By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
THE re-establishment of full diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States can have a “massive economic impact” on The Bahamas, according to Prime Minister Perry Christie.
Addressing parliamentarians in the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Christie said The Bahamas must position itself, sooner rather than later, to be a fierce “competitor” with Cuba.
His comments came hours after US President Barack Obama announced sweeping changes to US policy with Cuba, moving to normalise relations with the island nation and “tear down the last remaining pillar of the Cold War”.
Under the new measures, the US plans to reopen its embassy in Havana and significantly ease restrictions on travel and commerce within the next several weeks and months. The New York Times reported that while the embargo against Cuba remains in place, President Obama has called for “serious debate about lifting it.”
Mr Christie said he spoke to Cuban President Raul Castro last week, who indicated that it would “not be long” before the embargo is lifted. He said he has already begun discussions on multi-destination tourism, that will benefit both countries.
“I then indicated to him that I knew because BBC was already talking about President Obama giving consideration to the idea and using his executive powers to do so. We have all known, seen and heard what has happened in the last few hours,” Mr Christie said.
“That has enormous implications for our country, because you only have to look at the history of our economy to see what happened and how it happens to know that Cuba would have a massive economic presence in this region. The president himself told me ‘I know that it will be great for my country because people will come looking for forbidden fruit and to get a taste of it’. But I just want you to know that I discussed intensively, multi-destination tourism.
“That is where a country like the Bahamas (will be) attached on a sister country like Cuba and Cuba will have visitation to the Bahamas as well because we have a very viable and everyday kind of connection going on. It is something we can look forward to.
“But for the economy of the Bahamas and for those who have responsibility to govern we must not waste any time. Whatever we can do to advance our commonwealth this is the time to do it. This is the time to ready ourselves (for) increasing competition.”
According to international press, yesterday’s announcement followed more than a year of secret talks between the US and Cuba, including clandestine meetings in Canada and at the Vatican and personal involvement from Pope Francis.
The re-establishment of diplomatic ties was accompanied by Cuba’s release of American Alan Gross, who had been imprisoned for five years, and the release of a US intelligence agent who had been jailed in Cuba for more than 20 years. In a spy swap for their agent the US released three Cuban intelligence agents convicted of espionage in 2001 and jailed in Florida. The identity of the US agent was not revealed for security reasons.
Comments
B_I_D___ 10 years ago
Yeah boy I tell ya...banking going away...tourism on rocky grounds and will be gone once Cuba opens up...better hope that BAMSI project turns out some highly motivated and profitable farmers!!
valleygirl 10 years ago
The Bahamas need to STEP UP their HOSPITALITY GAME. This is needed for the entire scheme of business, local and tourist. Remember, the Bahamas is not the only island with SUN SAND and SEA. Cuba is a threat to the Bahamian economy.
B_I_D___ 10 years ago
Massive threat.
ThisIsOurs 10 years ago
Hospitality? Ok fine, service improvement, but there is nothing here but as you said "sun". Cuba has it all sun, sand, sea, lush mountains, rich history, REAL NATIVE culture, authenticity, cheap prices and most importantly people dying to see tourists.
PGC deludes himself with his multiple destination tourism, Cuba will not need us to boost their tourism product. I suggest you clean up your corrupt parliament, cabinet and police force, stop padding govt ministries with dummies from your campaign and get these organizations WORKING, reduce the cost of electricity, that means get honest brokers on the deal not shady government ministers and their shady partners looking to rape the country again.
And clean up this dirty island, who has the contract for the maintenance of the verges? Change them. They just killed all that beautiful grass planted on the Prince Charles strip, same for the airport road. Stop your foolishness and start giving jobs and contracts to people who have actually proven they can give quality work.
Has anyone else noticed the amount of people just walking across the road directly into the path of oncoming cars? Do something about that too. Get some ORDER back in this country
AJK 10 years ago
i have spent lots of time in the Bahamas, Mexico and also Cuba. Out of the three of them the Bahamas without a doubt is the most expensive. I think that most people dont mind spending money on vacation but it is problematic when the service at the most expensive location is also without a doubt the worst. Maybe it is time to drop the 15% tip which encourages poor service.
Greentea 9 years, 12 months ago
I agree that the Bahamas is way too expensive but certainly not the worse of the three. The Cubans will have to step up their game- very poor service. The issue in the Bahamas is value for money.
concernedcitizen 10 years ago
Right away privatize BEC and get rid of the automatic 15 % gratuity .If we lose 20% of our US market share to Cuba we can,t pay our civil service ,,crime and poverty will explode ..
ThisIsOurs 10 years ago
Yep that Paul Maynard is going to eat his sabotage threats. Said last week when the government can no longer pay salaries it will be directly at his doorstep
concernedcitizen 10 years ago
No government ownership of BEC ,,no private company will buy it , there is nothing of value to buy and only a gigantic fuel debt that we the public will eat ,let a private company build ,own and operate a new effiecent power plant and guarantee a certain rate ,although i bet the companies bidding are not running to put 500 million into the Bahamas w/ the news of Cuba opening ,,
concernedcitizen 10 years ago
I like President Obama and think it is the right thing to do ,but this is going to knock the sh#t out of us ,the Cubans are not checking for any 15% on the bill and will be smiling and giving great service for that yankee dollar
hj 10 years ago
Cuba may have massive economic impact,no kidding. So put more taxes on locals and tourists,so you make an expensive destination even more expensive. This is how you run a country.......to the ground.
AJK 10 years ago
If you want to know the true potential impact consder this. While living in Nassau almost all the Bahamian"s I knew would not vacation at the other family Islands but would instead go to Cuba because the experence, service, value and attitude of the people was hands down much, much better. If the people of the Bahamas would rather go to Cuba than the Bahamas what do you think the US population is going to do????
B_I_D___ 10 years ago
Especially if they figure out your Bahamian...they get more tips from the foreign tourists than their own people so you get even worse service than tourist would get.
AJK 10 years ago
Time for the unions to STOP protecting the 15% along with protecting Bahamians in the service sector that provide terrible service. I think that the Bahamas will never be able to compete with places like Mexico and Cuba for the lower cost vacation dollar. I dont think the Bahamas should even try to chase that market. The Bahamas is positioned perfectly to capitialize on the higher end vacation experience. But a higher end traveler always has higher expectations in return for thier money spent. The goal of the Bahamas should not be to "try" to be know for as good of service and expereince as Cuba, Mexico and other locations but to actually exceed. Again, people with money have choices where to spend it.
Andrewharris 10 years ago
Of course we would rather visit another country for vacation. That is not a unique perspective. Everyone wants to visit another country for vacation. We are no different. I go anywhere before I went to a family island. They are beautiful but thats not the vacation most of us are looking for.
ThisIsOurs 10 years ago
Triple whammy, Increased prices with VAT, financial sector shrinkage, tourism drop. PGC needs to quit and hand this country to someone who knows what they're doing. Not Brave Davis, he hasn't even shown that he can run Ministry of Works properly.
hj 10 years ago
Come on now, according to the MOF "experts" there will be minimal or no inflation because of VAT. What financial sector shrinkage? You did not hear the news about Ryan's new job? As for the drop in tourism,don't worry. Perry has already talked to Cubans about "multi destination" tourism. Yes the Cubans would love to share their tourists with us.
ThisIsOurs 10 years ago
You're right, we don't have time for this, Junkanoo in two weeks and Carnival coming too! Christie might even rush again to give us all new hope
concernedcitizen 10 years ago
They should have privatize BEC before this ,the bidding companies are not going to spend as willingly now ,first our economy will shrink and second they Cuba to invest in now ,don,t forget Cuba like Brazil can grow cane to make fuel ,,
B_I_D___ 10 years ago
Yeap...one those investment channels open up for Cuba...look out...we ain't gonna get nuttin'!!
PastorTroy 10 years ago
It's time to start thinking outside the box! Colorado, Washington State, Washington D.C, California this is a new generation that likes diversity and freedom, all centered around common sense issues like Prohibition and the failure of the War on Drugs. The recent decision made my U.S President Obama, is not loved by all, but it makes common sense! AFTER 50 YEARS! This should teach us, people are who they are, but also we are all connected by a common bond and love and respect for our fellow Wo/Man. Crime and poverty is a direct result of the war on drugs in the U.S and around the world including The Bahamas. We also need to look at our justice system because crime will sink The Bahamas. I may not currently live in The Bahamas. but I have the ability to see the caribbean as a whole from a foreigners view not living in any of them, I must confess to you we are looking bad! not as a Country or people, but crime! The #1 thing visitors want is SAFETY! if you cannot guarantee my safety? no matter how beautiful, or cheap or blue the waters, I'll swim in a pond in Colorado and live than take the risk and die. Legalize Cannabis, give those many young black men something to do that they will love doing while making an honest wage and have the means to feed himself and their families. Tell all the Literalist Biblical Theologians (90% of Bahamian preachers) This is love, not demonizing our young men sunday after sunday from their "bully pulpit" History will judge them harshly should they choose to not be like Jesus, caring, compassionate, love etc. YOUNG BAHAMIANS RISE UP!!! STOP HIDING AND SPEAK UP FOR YOUR FUTURE!
Andrewharris 10 years ago
You lost me here...big time. What the hell you talking about? Thye rest of us were discussing Cuba.
PastorTroy 10 years ago
So am I, what do we (Bahamas) have to offer tourist that Cuba does not to offer them MORE of? This new U.S - Cuba relationship is great for both the Bahamas and the people of Cuba, we just need to step up our game! we've been doing it longer and better than most in the Caribbean. The world is changing right before our eyes. Countries around the world are fighting for that tourism dollar. We need to start thinking outside the box, new ways to keep the Bahamas as what it is, one of the best locations in the Caribbean if not the best, the newer generation with powerful influence and spending power and like to have a great time are "Hipsters" unfortunately or fortunately this is great for tourism destination that has safe and humane cannabis laws, regardless of our belief, we're catering to TOURIST not really Bahamians, We, (Bahamians) win because of the spending from said tourist, its a win, win situation. Do you know what will be interesting, if Cuba decides, (when it's tourism market opens) to legalize Cannabis and The Bahamas don't or have not? Another off topic, I wonder how many Bahamian throw away their Apple product (Iphone, Mac's etc) since learning that the CEO of Apple Inc is Gay? Oh, I forgot you were discussing Cuba. "People suffer because of a lack of knowledge"
ObserverOfChaos 10 years ago
"better than most in the Caribbean" you say? Really!? You can honestly with a straight face say that? Dude your living in a dream world....while living here and traveling ALL over the caribbean, the Bahamas is at the BOTTOM of the list for "doing it better".....seriously you make me laugh!
TalRussell 10 years ago
CUBA LIBRE!! Comrades let's dispel with the US government's long-running myth about having no diplomatic presence in Cuba. Truth is the US for years have "maintained" the largest diplomatic presence in Havana. Their presence in Cuba is greater than any other country on face earth - including Russia. All that would be required, is for the US to change the name on building, back its old name - Embassy Of United States of America. In fact just as recently as 2009 their Havana diplomatic complex was totally renovated. I have been in and out it many times.
Andrewharris 10 years ago
Talk of Cuba 'opening up' has been around since Obama took office. This comes as no surprise. It should not have surprised our government either. But of cousre we lack inovative thinkers, people with vision so no preparations have been made. We still have some time, the embago has not been lifted but obviously thats comes next. Lets see what steps government takes to protect our people...I'll bet ya none. They are clueless. Just in case you didn't know Cuba already sees more tourist than the Bahamas, already has more hotels and there are more flights and airlines servicing Cuba than this country. However they food is lousy and so is the service. (we have them there)
TalRussell 10 years ago
Comrade about as many steps as when Cuban MiG fighter planes buzzed over our defense force ship letting go machine gun fire in front of ship's bow. Scared living crap out our sailor men's.
ThisIsOurs 10 years ago
You've ignored the fact that our main market, the US tourist, is not presently going to Cuba. Remember our boom is completely due to proximity to the US
TalRussell 10 years ago
Comrade the early 1960's Bahamaland became the main tourism beneficiary after Fidel Castro ceased power away from Dictator Batista. Our tourism and economy flourished as a direct result of Comrade Fidel. Would be anyone's guess, what would life had been like in Bahamaland, had a Batista stayed to run Cuba? I think it would have been a sweet islander's paradise. Maybe we don't want to any longer be the Bahamaland of the Baha mar or Paradise Island. Look closely at the thousands of acres of land, waterfronts and beaches lost by Bahamaland's natives.to foreigners. We have even been stupidly remained silent while turning over land to Shandy Towns. Is that progress? No, it is no longer an native islander's paradise. We gone turn Her over foreigners and some who even looks native. .
Moby68 10 years ago
I visited Cuba about 18 years ago and thought at the time that the Bahamas would be in trouble if the US ever improved its relationship with this country. I found the place to be clean, with too many tourist attractions to count! Some-one talked about lousy food and service, at least in Cuba tourist won't have to worry about getting robbed or killed as crime is very very low! With the new opportunities, the quality of food and service will increase. We need to get real people, crime is the nagging sore in our country. How we can implement VAT or anything else is mind boggling when we have not addressed crime. What do you think will happen next year? Deal with the negative catalyst that has us in the position we are in now, and when you clean that up find the root cause and deal with that.
ThisIsOurs 10 years ago
I wonder how long it will take for China to turn its investment dollars to Cuba. Atlantis duplicated their model and fled to richer pastures in Dubai. CubaMar maybe?
SP 10 years ago
......... Perry Christie and Hubert Ingraham Are Dumb And Dumber Personified Par Non..........
The PLP and FNM had 40 years to create a viable tourism product and all they did was enrich friends, family and lovers sprinkled with heavy dose's of unbridled political stupidity.
How the hell can this big dumb doofus have the ball (singular) to stand in front of us and tell us about Cuba opening up more to the U.S. having massive economic impact on Bahamas?
Where the phuck was Christie, Ingraham, the PLP and FNM living for the last 40 years?
Bahamas was number 1 in regional tourism in the 70's. The PLP & FNM stood around talking shyt for 40 years while Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba developed their tourism products into well oiled destinations with LOTS FOR TOURIST TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Both PLP and FNM DID NOTHING to maintain, improve and diversify our tourism product for 40 phucking years......Now dumbshyt Christie is telling us nonsense????
How the hell can we have 5 MILLION tourist coming annually and NOT HAVE DEVELOPED ANY INFRASTRUCTURE TO INCREASE IN RESORT SPEND IN 40 PHUCKING YEARS????
Proximity alone should make Bahamas the playground of 400 MILLION North Americans....We should have theme parks from Mayaguana to Abaco.....YET WE HAVE NONE.....NONE......NONE.....NONE.....NONE....NONE.....NONE.....NOT PHUCKING ONE!!
Where the hell did Obie Whelchcombe and all past MINISTERS OF TOURISM learn about tourism? Those idiots couldn't find a tourist on mega cruise ship...and if they stumbled and fell across one....They wouldn't know what to do to make him want to spend his money here!
GET RID OF THE PLP AND FNM GROUP OF TRIBAL JACKASS'S OR LEARN TO FARM
TalRussell 10 years ago
Comrades our greatest vulnerability to Cuba Libre will result from the inaction of the people over the years at the Ministry of Tourism who since the 1960's have never bothered to lower Bahamaland's dependency on American Tourists. Now, all the talk about attracting tons Chinese tourists. Have you ever been to a beach in China, where there can be almost as many " fixed beach umbrellas" as"swimmers." Sorry, Asians in general are more known for walking out in the water, up to they waist's, not lotion all up catch mother nature's sun's rays.
ObserverOfChaos 10 years ago
You see Mr. PM....tourist don't need Bahamas...they have too many other options...now maybe you can get your head out of your a** and start working to get Bahamas back in the "relevant" category of tourist locations....!
TalRussell 10 years ago
Comrades I thinks we is getting screwed. Just ain't going fly no New Yorker tourists..
A futuristic look at Baha Mar & British Colonial Hotel umbrella beaches come 2105.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2014…
OldFort2012 10 years ago
Unfortunately there is absolutely nothing that can be done. Market forces will force wages in the Bahamas down to about $300 per month on average. Lets face it: we are under-educated and VASTLY overpaid. Till our wages do not fall to levels in Dominicana, Haiti and Cuba we will just be in freefall, starting now. But look on the bright side: Obama has solved our immigration problem at a stroke.
bahamalove 10 years ago
Looks like a perfect storm is brewing for The Bahamas! VAT, Increased Crime, A Depleted Financial Sector, Dwindling Fish Stocks, A Free Cuba. All of our corrupt practices and greedy ways are eventually gonna catch up with us. I hope the government realizes that they have to learn how to say no to these Unions. We as a country do not have the money to keep overpaying Union members. There is no way BEC workers should be getting retroactive lump sum payments and Xmas bonuses. Bahamians, we are going to have to learn to live within our means. There is also no way The Bahamas will be able to compete with a free Cuba in tourism being a high-priced destination. The experience is just not there! There's hardly any attractions in New Providence, Freeport looks like a run-down town, and the Family Islands lack infrastructure to be totally viable destinations. What we have done is just create all-inclusive resorts that keep tourists on the hotel property. Cuba can have the same thing within a decade and still offer tourists other things to do on their island without getting mugged by some hoodlum. Wake up Bahamas! The South Florida Cubans and businesses already have plans drawn up and ready to go once the Cuban embargo is lifted. Cuba can be a viable competitor in less than a decade.
TalRussell 10 years ago
Fear crime, not Cuba. Comrade our nation's economic viability will depend more on crime and the fear of crime, than on Cuba. World tourism is already patronizing Cuba. and as more Americans are allowed to pick Cuba as their sun, sand and sea vacation destination , the world tourists will soon find Cuba to be too expensive a visit and will seek other more affordable destinations. Out of Cuba's present 3 million tourists annually, already 600,00 are comprised of American citizens. Cuba without a doubt will become the Caribbean's star tourist destination and America will remain their largest customer source to draw from. But let's not forget as long as a Castro is in power, the Cuban people will not be free. Just over the past 30 days the Castro regime have imprisoned over 6,000 Cubans, not for any other reason than their disloyalty to Castro's dictatorship dictates.
duppyVAT 10 years ago
The only positive thing going for The Bahamas is that there are many isolated rural islands . Nassau and Freeport are in deep trouble and any other island that are depending on the present tourist economy model
ThisIsOurs 10 years ago
They say the greatest lie the devil ever told was to say he did not exist. I predict that these greedy kings with dragon gold fever (yes a la Lord Of the Rings) will perpetrate their third greatest lie on their Bahamian supporters in short order.
First Lie: there is no recession. Second Lie: crime numbers are dwindling, UR is working.remember those two?
Third Lie being worked on as we speak: there is no need to worry about a threat from Cuba. Watch and see. The tale will be spun that all is well in paradise, games, parties, national holidays and more honour award ceremonies than we can stand. Watch. It will give them the additional time they need to squirrel what remains in the treasury to their offshore accounts
concernedcitizen 9 years, 12 months ago
Could not have said it better , they will be giving out awards ,and having junkanoos until every US dollar they can get there hand on is deposited elsewhere ,why do you think they need consultants for everything ,to get money in foreign accounts , then they will leave us to eat each other..couple of em resemble Papa Doc and Baby Doc more everyday
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