EDITOR, The Tribune. 

As we approach our nation’s 52nd anniversary of Independence, we must reflect on our state of affairs.

As we pause, we must take note on how our government is trying to tax its way into prosperity; a move that Sir Winston Churchill warned about many decades ago. Churchill declared, “I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.”

After the dust had cleared from the parliamentary debate on the annual budget and its compendium of bills, we find an industry that is the lifeline of so many is now targeted by the Ministry of Finance to prop up and help finance the government’s agenda. This industry is our boating tourism industry.

Politicians fail to learn, time and time again, year after year, that instead of thinking that they have all the answers (which they don’t) they should be consulting thoroughly the stakeholders of the industry. Was the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) consulted?

The cruising permit fees have soared in some cases by 233%. Mariners with boats under 35 feet will now pay $500 instead of $150, and vessels over 35 feet will pay $1,000 instead of $300.

Fees have skyrocketed to $2,500 for boats exceeding 50 ft in length to 100 feet and vessels over 100 feet will now incur fees of $8,000.00

The permits for pleasure vessels will not be inclusive of a fishing permit, as that permit is now a separate fee altogether and the duration of the permit is slashed from 90 days to 30 days. There are also other surcharges that are affixed to these permits.

Marinas are the heartbeat of many communities across our beautiful archipelago, and those in this crucial industry are bracing for the repercussions of government decisions that didn’t appear to have been well thought out.

The effects are far reaching. Those pleasure vessels mostly affected (not entirely) are the summer centre console fast speed boats from Florida, wanting to enjoy a two-week getaway in the Bahamas. Some may berth their vessels at a marina, while others will rent a cottage, rent a golf cart or car, support local shops and restaurants, not to mention fuel purchases, etc.

The amount of revenue poured into local economies by pleasure boats will greatly outweigh the amount that is hoped to be collected through this drastic increase in fees that will likely dry up a good source of revenue and income, particularly in the summer months from May until mid-August.

Bimini and West End are communities that will likely feel the pinch as boaters will be turned off from what will now be a very costly weekend visit from Florida.

Commentary from boaters seem to follow a consensus that: It’s not only about the increase, it’s also about principle. Boaters feel that they would like to see their tax dollars put to work. They would like to see better Customs facilities or well-maintained channel markers that are usually in disrepair.

And all the while, the government’s priorities are in the wrong place; with talks of building a $60m new Parliament building, $10m of which was allocated in this budget toward the project.

Do we need a new parliament building? Perhaps.

But should it be a priority item over other pressing issues? Absolutely not!

In conclusion, we have to be very careful not to overtax an industry that has provided job opportunities and an industry that is a good revenue source for the Public Treasury. Maybe there was a need to increase cruising permit fees but to increase at such an exorbitant rate was unreasonable.

More importantly, those that hold the levers of power must understand that government alone does not always have the answers; in many cases government doesn’t have the answers. That is why it is vital to include the private sector and other stakeholders in consultative exercises before making decisions that have far reaching effects.

We can do better!

Let’s Fix It!

Jeremy Sweeting

Free National Movement Candidate

Central & South Abaco