True, but the intentional homicide rate is among the top 10 highest in the world.

For comparisons sake, according to 2023 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, statistics, per 100,000 people Jamaica tops the list at 53. The Bahamas is 9th with 31, the United States is 55th with 6.4, and even Mexico which suffers from extreme violent crime has a lower rate than ours coming in 15th with 26.

Somehow we have got to do better. Not for our visitors because, quite frankly, they don't care but for our people.

Ignorance is bliss. How many will result in convictions is a different story, but..

"In all, Trump faces 91 felony counts across two state courts and two different federal districts, any of which could potentially produce a prison sentence. He’s also dealing with a civil suit in New York that could force drastic changes to his business empire, including closing down its operations in his home state."

From https://theconversation.com/more-than-1…

"In areas visited most by tourists, the snow has a higher concentration of black carbon from ship exhaust, which soaks up more heat and leads to snow melt. Ship traffic also risks carrying hitchhiking invasive species into the Southern Ocean’s vulnerable marine ecosystems.

"That’s to say nothing of greenhouse gas emissions. Because of the continent’s remoteness, tourists visiting Antarctica have a higher per capita carbon footprint than other cruise-ship travellers."

I wonder how many members of the audience (and in the pulpit) benefit, or even profit, from hiring illegal (undocumented) immigrants -- either by illegally hiring them or by securing documentation for them (because they can afford the permits and/or have the connections to get the permits)?

Where these regulations in place?

chapter 278a commercial recreational watercraft.
commercial recreational watercraft regulations.

6. An Authority shall not register or issue a licence to an operator of a craft unless the operator is certified by the authority or a body recognized by the authority as having successfully completed basic training in [irrelevant items from list deleted]—
(a) rescue procedures;
(d) First Aid;
(i) use of personal floatation device;

7. In the interest of safety —
(a) all operators shall provide each person operating or riding a craft with an approved personal floatation device;

Timely, relevant, well-put. Especially as it's not likely that the cost of living is going to decline. Historically, inflation increases (unless there's an economic crisis).

"The Davis administration has said it’s exploring ways to ease the burden on Bahamians until the situation improves."

How about removing VAT from food and all necessitates (e.g.,clothing)? Or, better yet, remove VAT from a substantial cross-section of bread basket items while dramatically increasing VAT on luxury goods - from designer clothing to gourmet and other expensive foods, wines, liquors, etc?

Ground broke at Exuma airport years ago. How about finishing that one first?!

OK, but is it an appropriate topic for flippant remarks?