• Provider now month-to-month despite PLP-led controversy

• DPM: All contracts in ‘renegotiation’ as visa ends for locals

• Opposition: ‘Who will now authenticate COVID test results?’

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian digital payments provider that was earlier this year ensnared in health travel visa-related controversy yesterday said it has remained on the job despite the change in government.

Nicholas Rees, Kanoo’s chairman, told Tribune Business it is still facilitating the visa fee payments on the Ministry of Tourism’s behalf after the deputy prime minister yesterday said the Government had initiated contract “renegotiations with all of our partners involved” in the project.

Confirming that Kanoo’s services have been retained by the ministry on a “month-to-month” basis after its initial contract expired, he added that it was proceeding “without any hurdles” and “no hiccups” despite the pre-election attacks mounted on it and the health travel visa by the then-Opposition.

The digital provider was embroiled in a political firestorm after it became caught-up in the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) targeting of The Bahamas’ health travel visa, and many observers felt it would be among the first to see a reduction in government-related work as a result once the new administration took office.

However, Mr Rees told this newspaper: “As it stands right now, from a technical standpoint and as a service provider, I know they’d sent us previously a revised contract but everything remains as is. From our perspective, we’re happy to continue to provide the service to the Government.

“To-date, everything continues without any hitches. No hiccups. Everything is smooth from our end. Our agreement with the ministry, they’ve handled everything perfectly. They are doing their due diligence, which is expected and what they should do. There’s nothing untoward, nothing to hide, and we continue to provide the service.”

Mr Rees said himself and his fellow Kanoo partners were hoping that the cooled political temperature in The Bahamas following the September 16 general election, and new administration taking office, will take an unwanted spotlight off the company’s business.

“We’re hopeful we can step out of the political fray completely, and continue to do business as young entrepreneurs,” he disclosed. “They’d [the Ministry of Tourism] sent us a month-to-month contract because our previous contract had expired, and they renewed it on a month-to-month while they evaluate it and make a determination on the way forward.

“From a technical standpoint, everything’s the same. It was all really blown out of proportion, our involvement. We’re hoping it’s time for the truth to come out. Our position remains the same. We serve The Bahamas and its people, and support our government.”

Kanoo facilitates the health travel visa fee payments on the Ministry of Tourism’s behalf, and questions surrounding the fees it was earning and why the money was not being deposited in the Government’s consolidated fund emerged in the run-up to the September general election.

The allegations then expanded to political favouritism and nepotism amid claims that Dr Nigel Lewis, the FNM’s national campaign co-ordinator, was a Kanoo director and that the company had won multiple other government contracts.

Mr Rees, refuting these claims, produced Kanoo’s annual returns filed with the Registrar General’s Department to show that Dr Lewis is not a director. He holds less than a 1 percent equity stake in the company, which was given as a reward for putting himself and his fellow Bahamian entrepreneurs in touch with their Atlanta-based technology partner some five years ago.

The Kanoo chief spoke out after Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister, and minister of tourism, investments and aviation, said the Government’s review of all health travel visa-related contracts was now complete.

“Our administration promised a review of all of the contracts associated with The Bahamas’ health travel visa. I am pleased to report that that review has been done and renegotiations are underway with all of our partners,” he told the House of Assembly.

Tribune Business understands, though, that some providers have already changed following the September 16 general election. In particular, the insurance provider responsible for underwriting all medical treatment and evacuation costs for tourists stricken with COVID-19, has switched from Coralisle Group’s Atlantic Medical to Colina Insurance Company.

Mr Cooper, meanwhile, confirmed the contract negotiations while announcing that the Davis administration will this Monday fulfill another campaign promise by abolishing the need for Bahamians and residents to fill out a health travel and subsequently have it - and their COVID tests - vetted and approved by Ministry of Tourism staff so they can return to their home.

“Members would recall that the Progressive Liberal Party never felt this Bahamas health travel visa should apply to Bahamian citizens and permanent residents who call The Bahamas home,” the deputy prime minister said. “It was both a financial and regulatory burden on Bahamians and we vowed to stop it.

“Shortly after we came to office, we assessed the programme and eliminated the fees for Bahamian citizens and residents, and eliminated the visa altogether for inter-island travel. The fees were left in place for visitors.

“After assessing the programme we are pleased to announce that as of Monday, December 13, 2021, Bahamians and residents will no longer be required to obtain a health travel visa to enter their beautiful home,” Mr Cooper added.

The PLP promised to end the travel health visa for Bahamians and residents unfairly implemented by the previous administration and we are doing just that. So promised, so delivered...We emphasise that the health travel visa will remain in place for tourists for the foreseeable future.

“We believe that this provides a level of protection for the health and safety of all in The Bahamas by vetting the authenticity of documents by the Bahamas health travel visa programme well in advance of travel.”

Eliminating payment of the health travel visa fee by Bahamians and residents should result in reduced fee income as there are fewer persons paying it. However, the Davis administration’s supplementary Budget revenue estimates of $40m in revenue for 2021-2022, and a further $23.32m in 2022-2023, are unchanged from its predecessor’s May Budget.

And expenses related to the health travel visa are also unchanged, remaining at $37m for 2021-2022 and $17m for 2022-2023, respectively. Meanwhile, Mr Cooper confirmed that COVID testing requirements remain in place for all travellers, with the unvaccinated required to produce a negative RT-PCR test, and the vaccinated a rapid antigen test, taken within five days of arrival.

This prompted Kwasi Thompson, the east Grand Bahama MP, to question how the Government will be able to vet and authenticate the COVID tests provided by Bahamians and residents now the health travel visa requirement is being removed. Mr Cooper, in reply, said all airlines required passengers to present a negative test.

The former Minnis administration saw the health travel visa and related documents as an effective tool to verify that all incoming travellers had taken the correct COVID test, within the mandated timeframe, and that the results were obtained from an accredited clinic or laboratory overseas. Now this safeguard is being removed.

“Let me put it this way,” Mr Thompson told Tribune Business. “What I would say is we obviously support any changes that will assist residents. However, it must also keep them safe. We are obviously concerned about the new variant and also the increase in cases in the US.”

Pointing out that the health travel visa provides a mechanism to “verify the authenticity” of COVID tests, he added: “Our main question and concern would be what is the mechanism that is going to be put in place to verify the COVID-19 tests.

“That is what the person who managed the health travel visa does. They would look at the tests and verify them. This puts the onus on someone else. What we would like to know, and the question that has to be answered, is what is the new verification process that will be put in place to ensure someone checks the authenticity of the tests.”