By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamian aviation regulator yesterday revealed it will not approve a skydiving excursion provider’s licence to operate due to a police probe into recorded threats he allegedly made to its officials.

Devard Francis, Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas (CAAB) chairman, told Tribune Business it will not grant a license or permit to Vans Johnson, and Skydive Bahamas Adventures, until a matter that is now under Royal Bahamas Police Force investigation has been resolved.

“We’re not going to be dealing with him until he comes in and addresses the threats of death that he made against our director and other members of staff, and a report has been made to the Royal Bahamas Police Force so they will have to deal with that matter,” said Mr Francis. “That’s all I’m willing to say about that right now.”

Mr Johnson, who says his business has lost more than $200,000 due to “inexplicable delays” in obtaining the necessary permits to conduct his skydiving business, confirmed the relevant video’s existence but said comments such as “there will be blood in the streets” were a reflection of his frustration rather than threats.

Speaking to Tribune Business, he said he and his staff of professional skydivers were “ready to work” and have been seeking approval for a license from the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas for months but have received no response.

“I have lost a total of going on $200,000 and I didn’t even know I had it. I got receipts. My first plane I was leasing for $10,000 a month. I had that plane for 11 months,” said Mr Johnson.

“I have workers ready to go. I have four people that have travelled to The Bahamas to work for me, only for me to be embarrassed and have to send them back within two weeks because they wouldn’t give me my licence.”

Mr Johnson said he received a licence in April 2023 and successfully held a showcase event that month. But the licence was only for a seven-day period, not an annual permit, even though he aims to offer regular excursions.

Mr Johnson said his frustrations over the delays led to him posting a video on social media in March 2024 in which he called a purported foreign competitor and told them to not come to The Bahamas to do business as they were “infringing” on his rights.

“I did a video a couple months back. I made the video public, and in the video, I called the people in North Carolina and I told them, and I told other authorities. I said don’t come to The Bahamas, because you’re basically infringing on my rights,” said Mr Johnson. “I call them, and I say, cease doing business in The Bahamas. Because you’re not Bahamian, and they need to shut it down.”

In the video, Mr Johnson also asserted “there will be blood in the streets”, but he yesterday argued it was not a threat towards anyone but, rather, an expression of the hurt that will be caused by allowing local businesses to “starve”.

“When I said that, ‘blood in the streets’, hey, look, I’m not threatening them. [I’m saying] you’re causing people to starve,” said Mr Johnson. He added that the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas sent a letter in October 2024, notifying him they are not prepared to consider his licence request due to outstanding concerns that arose while considering his application.

The regulator said their decision was based on “previous threats of physical harm and violence made by you personally towards staff members of the Authority, which resulted in senior members responsible for certification of sky diving operations filing a formal complaint against you with the Commissioner of the Police Force, which is still pending”.

The correspondence went on to say that another skydive operator based in the US submitted a complaint on March 13, 2024, due to an allegedly harassing phone call made by Mr Johnson and that information was also passed on to the police.

The Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas warned that threats of harm against their employees or the public are not “taken lightly”, and since it has not received any word from police officials regarding the reports made they will “defer consideration of any application by you or your organisation”.

Mr Johnson maintained that the delays in receiving his licence are due to “personal issues” between himself and aviation officials, and not his company’s merits or qualifications.

In a statement, Mr Johnson said he has reached out to Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas officials, as well as other government officials, seeking support but the process appears to be “deliberately obstructed, hindering my ability to launch my business and fulfil my dream”.

He called for the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas to be more transparent and raised concerns that his intellectual property and safety manuals - which were submitted to the Authority - are being used to help a rival foreign-owned operator.

“The possibility of my Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety manuals, meticulously crafted with expertise, being used by the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas and other parties without my consent is a troubling prospect,” said Mr Johnson

“I believe this situation discourages Bahamian entrepreneurship and stifles the creation of a level playing field for local businesses. I urge the Bahamian public, the business community and the Government to stand with me against this injustice.

“I demand transparency and accountability from the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas. I implore them to process my application fairly and expeditiously. I have unwavering faith in the Bahamian people’s ability to support local businesses and contribute to a thriving economy. I plead that THe Bahamas not allow this blatant disregard for Bahamian entrepreneurship to continue.”