News: Bahamas Cruising Permit Fee Hike

By Steve Schustack
Fort Lauderdale Marine Directory
December 28, 2003

Many South Florida boaters were dismayed to learn that on July 1, 2003 the Bahamas cruising permit fee for boats over 35 feet rose from $100 to $300 and from $100 to $150 for smaller boats. A Nassau Guardian article, "Fee increase sparks controversy" by Tamara McKenzie, reported on July 14, 2003 that the Bahamas government had issued a press release about the higher permit fees.

• "A government press release issued to a few Family Island marinas, said the government was increasing fees to cut down on over fishing, poaching, and pollution of Bahamian waters by some foreign boaters. The fees were also intended to cover the extra security costs at Bahamian ports of entry."
  
  Read the Nassau Guardian Article

Response to the fee increase has been vocal. A website, "Boycott The Bahamas, The Truth About Bahamian Travel" has become the focus of some expressions of anger regarding the increase. A message board and news stories are the site's main features. Visitors are encouraged to join order to obtain special offers for alternative destinations. The site estimates the annual financial impact of the boycott to the Bahamas to be $3,619,843.10.

• Visit the boycottbahamas.com website

A second Nassau Guardian article by Tamara McKenzie, "Website asks boaters to "boycott" Bahamian ports", appeared on July 14, 2003. The story quoted Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation Chairman Sir Nick Nuttall as saying

• "the Americans protect many of their fish while we welcome all and sundry to come and catch ours without, for all practical purposes, any enforced limits. We are not effectively protecting our resources from foreigners, let alone managing them for ourselves."
  
  Read the Nassau Guardian Article

The Boat Owners Association of The United States released a news story, "BOATU.S. URGES BAHAMAS BOUND BOATERS TO PROTEST 200% CRUISING FEE INCREASE", by Scott Croft on July 31, 2003. The article urged Bahamas bound cruisers to protest the fee increases by sending email to the Bahamian Comptroller of Customs. The BoatUS news story indicated that the fee hike was originally to take effect January 1, 2004, and then the "the Bahamian government abruptly moved the date forward six months." BoatUS President Jim Ellis, is quoted as saying

• "A reasonable increase might be warranted if the Bahamian government could show some tangible benefits. But the steep increase, as well as the way it was implemented raises a great deal of concern."
  
  Read the BoatUS Press Release

Bulletin board websites show postings from individuals with various perspectives. JuJuBee, a poster from Abaco, sent this message of warning and advice to fellow Bahamians on Wed Nov 26, 2003 3:43 pm:

• "Stop assuming, as some do, that they'll just keep on coming. That is foolish thinking. The Ministry of Tourism is very expert at manipulating the figures, but the truth is that Bahamas tourism is in steep decline. And market share, for stay-over tourists, is lower than ever before in history.
  
  Instead of berating the Americans who complain about the fee increase, or saying that "they" are the ones polluting the waters, you should be saying, "Well, we are sorry for the fee increase. But if you come on down, I'll buy you a drink, and hell, that'll save you $5.00 right there."
  
  Visit Bahamas Community Message Board

A number of sites are reporting that an announcement of a compromise was made on Oct. 31, 2003 at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show by the Bahamas Tourism Board. The Hillsboro Inlet Sailing Club quotes the announcement for its members:

• "The Bahamas has given due consideration to the concern of the boating community and has decided that the current Fees of $150 for boats up to 35 feet in length and $300 for boats over 35 feet, shall be valid for two entries during any 90 day period, commencing December 1, 2003 as an interim measure."
  
  Visit the Hillsboro Inlet Sailing Club Web Page

The Nov. 19, 2003 Bahamas Journal article by Darrin Culmer, "Gov't Strikes Compromise Over Boater Fees", indicates that the fee hikes will remain in place. The compromise offered to boaters is a free second visit to the Bahamas within 90 days of the original visit. The offer is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2004 according to the article. This date conflicts with the December 1, 2003 date that appeared in the letter from the Bahamas Tourism Board that was quoted on the Hillsboro Inlet Sailing Club site. The article quotes Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe

• "What we would wish them to appreciate is that when we impose fees we are doing so in the best interest of our nation. I believe that we perhaps did not communicate that as effectively as we should have and when you might have made a mistake or taken a move in the wrong direction I think it's always good to be able to go back and look at it again and we've been able to do that."
  
  Read the Bahamas Journal Article

Updates to this story will follow as they become available.

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Fort Lauderdale, Florida: Saturday, May 17, 2008 3:05 am DST