The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

LEGISLATORS postponed debate on the Tourism Development Corporation Bill yesterday after an industry official claimed hundreds of vacation rental hosts oppose it and believe it will reduce available rooms in the market.

Theofanis Cochinamogulos, interim president of the Bahamas Vacation Rentals Association, cited a lack of consultation in a letter pushing government officials to adjourn the debate on the Bill.

He declined to discuss stakeholders’ issues with the Bill in an interview with The Tribune.

The Bill would establish the Tourism Development Corporation of The Bahamas, an entity concerned with sustainable tourism development. The corporation would develop and maintain a register of tourism-related enterprises, including vacation rental homes. It would also have the power to issue guidelines of standards and best practices for tourism-related enterprises and could inspect such institutions.

The Bill would also establish a tourism development fund to receive monies from parliamentary allocations, fees, and monies charged on tourism activities and services, among other things.

In his March 19 letter to House Speaker Patricia Deveaux, Mr Cochinamogulos said: “There are sections in this Bill that will result in rooms being pulled off the market at a time when there is a shortage of rooms for tourists visiting our country.

He asked to meet government officials soon to collaborate and co-create a bill with other stakeholders.

After Parliament’s adjournment, Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said failing to consult stakeholders is a habit of the Davis administration.

“One of the matters we intended to raise in this debate was the lack of consultation because already we were aware that several groups were concerned, and this is a pattern of behaviour by this administration, (its) failure to consult on important pieces of legislation,” he said.