We desperately need a revival in tourism. That is the lifeblood of our economy. There have indeed as the writer says been many complaints from interested people about all the hassles caused by the Visa. Yet Chester Cooper claims it is needed for marketing information. Originally it was for health reasons. As very few could comply with the foolish rule that all the requirements had to be met within a five day period very few could comply so we had very few tourists. The Minister and staff have never told the public why a tourist presenting a double vaccination certificate at airport check in is not satisfactory. The Government and its friends in the online payment system were all making money with the Visa fee. Yet the tourism sector was badly damaged and hotel workers and local businesses have suffered by lack of employment and business. Why should anyone want to book to our country with all the time consuming rules for entry when they can go nearly everywhere else without any problems?It would be interesting to hear Chester Cooper's comments on these facts. The Government needs to abolish the Visa for everyone immediately.

With all the rules and the cumbersome Health Visa I wonder why anyone would want to be bothered going through with all these procedures just for a trip to our Bahamas. It is now one of the most difficult countries in the world to visit. A lot of tourism has been lost by forcing the Visa on international visitors. Yet the hotel workers union and the business community stayed silent and they were the biggest losers!

I cannot understand why The Tribune continues with this column. It has never been objective. Every week the Democrats are praised and the Republicans demonised. We really do not need a column about the U.S.A. We live in The Bahamas and are not Americans. Our natural allegiance is with other English-speaking Commonwealth members in the Caribbean. Why not a column about what is taking place in our region rather than this American partial column every week?

There is no appetite here for a republic says the author. I quite agree. The idea that it is "progressive" to have a republic is nonsense. Most of the republics which overthrew their monarchies have turned out to be failed states with financial and political instability. Why would we want that here? We have a good system of government now with a BahamIan Governor-General, Parliament and impartial courts. Investors have confidence in our country that their investments are safe. Canada,Australia and New Zealand have all prospered. They are monarchies like our country. Barbados is hardly a democratic republic. Mia Mottley refused a referendum as polls suggested the public would vote against a republic. What do the regional leaders have to say about that anti-democratic exercise? Let us keep what works!

It will eliminate all the hassles for local residents abolishing the Visa. However it does not for overseas visitors. With all the hassles involved in getting the Visa which are time consuming we have lost a lot of tourists. They can go everywhere else in our region without the Visa and requirements. They show their vaccination certificate at the airport and are on their way. If it was for health reasons why are local residents exempt but not visitors? There have been many complaints but nothing has changed. It is a foolish policy deterring people we really need to come and visit us here.

We do not need to change our Constitution and go through all the upsets and expense of a referendum. Few people here are calling for any change. We should be proud of our history and heritage of freedom under The Crown which has given us true freedom and democracy .Why change a system which works just because Barbados became a republic? The Government there did not even allow a referendum. We are told that the main reason was because two opinion polls showed that the population would vote against a republic and the Prime Minister Mia Mottley was determined to get rid of The Queen. Barbados with all its economic problems is on its way to being yet another failed third world republic.

The PLP promised to abolish the Health Visa for everyone not just residents! The Minister admits it is complicated and cumbersome. There have been so many complaints from travel agents and visitors that the Visa is preventing bookings to The Bahamas because visitors can go to nearly every other southern destination without these expensive and time consuming measures. As to the Minister saying it provides marketing information they have always received that information on the forms previously used by visitors on entering our country. The Visa is looked at as a tax to enter The Bahamas and many prospective visitors do not want or have time to be bothered going through the procedures so they book elsewhere. We are the losers which is affecting the lack of jobs because we are not getting the tourism numbers we need at this time. The Tourism officials who are advising the Minister have mismanaged the whole tourism process.

A very worthwhile endeavour. We hope they will succeed.

This is an excellent letter. Right to the point. I hope our Government and Financial people are listening. We cannot afford to destroy our economy by changing a form of government which is safe and reliable. No republic will give us any improvement. In fact most of the third world republics are complete failures now run by dictators. This is surely not what we want for our Bahamaland.

The Health Visa has been the greatest deterrent for visitors especially as they can go nearly everywhere else without one. To add PCR tests will return to the unworkable rules before as people could not get those tests, await results, await a confirmation of the Health Visa and get to The Bahamas all in 5 days. So many complained and wrote letters but the previous government foolishly would not budge. The PLP promised to abolish the Visa but on assuming office Chester Cooper said they would keep it. All of this on top of the pandemic which slowed tourism. We are lucky to have gotten anyone wanting to travel to our country. The mismanagement by Tourism officials is colossal.