The Minister of
Tourism and Member of Parliament for West End and Bimini lamented in today’s
Nassau Guardian headline that the “Bimini cruise ship cost Resort World Bimini
money.” While that may be so, the people
of Bimini and the nation as a whole want to know more directly, what has the
Bimini cruise ship cost the Bahamian taxpayer and the people of Bimini.
The Bahamian public would recall the vigorous battle engaged
in by Save the Bays to protect the sensitive areas dredged to accommodate the
new pier specifically for the Super-Fast Ferry.
During that campaign it was repeatedly brought to the attention of the
public and the government that proper consultation, environmental protection
and business planning had not been done and that it would ultimately result in
damage to the environment and to the island, particularly Biminites.
Reports are that the operation of the fast ferry was
inconsistent with the operations of the onshore hotel and casino, contributing
little trickle down to the community as guest ate and gambled during the
voyages, leaving little residual for the onshore property and community. This model had been tired before in Nassau
with a major cruise line pairing a cruise vacation with its land based hotel
with similar failed result. The highly
paid consultants engaged by the government to advise it on foreign direct
investments should have known better.
The questions that now arise for this administration are:
1. How
much did the government of The Bahamas contribute to the acquisition of the
Bimini Fast Ferry
2. Did the
government of The Bahamas provide any financial subsidies to Resort World,
Bimini Super-Fast or any of its affiliates to facilitate or support its
operations and if so, how much has been spent to date since inception.
3. Did the
government of The Bahamas provide any tax or other non-monitory concessions to
Resort World, Bimini Super-Fast or any of its affiliates to facilitate or
support its operations and if so, how much since its inception.
4. Did the
government of The Bahamas commit to any financial subsidies to promote the
Super-Fast and if so, how much has been spent to date and how much has been
committed and over what period.
5. Did the
government of The Bahamas provide consultants to this project and if so, what
were their names, expertise and how much have they been paid?
6. Is the
government of The Bahamas providing operational subsidies to Resorts World
Bimini and if so, what is the amount committed, for how long and how much has
been spent to date.
7. Resort
World Bimini has announced several sea plane and two daily flights to Bimini
from Florida to replace the Super-Fast.
What is the carrying capacity of these aircraft and what is the
frequency of that service.
8. Is the
government of The Bahamas subsidizing this new airlift and if so, how much is
the commitment, for how long and how much has been spent to date. Are any Bahamian airlines involved in the
program, if one exists?
9. How
many Bahamian employees will be affected by the discontinuation of the Super-Fast?
10.What accommodations
have been made to secure alternative employment for those employees so affected?
This ferry Service, which was launched against the best
advice of local and international partners, has blown up in the face of this
PLP government and like Baha Mar, is tangible evidence that the PLP is out of
its depth in managing these projects and paying attention to their progress.
