EDITOR, The Tribune.

My wife and I married in The Bahamas 23 years ago and have made annual visits as tourists since our wedding.

I’ve also made many flights via general aviation with the thought of one day starting a scheduled airlift service if the opportunity presented itself.

A few years ago, a colleague and I met with officials from the Ministry of Tourism and BCA who told us of the need for airlift both from Grand Bahama to Orlando and the coming demand for 300,000+ added seats to New Providence for the opening of Baha Mar. This seemed like the perfect opportunity was being presented to us.

After many months of trying to work through the layers of government imbroglio, we realised that trying to do business in The Bahamas was best left to either the very rich, the very stupid, or both.

Coupled with increased landing fees, departure taxes and protectionist employment requirements that could compromise safety, I came to realise that the paradise I had experienced as a tourist for many years was now just a mirage.

I’ve since talked to the larger airlines that did agree to increase airlift for the promised demand in December 2014, the Spring of 2015 and, until recently, September of 2015 and beyond. As you can imagine, they are not thrilled about the losses incurred despite repeated promises to get the project back on track.

I’m sure that once Baha Mar is open and the demand is there, they will slowly and cautiously come back with additional flights.

As you can imagine, this has led to many conversations with fellow visitors about future travel to The Bahamas.

Bahamians may not know it, but in the Southeastern US, we’re aware of growing crime including the attacks on the US embassy workers and a murder rate that is triple that of a Florida city of similar population.

I’ve learned the following from many conversations over the last two years:

Private pilots agree that the added taxes and fees have either severely limited or stopped their pleasure visits.

Casual cruisers that have visited Nassau or Grand Bahama have no desire to return and instead are more likely to choose Western or Eastern routes that bypass The Bahamas.

When asked, 100 per cent agree that they would visit Cuba over The Bahamas. Of course, none know what awaits them there, but that is part of the allure, I suppose.

I don’t know what happened over the last 23 years. I’ve seen the changes first hand and for the first time, my wife and I have decided that we’re no longer visiting The Bahamas and the thought of investing or starting a business there are now well behind us.

We enjoyed the early years of hospitality and hope for the best for those friends and acquaintances we made that still live there.

It’s my hope that the Baha Mar fiasco finally sheds light on the issues that seem to be plaguing The Bahamas and that the people are able to make changes and recover what they’ve lost.

Yesterday’s front page Wall Street Journal Money section story on “Paradise Lost” will serve to warn travel agents, cruisers and others of what awaits them but it may also bring a saviour to salvage the mess (financial jackals, more likely).

Best of luck to all involved.

ROBERT DRUMMER

USA,

July 9, 2015.