in particular, was not being felt.

“It’s grossly concerning,” he added of Carnival’s passenger letter. “It’s more than expected, but that’s not to say it’s unexpected. The writing’s been on the wall for months.

“To say it was not expected would be a lie. To say we could have avoided it had we been more conscientious, visible and proactive, I’m certain we could have done.

“It appears the criminals have identified anyone who appears to be a tourist as a soft target.”