This is an excellent letter. When our Tourism Ministry introduced all these rules there does not seem to have been much research as to how visitors would react to all the hassles. We have just got used to tourists coming no matter what. However now we have a lot of competition and people can go to so many other southern resorts with far easier entry rules. Why bother having to go through all the time consuming and expensive rules to come to us? Even regular visitors are going elsewhere. Tourism Minister Chester Cooper should have kept their election promise to abolish all the Health Visas. We are all suffering from this tourist decline. But,so far, the officials are stubbornly keeping these unworkable measures.

Until our Government eases up on the entry rules and similar measures are reduced in the U.S.A.,U.K. and Canada to return there we are not going to have pre-Covid tourist numbers For many people it is too complicated to come to us and to return to their own countries. There are massive shortages of rapid antigen tests in the U.S.A. and Canada and yet we brought out the new rule of a 3 day old at maximum rapid antigen test to enter. How people would get that,await the result, get the Health Visa and a flight here within 3 days is a great problem. People simply cannot be bothered going through all the expensive hassles to come here. The Health Visa has simply become a tax for visitors. The Minister says it is for "marketing information" yet this has depressed tourist numbers. A recent international survey found interest in going on cruises has crashed. People do not want to be on large vessels with a large number of people. It does not appear that our tourism "experts" have thought through the problems which result from these difficult policies. Visitors do not have to come to our country. There are lots of other destinations with far easier entry rules.

The point that the letter writer was making is that there is too short a period of time from taking the test to arrival in Nassau. The Canadians must go to a government run health facility to get a test. There are usually long lines ,especially in the large cities, to get a test if they are even available. There are massive shortages of rapid antigen tests both in Canada and the U.S.A. Then they must wait at least a day for the result and go back for it if it is not sent online. Then they must apply for the Health Visa whose time in coming back varies. They must get a flight, if operating, to get to Nassau within three days. It becomes physically impossible for many people. If it was just a double vaccination certificate required it would be easier.
But now with the additional 3 day old rapid antigen test it makes it difficult. The additional test by the Canadian Government to return to Canada can be taken in Nassau before they return. But let us face the facts- the more tests and paperwork required adds a lot of money onto a trip and time consuming for working people seriously depresses tourism bookings. If some of those making instant messages against our visitors tried to complete all the requirements they would see the problems. We lose out in the end with fewer tourists and less needed revenue. Visitors are now going to where it is easier to entry without all the hassles.

The letter writer has made several valid points. Criticising people who want to come to our country and who have had confidence enough in us to purchase a property should be listened to with their concerns. In Canada where they are living all health services are government operated. There are no private clinics where they may be able to go and quickly get a test and a result. In Canada it was very difficult to get the required PCR tests,especially with long lines in cities, wait two days for the result and scan it to Nassau and get permission for the Visa, get one of the very few flights operating and be on the ground in Nasssu in five days. I have spoken to several Canadians who could not travel to us. Two families went to southern Florida because,as working couples, they did not have the time to spend to do all the waiting and measures required. Going to Florida was much easier. A Canadian travel agent told me that people just cannot be bothered with all the rules and he is booking them to easier destinations. Over the years it was very easy to enter our country. They showed passports at our airport, filled in the entry cards and were admitted. We also relied on cruise passengers. Several people have told me they are not interested anymore being on a ship with many other people due to the virus. The situation is not helped by both Canadian and American governments wanting tests to get back into those countries. Some people may have been fortunate in getting here with fewer problems but the concerns of the letter writer are widespread. This problem has been exacerbated by all the uncertainties with the virus and the short time periods the Government demands from the test date to arrival. Let us hope the situation improves soon.

The basic problem to travel to The Bahamas are the unreasonable entry rules. There is too much redtape and requirements are unreasonable. There is a massive shortage of rapid antigen tests in the U.S.A. and Canada. So potential visitors cannot obtain them in most places or,if available, at exorbitant prices.They cannot be older than three days yet it takes two days on average to get a result and then you apply for the Visa. Impossible! People just do not have the time to go through with all the hassles associated with The Health Visa. The union president says there is a pent up demand. There may be some demand but when it is difficult to get entry and expensive with all the tests required to enter and tests to get back to the U.S.A. or Canada people will not book. This has been said for a year and a half but our Tourism Ministry "experts" keep insisting on them. I understand people have booked for trips here and when they find out what is required to enter are cancelling and going elsewhere or staying home. Will anyone in Government listen to concerns? Apparently not at the moment. This is seriously harming our main economic activity and affecting jobs.

I cannot understand why The Tribune continues Harper's biased reporting every week. It is far from objective. We do not need a column on U.S. affairs. People can turn on American television or go online to the U.S. news websites.

So many of these self-described experts fail to understand that our Bahamas will not be receiving the numbers of visitors we had pre-Covid because it is too difficult and time consuming to enter our country. Tourists can go to most other southern destinations without all the hassles we impose on them. The Health Visa has greatly harmed our tourism. Would those who design these policies be willing to wait in long queues to get a rapid antigen test and take time off of work to get the test? Highly unlikely. There is no consideration that tourists want an easy booking and easy entry. They do not have the time or money to be paying for all kinds of tests to enter and then leave The Bahamas and all the measures to get and pay for the Visa and then be in our country in three days . There is such a shortage of antigen tests in both the U.S. and Canada that it is mostly now impossible to find a place who will give people a test. When will our Tourism officials wake up to the real world?

I do not believe that anyone can applaud Barbados for the undemocratic way it declared a republic. P..M. Mia Mottley refused a referendum so the people could decide whether they wanted her republic or not. After two opinion polls said they would not vote for a republic and leading citizens like Sir Gary Sobers declared their opposition Mottley "dug her heels in" and strongly said a referendum was not going to happen. Even the ceremony to mark the transition was held in private with the public not invited in case demonstrations against her actions marred the event. Hardly a great start. Many investors have left Barbados. Communist China is filling the void. The U.K. gave Barbados self government and then independence without a problem. We are proud of our history in The Bahamas, Our system of government has worked well for a long period of time and the resulting stability has brought in international investment. The track record of republics is very poor..There is no reason why we should change our democratic foundations.
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It is becoming more obvious by the day that as long as all these restrictive measures remain in place potential visitors simply will not be bothered coming to our country. How many people want to go through all the hassles and time involved in getting health tests and the Visa. Would those designing the policies want to wait in long lines at health centres which even have the rapid antigen tests? There is a great shortage of these tests. Why the business community and the unions have been so silent on all these harsh measures is beyond my understanding. The whole country is in economic peril as a result of these ill thought measures.

The rules are so cumbersome and change regularly that visitors simply cannot be bothered coming to our country anymore. The Health Visa problems and the rules which change regularly have driven away many of the visitors we desperately need to keep our economy going. The officials making these rules live in a dreamworld of unreality. If they had to go through all the hassles themselves they would probably not be so determined to place all the burdens on potential visitors.