German businessman Harald Fuhrmann who runs an agency providing investment and tourism advice on the Bahamas published yet another website www.bahamas.us.tc demanding a new true information policy from the Bahamas government concerning the largest travel trade fair in the world, which takes place from 12th till 16th March in Berlin, Germany.
The new website is certainly not a pessimistic description of the effects of the global political situation, but depressingly, it is based solely on the dangers within the country which is supposed to be a holiday paradise. The reasons for this are stated clearly; they are criminal conduct, drugs dealing, theft, armed robbery, kidnapping right up to the murder of tourists.
Concerning a press release Harald Fuhrmann, managing director of Bahamas Consult, is calling on the shipping companies in particular, such as Carnival Cruise amongst others, not to ignore such warnings in their future marketing policy. On the one hand we recall the story of St. Croix, and on the other hand in the past Nassau certainly hasn’t lost its top spot in the popularity stakes because it isn’t attractive enough. On the way from the harbour to the street markets the mad road traffic and the exhaust fumes are reminiscent rather of a large city which, in addition to this, only has cheap articles from the Far East for sale in US-dollars. Given the fact that there are high import duties, tourists are beginning to question overall whether the Bahamas does represent value for money as a holiday destination.
Given the proximity to the United States, the Caribbean cruise liners often take in the Bahamas as part of their round trip by necessity. However, shipping companies ought to pursue a policy instead of mooring off small private Bahamas islands and not give the wrong signals to the “Out Islands”, which have already attracted attention on account of criminal conduct, corruption and drugs dealing. It is also worth considering not to make for Nassau at night, to more or less take warnings on board.
Bahamas Consult fears also that discussions about new attacks towards the right to free speech will not have any real beneficial effect for the continually ailing Bahamas, since the persons responsible in the government in the Bahamas will only tackle the existing socio-political conflict with commitment if they are placed under phenomenal international pressure to do so.
Given the lack of respect towards foreigners, the widespread insincerity towards investors but also the criticism of the legal system, Bahamas Consult is publishing an uncompromising new website, which is also translated in German at www.bahamas.at.tc. Due to Bahamas Tourist Minister Obie Wilchcombe having ignored Harald Fuhrmannﾴs invitation to take part at the last years travel trade fair in Berlin Bahamas Consult points out the intention to discuss the content of the new website at a press meeting next month in Germany.
Unfortunately it was the Minister of Tourism, who attacked the local media when he didn’t like the comments offered by a “foreign” editor. Bahamas Consult claims, that Minister Wilchcombe displayed anti-foreign bias, and questioned the right to free speech and journalistic standards, while presiding over Bahamas TV station, ZNS, generally regarded as a government propaganda outlet. In the meantime Harald Fuhrmann demands that the international media -including the travel press all over the world – keep their eyes on these developments.
Bahamas Consult
