By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Aviation operators yesterday warned the drug and corruption-related charges levied against law enforcement officials and others could harm the ability of Bahamians to travel with “our national security now at stake”. 

Anthony Hamilton, president of the Bahamas Association of Air Transport Operators, told Tribune Business that all citizens as well as residents could pay a hefty price for the illegal actions of a few as they will now likely be subject to increased visa/entry scrutiny by the US and other nations as well as more frequent and intensive screening and baggage checks.

Speaking after 11 Bahamians, including the police chief responsible for aviation and overseeing Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA), were charged by US prosecutors with participating in a three-and-a-half year narcotics trafficking conspiracy, he added that the fall-out from the federal indictment “is nothing positive” for the local aviation industry.

Four of those charged - Joshua McDonald Scavella, known as ‘Cow’; Darren Arthur Ferguson, known as ‘Hubba’; Domonick Delancy; and Donald Frederick Ferguson, also called ‘DJ’ or ‘Billy - were identified as pilots who have worked for “a Bahamian private flight charter company that offers services to Bahamian citizens and foreign tourists”.

Such claims do not reflect well on the Bahamian aviation and tourism sectors, industries that are critical to this nation’s economic well-being. However, aviation sources speaking to Tribune Business on condition of anonymity said at least two of those indicted pilots operate as unlicensed charter providers or so-called ‘hackers’ - a distinction that was not made by US federal prosecutors.

Mr Hamilton, though, warned that all right-thinking Bahamians have a “fiduciary duty” to ensure this nation responds correctly to any deficiencies exposed by these charges and promptly addresses them. While all those named are innocent until proven guilty, he argued that this nation needs to urgently “rid ourselves of this kind of stigmatisation” especially given that tourism is “our bread and butter”.

But, while Bahamian aviation is braced for short-term “turbulence” as a result of fall-out from the US indictment, Mr Hamilton voiced optimism that the industry will emerge unscathed over the medium to long-term as “we’ve weathered challenges before”.

Acknowledging that “it’s nothing positive” for aviation, the Association chief said: “One of the things with regard to aviation, generally speaking, is that the first priority is safety and the second is security. So it definitely has potential with regard to its impact on the industry.”

Among those accused of accepting bribes from drug traffickers to facilitate the shipment of cocaine through The Bahamas is Chief Superintendent Elvis Curtis, who was described as the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s (RBPF) “aviation operations” and supervises airport locations throughout The Bahamas, including LPIA, which is the largest airport in The Bahamas and the fourth busiest in the Caribbean”.

He was alleged to have provided “safe passage for the traffickers and their cocaine loads through the Nassau airport and elsewhere in The Bahamas” in exchange for corruptly accepting bribes. Also charged is Prince Albert Symonette, a police sergeant alleged to have also received bribes in return for “streamlining Customs clearance for aircraft transporting cocaine into The Bahamas”.

Mr Hamilton yesterday said he expects all individuals and systems associated with aviation and airport security especially, and those involved with the industry more generally, to now be subjected to intensive scrutiny via a process that could ultimately lead to “a purge” of some existing officials.

“As a result of this, I expect the system will experience a purge,” he told Tribune Business. “I expect that purge will be very rigid.. the scrutiny of those that are not just leaving but remain. All levels of accountability will experience some type of audit, and I think that audit will be very rigid.

“We have national security at stake. When this type of thing happens it’s not so much about the individuals but the national response that comes with this. We have a fiduciary duty to execute on this and ensure we rid ourselves of this kind of stigmatisation, particularly in the tourism environment. Nothing else will be acceptable. I think every right-thinking Bahamian has a responsibility.” 

Mr Hamilton said he believes “without any question” there could be consequences for the ease with which Bahamians and residents can travel to the US and other countries as a result of the fall-out. He added that aviation operators had discussed these fears yesterday, and “persons are already concerned about travel within the industry”.

“That’s going to come to you as a citizen of The Bahamas travelling in the course of this exercise,” Mr Hamilton said. “By virtue of your bottom line you originate out of this jurisdiction. Any right-thinking person exercising responsibility for security would be remiss not to pay attention to it.”

Other aviation operators, speaking on condition of anonymity, voiced similar misgivings. “We’re not doing very well on the international stage at the moment. Crime seems to be our biggest number one export,” one said. “Every single time these things happen they’re hurting Bahamians and everyone with their hands on a Bahamian passport.

“We have a lot of visa-free travel and visa access and high acceptance rates, and if we start doing this it will hurt a lot of people.” They added that Bahamians may be subject to greater scrutiny and interrogation over visa applications and entry to other countries, plus more frequent screening and security checks at airports, as a result of these charges.

“The masses really appreciate going to the US, and if people realise this type of behaviour makes going to the US harder it will force the Government to respond,” the source said. Another simply added: “We talk about protecting tourism but this is the way we destroy it. We’re taking a very high risk.”

The US allegations will likely place renewed scrutiny on security at LPIA and all other Bahamian airports, as well as those entrusted with enforcing it. Mr Hamilton, though, praised vetting and background checks on all pilots, airline and airport staff at LPIA as both “very exhaustive” and in line with international best practices.

“From a porter straight up to the top, as far as aviation is concerned strict vetting takes place,” he told Tribune Business. “I know from our experience of dealing with the Airport Authority and the vetting process it’s not an easy street. It’s very exhaustive. Sometimes we’re waiting quite a bit before we can bring employees on through that process.

“Some take longer than others based on things discovered in the clearance checking. That process is executed to the hilt as far as the industry is concerned. Great scrutiny is exercised, and I can vouch for that because we live it directly. Once an individual enters the industry, anything can happen, but there’s a renewal process as well. You could be a former industry employee, come back and have to go through it again.”

Voicing optimism that aviation will recover from the US indictment fall-out, Mr Hamilton said: “We’ve had challenges before, and we’ve weathered them and I believe we will now do likewise. All of our livelihoods are impacted by this, and our quality of life, so it behooves us to take the necessary corrective action...

“Being a tourist destination, which is our bread and butter, it would be foolish not to make the greatest effort in corrective action. We never like to have this kind of stain but I think we will level out. There will be turbulence but we’ll recover. The time period for that is another thing, but I’m hopeful we will recover.”