We always had 2 families meet us in the Family Islands twice during the winter. Usually booking their trips about now. Yesterday they informed me they are flying into Miami and driving to the Florida keys where they rented a house. No test, can book plane and car reservations, no quarantine, no health visa, no government having 5 different plans in the last 2 weeks, hospital available, cheaper than the Bahamas, food 1/2 price in the grocery. Let’s see how long it takes our government to realize that instant testing is the only answer. It keeps us all safe and allows us to have an economy. We have become an extremely difficult And expensive tourist destination. If they can test every single US college football player every day we should be able to figure out how to test tourists. This isn’t rocket science!
It’s shocking to me that in the year 2020 the Bahamas hasn’t figured out how to properly generate electricity. And, I figured that BPL must have an “Excuse Department” that dreams up these lame excuses for the mouthpieces to put out to the public. Someone hits a power pole and Nassau goes dark? Astonishing!
Can the ideas of our government get any crazier? VIP? 5 day tests? Health Visas? Small hotels? So, if the tourist can get a test, and get results in a couple of days, and get a health visa In a couple of days, then hustle like crazy to get a plane reservation, then get to the airport and get on the plane, then get hassled by immigration and customs, and maybe turned back, then take an expensive taxi to a small hotel. For what? To walk to the pool? And, then are the little hotels supposed to feed them sandwiches? They just created a good reason to go to Florida or the keys and eliminate about 95% of the hassle! Instant testing is the only answer. Spend money to make money! This isn’t brain surgery.
Our government has shown that they have no idea what to do after a hurricane strikes a family island. This is not only bad for Abaco but should worry every citizen of the Bahamas that there is absolutely no plan in place to help islands that are hit in the future. NEMA is a total joke. To see crime running rampant on Abaco, with no police protection, and having the Security Minister declare that it is because no one has “offered” the police someplace to live is a total joke. Without the NGOs that are still there after a year there would be no drinking water. really? i can’t wait for the election to try and get some competent people into office.
Just another case of our government being totally out of touch with reality and not listening to the constituents living in Abaco. The excuse of not having rental accommodations is absurd when you see a fleet of motor homes and trailers by the government complex in MH. The number of police officers on island is inconsequential if they never patrol the streets. In Treasure Cay there has literally been no number to call the police since Dorian. How are you supposed to report a robbery if there is no way to phone them and no police present. This minister is in a “cover your a**” mode. Just like everyone in the government. Can’t wait for the next election to boot these novices out!
This “pent up demand” for a Bahamas vacation isn’t a pent up demand for a prisoner of a resort vacation. The tourists that visit us aren’t fools. 5 day tests, health visas, worry about last second airfares, let alone having a non cancelable booking at a hotel do not make for a peaceful vacation. Do these ministers think tourists are a bunch of fools?? One false positive Covid test and you could be out thousands and thousands of dollars. I don’t see these tourists taking those chances. Atlantis and Bahamar are smart enough to realize this and not gear up for no one showing up. I don’t know who dreams up these ideas-but they are just that-DREAMS.
What else would you expect from the police but a total bonehead report. Just the fact that they are comparing year over year when maybe 1% of the second homeowners are on island shows the ludicrous of this report! It shows how absolutely out of touch the police force is and why the bad guys know they can get away with just about anything. To claim there is no living quarters is also ridiculous. What about all of us who survived Dorian? We aren’t living in the lap of luxury. I am so sick and tired of hearing all the whining about mental fatigue and living conditions. Are there no real men left in our country? What happened to the police being the strong and the brave? Oh, gee, we’d hate to have them suffer a little bit like the rest of us. What about the fact they are getting paid while those of us that rely on tourism are scrounging while they sit on their ass drawing a government paycheck? The police are part of the problem not part of the solution.
I really don’t see why they aren’t doing a “soft opening” allowing boaters and private aircraft in with 5 day old Covid tests and get rid of the quarantine. This would be the perfect way to open to tourism. Yes, that favors the people that can afford to travel this way, but they also spend money-and the government can get some idea of what may happen. And, they said incoming tourists only made up 1% of the Covid cases. Seems like an intelligent risk to me!
By the way, would someone please tell me how Vacation in Place is going to help the local economy? You can’t leave the hotel to go to a local restaurant or bar or straw market. The only people that might be ok with this is Atlantis and Bahamar! Now they have their tourists locked down forced to spend megabucks for a meal instead of supporting the locals! It is difficult for me to believe our elected officials are this dumb. Just think, if they would have spent the money on instant testing from the start everything would be normal!
Getting a Covid test with 2-3 days for results, then applying for a health visa which could take another 2-3 days-so now we are up to 4-6 days which means you really can’t make it by boat with a 5 day old test. Let alone have time to book a commercial airline ticket-or hardly enough time to go by private airplane. Then quarantine! Good luck with all that! Bye bye tourists-and supposedly they only accounted for 1% of new Covid.
lovingbahamas says...
We always had 2 families meet us in the Family Islands twice during the winter. Usually booking their trips about now. Yesterday they informed me they are flying into Miami and driving to the Florida keys where they rented a house. No test, can book plane and car reservations, no quarantine, no health visa, no government having 5 different plans in the last 2 weeks, hospital available, cheaper than the Bahamas, food 1/2 price in the grocery. Let’s see how long it takes our government to realize that instant testing is the only answer. It keeps us all safe and allows us to have an economy. We have become an extremely difficult And expensive tourist destination. If they can test every single US college football player every day we should be able to figure out how to test tourists. This isn’t rocket science!
On Increased testing eyed as tourism's quarantine answer
Posted 28 September 2020, 6:10 p.m. Suggest removal
lovingbahamas says...
It’s shocking to me that in the year 2020 the Bahamas hasn’t figured out how to properly generate electricity. And, I figured that BPL must have an “Excuse Department” that dreams up these lame excuses for the mouthpieces to put out to the public. Someone hits a power pole and Nassau goes dark? Astonishing!
On BPL ‘can’t plan against’ recent power failures
Posted 24 September 2020, 11:45 a.m. Suggest removal
lovingbahamas says...
Can the ideas of our government get any crazier? VIP? 5 day tests? Health Visas? Small hotels? So, if the tourist can get a test, and get results in a couple of days, and get a health visa In a couple of days, then hustle like crazy to get a plane reservation, then get to the airport and get on the plane, then get hassled by immigration and customs, and maybe turned back, then take an expensive taxi to a small hotel. For what? To walk to the pool? And, then are the little hotels supposed to feed them sandwiches? They just created a good reason to go to Florida or the keys and eliminate about 95% of the hassle! Instant testing is the only answer. Spend money to make money! This isn’t brain surgery.
On Government hopeful smaller hotels can jumpstart tourism
Posted 19 September 2020, 10:07 a.m. Suggest removal
lovingbahamas says...
Our government has shown that they have no idea what to do after a hurricane strikes a family island. This is not only bad for Abaco but should worry every citizen of the Bahamas that there is absolutely no plan in place to help islands that are hit in the future. NEMA is a total joke. To see crime running rampant on Abaco, with no police protection, and having the Security Minister declare that it is because no one has “offered” the police someplace to live is a total joke. Without the NGOs that are still there after a year there would be no drinking water. really? i can’t wait for the election to try and get some competent people into office.
On DIANE PHILLIPS: Abaconians' anger is raging beneath the surface - we need to move now to make sure it doesn't explode
Posted 18 September 2020, 9:17 p.m. Suggest removal
lovingbahamas says...
Just another case of our government being totally out of touch with reality and not listening to the constituents living in Abaco. The excuse of not having rental accommodations is absurd when you see a fleet of motor homes and trailers by the government complex in MH. The number of police officers on island is inconsequential if they never patrol the streets. In Treasure Cay there has literally been no number to call the police since Dorian. How are you supposed to report a robbery if there is no way to phone them and no police present. This minister is in a “cover your a**” mode. Just like everyone in the government. Can’t wait for the next election to boot these novices out!
On Dames insists crime figures for Abaco are ‘quite correct’
Posted 16 September 2020, 9:35 p.m. Suggest removal
lovingbahamas says...
This “pent up demand” for a Bahamas vacation isn’t a pent up demand for a prisoner of a resort vacation. The tourists that visit us aren’t fools. 5 day tests, health visas, worry about last second airfares, let alone having a non cancelable booking at a hotel do not make for a peaceful vacation. Do these ministers think tourists are a bunch of fools?? One false positive Covid test and you could be out thousands and thousands of dollars. I don’t see these tourists taking those chances. Atlantis and Bahamar are smart enough to realize this and not gear up for no one showing up. I don’t know who dreams up these ideas-but they are just that-DREAMS.
On 'Serious foreign currency' needed by 2020 year-end
Posted 10 September 2020, 10:08 p.m. Suggest removal
lovingbahamas says...
What else would you expect from the police but a total bonehead report. Just the fact that they are comparing year over year when maybe 1% of the second homeowners are on island shows the ludicrous of this report! It shows how absolutely out of touch the police force is and why the bad guys know they can get away with just about anything. To claim there is no living quarters is also ridiculous. What about all of us who survived Dorian? We aren’t living in the lap of luxury. I am so sick and tired of hearing all the whining about mental fatigue and living conditions. Are there no real men left in our country? What happened to the police being the strong and the brave? Oh, gee, we’d hate to have them suffer a little bit like the rest of us. What about the fact they are getting paid while those of us that rely on tourism are scrounging while they sit on their ass drawing a government paycheck? The police are part of the problem not part of the solution.
On Crime 'epidemic' hits Abaco reconstruction
Posted 9 September 2020, 6:06 p.m. Suggest removal
lovingbahamas says...
I really don’t see why they aren’t doing a “soft opening” allowing boaters and private aircraft in with 5 day old Covid tests and get rid of the quarantine. This would be the perfect way to open to tourism. Yes, that favors the people that can afford to travel this way, but they also spend money-and the government can get some idea of what may happen. And, they said incoming tourists only made up 1% of the Covid cases. Seems like an intelligent risk to me!
On Bahamas must 'get real' over tourism re-opening
Posted 9 September 2020, 12:57 p.m. Suggest removal
lovingbahamas says...
By the way, would someone please tell me how Vacation in Place is going to help the local economy? You can’t leave the hotel to go to a local restaurant or bar or straw market. The only people that might be ok with this is Atlantis and Bahamar! Now they have their tourists locked down forced to spend megabucks for a meal instead of supporting the locals! It is difficult for me to believe our elected officials are this dumb. Just think, if they would have spent the money on instant testing from the start everything would be normal!
On ‘Vacation in place’ - but not quarantine: Tourism rebranding mandatory lock-ins for Oct 15 relaunch
Posted 8 September 2020, 11:26 a.m. Suggest removal
lovingbahamas says...
Getting a Covid test with 2-3 days for results, then applying for a health visa which could take another 2-3 days-so now we are up to 4-6 days which means you really can’t make it by boat with a 5 day old test. Let alone have time to book a commercial airline ticket-or hardly enough time to go by private airplane. Then quarantine! Good luck with all that! Bye bye tourists-and supposedly they only accounted for 1% of new Covid.
On ‘Vacation in place’ - but not quarantine: Tourism rebranding mandatory lock-ins for Oct 15 relaunch
Posted 8 September 2020, 6:03 a.m. Suggest removal