I thoroughly agree with the letter. It is most unfortunate that Harry and Meghan decided to air their grievances in public. Meghan was very well received in the U.K. and other Commonwealth countries when she married into the Royal Family. Yet she quit royal duties within two years . They have let the whole Commonwealth down with their behaviour . The Queen and other members of the family have been closely and happily associated with people all over the multi-racial Commonwealth for decades. They are not racist in any manner. The Queen has encouraged and assisted her people of all races as has Prince Charles and younger members. We must not be swayed by American chat shows and social media. The record of duty and service speaks for itself.

The Bahamas has had a long association with the Monarchy. The Crown is an important part of our democratic values. and provides the stability we require. An impartial Head of State is an anchor at the top. The Queen appoints Bahamians to serve as Governor-General and they serve basically as an Officer administering the Government. We are fully independent as are the other Commonwealth monarchies such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Arguments for a republic are mostly on emotional feelings rather than reason.. The track records 9f republics is very poor with power grabs and instability by politicians resulting in economic decline. . We have seen such scenarios across the globe. Our parliament and our courts under The Crown ensure we have a sound future. On a personal level Her Majesty The Queen has served The Commonwealth in faithful service for 70 years next February. She is well deserving of our ongoing support. It is one thing to knock the Monarchy, It is quite another matter to find a replacement which would serve us any better. The Monarchy gives The Bahamas international prestige as a safe place to invest and live. . Already there have been negative reactions to Barbados becoming a republic amongst the business community there and overseas and their ending 395 years of stability under The Crown. I do not believe we should be embarking on a similar path. Let us be proud of and appreciate our history.

All the fanfare about cruises returning does not mask the fact that the entry rules are so cumbersome that most prospective visitors are looking elsewhere.to travel. Expecting visitors to willingly undertake all the requirements and be on the ground within five days is completely unrealistic. What tourism we could have had the past few months has been largely lost by the stubborn refusal of the Tourism Ministry to ease the hassles required. Most people simply do not have the time or money to find test centres for the Covid19 PCR test , return for the written results and then complete forms and scan them with the results to Nassau for the Health Visa and not know when permission will come for travel. At the same time visitors and returning residents must find flights which are few and far between these days and co-ordinate all this with the entry requirements. Most people simply are unwilling to go through all these hassles just to visit our country. Cruise visitors are also unlikely to want to go through this process with the uncertainties of bring there in five days. After frightening our population that visitors are carrying the Covid19 virus despite them having to take tests and placing policies which prevent most from coming the Minister of Tourism now expects visitors will all suddenly arrive. He and his staff are living in a fantasyland. It is all so sad and unnecessary.

Despite the comments of The Tourism Minister most prospective visitors cannot comply with the current requirement of being on the ground in Nassau within five days of taking the test. Finding a test centre for a healthy person to take the more complicated Covid19 PCR test is the initial problem. This is likely without charge for U.K. and Canadian people with the government healthcare system. However it is harder there to get an appointment as leisure travel is the lowest priority for giving tests. For Americans who are our largest number of visitors the cost of the test can be anywhere from $200 upwards which is a deterrent to travel. Moreover everyone has to wait for a result which is often two days. I have been told that the nuisance of filling out forms and scanning them with the test result to Nassau for the Health Visa is another cumbersome hassle and no certainty exactly how long it takes to get permission to travel. Then taking flights to Nassau,especially if connecting flights are involved, takes time and for many it is impossible to arrive within five days. So with the uncertainties prospective visitors are looking elsewhere where it is easier to gain entry. There have been so many complaints about these difficulties but The Minister and staff have stubbornly refused any common sense solutions such as extending the entry time from five to seven or ten days or visitors being allowed to bring test results with them. As a result the hotels remain mostly empty and unemployment at unacceptable levels. Having frightened the public about admitting visitors- even after they have had tests- has been counterproductive. Until the entry rules to our country are eased tourism will never return to previous levels. It is difficult enough for land visitors to enter. It is ridiculous to think that cruise visitors would be prepared to complete all these rules just to have sightseeing tours from their ship. What market research was ever done before these unrealistic rules were introduced? It does not appear that these policies were well thought out.

There will be no rebound in tourism until the draconian entry requirements are modified. Having to complete all the tests and forms which are needed for the unworkable Health Visa and expect people to be on the ground in The Bahamas within five days of the test are not feasible for most people. It has already been shown that prospective visitors do not have the time or will to go through all these cumbersome and expensive procedures. They are not coming and I expect that will be the situation for as long as the Tourism Minister stubbornly adheres to the current rules. The Bahamas loses altogether with high unemployment continuing and business at an all time low.

The observations and comments from the letter writer are quite correct. I cannot understand why more Bahamians have not been speaking out against these expensive and unworkable entry requirements. They are destroying our tourist trade which is the mainstay of our economy. Most prospective visitors simply do not have the will,time or financial ability to go through all the hassles needed to enter our country. The tests themselves are expensive if even a health centre is near to their residence who will administer the test. Officials who keep telling us that the tourism sector will soon rebound are living in a fantasy land. There are too many other southern destinations to travel who are a lot less restrictive. Bringing a test would be far easier than forcing people to fill in forms on computers and just hope permission is given to travel within the tight five day from the test arrival time. It does not appear that much ,if any, market research was done by our Tourism bosses before these draconian measures were introduced. As a result we continue to have high unemployment and little if any idea when things will improve.

If Income Tax is introduced we will lose all the incentives to invest in The Bahamas. Overseas investors are looking to invest where they do not have tax burdens. No wonder Panama has experienced a booming economy as investors left us and neighbouring nations when we were forced to sign tax treaties with Europe, Canada and the U.S.A. Money goes where it is welcome.

The main problem we will face when cruise ships do return is to find tourists willing to come on a cruise which involves a stay in The Bahamas. Right now our Tourism Minister has stated that he will not relax travel protocols for quite awhile. It is very complicated, expensive and time consuming to enter The Bahamas now with a short five day period from a test ( if a health centre can be found) to arrival. It is made more difficult with the bureaucratic Health Visa and the uncertainty of when permission to travel will be forthcoming. There are also so few flights. No wonder tourism has declined so steeply. People are unwilling to go through all these hassles. Can anyone think that cruise passengers would be willing to go through all these procedures? Yet our cruise personnel, tourism staff, hoteliers and even business people have not complained about these requirements which are destroying our major business. It is hard to believe .

The problem remains that most prospective visitors cannot complete all the cumbersome entry requirements and be in Nassau within the short five day period from the time of the test. The Tourism Minister and staff fail to address that issue. It is a problem for many people to find a test centre where they can get a Covid19 test as a healthy person . Most are unwilling to travel long distances to obtain the test. The tests are expensive and no guarantee when they will receive the results. Then the Health Visa is another bureaucratic hassle with scanning documents to Nassau and hoping they will receive permission to travel before the five day period is ended. If people have connecting flights and come from a distance they are most likely unable to comply. So much business has been lost by this unworkable and unappealing process. Most people will not bother or are going elsewhere where it is far easier to enter. So Bahamians lose out with so many without employment. Why have our local businesses been so silent about these difficult entry rules?

I do not believe that we should change the current Westminster system of deciding on the election date within our five year term limit. Fixed dates are yet another American idea which is alien to the successful way we have carried on elections for many years. The Prime Minister and Cabinet should continue to make the decision and then advise The Governor-General for his consent. We are not Americans and should be more proud of our system of government which has worked well for a long period of time.