Me, me, me.

Trying to shame business owners into commercial suicide isn’t a rabbit hole you want to go down. Go away and rethink.

So put the fence up already....

Is it any wonder the cruise lines want private islands? Prince George Wharf is a disgrace and Bay Street is the same old tired place it’s been for the past several years. For a cruise passenger, Nassau is a ‘one and done’.

Ever been in a situation where things are done so badly you can’t help but want to either step in and do it yourself or give up altogether? Here we are.

One of the the interesting points made in the article is that Nassau is on so many Caribbean cruise itineraries it is almost impossible to book a cruise that doesn’t stop there. There is little to motivate people to get off the ship a second, third, fourth time. Furthermore, there are so many attractions on the ships today there is less and less incentive to get off. The ship is the destination.

Along with the search for private islands, we will see an increasing number of cruises spending more time ‘at sea’. This is actually preferable for the cruise lines as they can keep their stores and casinos open which they can’t do while in port.

We need to start talking to the cruise lines rather than trying to scare them off. If we’re not careful we’ll get what we’re wishing for and the ships will bypass the Bahamas all together.

Fred Mitchell is a bigot; pure, simple and ugly. He advertises this every time he speaks. How in 2017 can any right minded human being advocate anything but equality for all Bahamians? It is sickening that Bahamians do anything more than stone him.

The only significant difference between Freeport and Enterprise City in Cayman is immigration policy. What are we so afraid of here? Liberalise the archaic and self defeating work and residency permit policy - open the place up. Digital nomads are a huge potential market that we are scaring off with protectionist immigration policy. Bahamians currently have nothing to aspire to; nothing to want to be at home for. Foreign influence brings innovation and new opportunity. We have to welcome these people, not deter them.
There is no hospitality in the Bahamas anymore. It's all about what 'they' can do for us - from politicians down to the street merchants. Gimme, gimme, gimme. What about collateral benefit? There may not be direct benefits for all but more people bring more spending, more spending brings more opportunity. Grand Bahama needs a minimum of 50,000 more residents.
What about the second home market in Freeport? Immigration policy continues to screw this up. Actively go after the second home market; actively go after digital nomads. Spend marketing money in business market sectors, not only tourism sectors. Get a clear and concise offering together. Do this, you get that.
We continue to try and use an old model. Times have changed and if we are going to survive we have to change too.
It's not difficult if we can just find it in ourselves to get away from the anti anything foreign mindset.

I am continually astounded by the ongoing vitriol being spat by Bahamians who insist that our already overly restrictive immigration policy needs to be further restricted. The open disdain of everything foreign that is shamelessly shouted from the rooftops by Bahamians on a daily basis is sickening. How in God's good name are we to attract FDI with an invitation in one hand and a leash in the other? When are we going to realize we are trying to make an old model work in a new world? We desperately need diversification in business and as much as the naysayers may dislike it, this likely will come via foreign investment; we have to be able to attract the foreign people who can bring it. What do young Bahamians currently have to aspire to? Utilize immigration as an incentive to attract new ideas, new industry and new business rather than as a deterrent. With all the anti foreign discourse I read on a daily basis, if I were a potential non-Bahamian business owner, I would no more invest money here than I would roll it up and smoke it! For the love of God, please let's open our eyes, get out of the way of ourselves and start realizing that not everything foreign is inherently evil.

When are we going to understand that citizenship doesn't make anyone more or less qualified for a position? We should focus on making Bahamians the best person for the job, rather than mandating immigration status as a condition for employment. Protectionism and restrictive immigration policy breeds workforce mediocrity and will continue to handicap those it is meant to benefit. Without a liberal immigration policy there is no hope of attracting new and diversified industry which will provide greater opportunity for Bahamians and ultimately bring our talent home.

Does anyone know exactly WHY Hutchison are not repairing and reopening the hotels? Insurance claim, waiting for a sale, waiting for another government handout, further incentives, spite?
It's a dangerous precedent to set for a government to force private enterprise to act without law or a contractural obligation to support the demand.
Also a convincing argument to not give a single entity so much bargaining power that they become impossible to negotiate against.
One is for sure, something needs to happen quick fast and directly, if not sooner.

So refreshing to hear some sense coming out of MoF. Why would any rational thinking citizen want to be vested in a losing entity? As citizens we are shareholders in SOEs and are liable for their gains and their loses. They are all losing: dump them as quick as possible. Let experienced private entities motivated to make money take over. Keep it up KPT!