The issue of safety and security in a touristic environment such as The Bahamas was high on the agenda at the Ministry of Tourism’s conference yesterday.
Speaking on the American perspective, US Charg� d’Affaires Dr Brent Hardt said the Embassy’s strategy is to promote visitor safety including preventing criminal acts, providing assistance to victims, and asuring that complaints are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.
He warned that when a crime is perpetrated one must ensure that justice is swiftly provided.
“While we all want to see fewer crimes committed, it is equally important to see that those crimes that are committed are expeditiously and successfully prosecuted. The Embassy stands ready to act as a liaison with the police, calming and protecting the victim so that all the necessary statements and evidence can be gathered. Because victims are in an unfamiliar environment, both they and other American witnesses tend to be comforted once an Embassy officer becomes involved, which, in turn, allows the investigation to proceed more smoothly,” Dr Hardt said.
He added that while it may seem odd to talk about prosecutions in the context of visitor safety, ensuring that justice is done is a vital part of protecting the good tourism “brand name” of The Bahamas.
Dr Hardt pointed out that one of the reasons the Natalee Holloway case in Aruba sparked such outcry was that the crime was not solved and the authorities did not seem to have taken the appropriate investigatory steps in the immediate aftermath of the disappearance. “By contrast, when two Austrian tourists were murdered in Bimini last summer, the results were far different. In that instance, the culprit was found and apprehended within days. The grieving families received a sense of closure and any possible controversy was defused.”
He explained that tourists understand and accept that crime can happen in any foreign country, but said a crime can turn into a crisis if nothing is done about it.
“The Embassy will continue to do everything it can to promote the safety of American visitors to The Bahamas. Our Embassy has no higher priority than that of protecting the welfare of American citizens abroad,” Dr Hardt said.
Over four million Americ-ans visit The Bahamas each year.
He said the overwhelming majority of them have safe, enjoyable vacations by taking in the beautiful sights, sounds, and tastes of the islands and return safely to their homes in the United States. On the issue of prevention, Dr Hardt revealed that travelers are carefully investigating the safety and security of intended destinations before making vacation plans. The U.S. Embassy he said, puts out an information sheet on the security situation in their host country. Additionally, he said the Embassy releases an annual Spring Break Fact Sheet that specifically targets student visitors.
Source: The Nassau Guardian
