> “You know, this affordable housing thing hurts us on one side, but benefits the country on another side, because it's created Airbnb business and entrepreneurial opportunities. So we have to find the balance going forward. Some of these problems are good problems to have. We just have to find a way to work our way through them,” said Mr Sands.

There is no good problem to have where your residents cant find affordable housing. Policies have to benefit the many at the expense of the few.

What he is saying is the classic mentality of the many tourism developments. The costs are worth whatever benefits come even if it makes people net worse overall.

We are in a housing crises and our leaders are oblivious to the fact. Why do need this guy to be the voice of any reason is beyond me.

> He said he avoids presenting occupancy figures for the out islands because “that would be a bit depressing,” arguing that room nights and room revenue are more meaningful measures.

so you are speaking at Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association’s 73rd Annual General Meeting and dont want to present occupancy?
If you focus soley on room revenue what you are saying...as long as the prices go up even if occupancy goes down and potentially less people are employed its ok.

no mention if the boating changes affected anything either?

are we at all serious?

least no one can say the Bahamas is selfish.

This is why the best avoid politics.

no its that im trying to understand if the event was in Aquinas or Goodman's bay. The tribune has me lost.

what?

> The China-Bahamas Kite Festival was held on the field at **Aquinas College on Gladstone Road** on November 29, 2025. Photo: Chinese Embassy

?

> The festival, held in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, **brought scores of families to Goodman’s Bay for a day of kite-flyin**g, Bahamian and Chinese cultural performances, food, and children’s activities on Saturday.
??

It is all talk. The Bahamas included. We're arent any more serious.
We dont care for all the deforestation, increase use of paper for shopping bags, do nothing to regulate emissions here and worst, we pushing forward with LNG which traps more heat than CO2.

LNG's main ingredient is methane.
Methane leaves the atmosphere quicker but while its there it traps more heat. We signed an agreement with Shell and LNG for NP, more LNG for the port power and want more LNG pumping cruise ships to come to our shore, thinking it will reduce global warming.

We have no concern for reefs, as we approve reef damaing developments, dont regulate reef safe incredients, dont care for how many golf courses litter our islands etc.

this is why i say there is no real plan. The govt has gone all in on cruises ships coming to downtown and are surprised that the area caters to the cruise ships while they are downtownt. if you want the area to more of a neighbourhood, it needs to have the things in place for it to happen.

They have yet to realize that you get what you wish for. With no plan you go where the wind blows. There has been 0 major moves towards changing the status quo. Knocking down buildings wont spur development, unless you had a developer who was too broke to knock down the building first.

Yes, it does get rid of eyesores and reduced demo costs however, without presenting a vision, you are hoping some billionaire comes in and offers to do the work for you. BUt even Kerzner and Sarkis thought up thier resorts, no building being there dissuaded them. The properties that needed to go went afterwards.

> “We hope, long term, we can get some residents here. We can get some mixed use structures here. We can maybe have a hotel but there are thoughts as to what we can do in terms of the creation of rooftop spaces. We hope that every time we do one of these demolition it sparks interest and appetite from the Bahamian people.”

and this here is the problem. They are hoping and wishing. If a developer wanted to build there they would not be detered by an old building.

1) the Central govt needs to think about proper local govt. There is a committee or whatever with no real powres. Even less than the actual legal local govts out there.

2) if they want to be involved they need to put thier vision out there. develop a master plan, zone accordingly and put the infrastructure in place.
How are you going to manage traffic, waste, transit, zoning etc. What do you see where, What is designated as park space, residential, commercial retail, school, etc.

Right now we have a hodge podge of ideas and no real plan. If you have a toursim led ministry/corp why would they have incentive for residences? There is no proper plan in place and its clear.

Yall went to the govt should have expected it to be honest.

We have people buildings not to code, a govt not enforcing code, others next door still not to code and potters cay not to code. No insurance, no fire supression, no requirement for fire suppression and here comes Travis and Sebas now talking about codes.

We are in a big mess.