By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
AMID allegations of rape within the water sports industry, The Cove at Atlantis has warned its guests against renting Jet Skis on Cabbage Beach, adding that doing so is “at your own risk”.
When contacted for comment, a representative of the resort said the letter, which was circulating on social media, “grossly misrepresents” the hotel’s intent to protect its guests.
A copy of a letter to guests of The Cove - one of the Atlantis resort’s hotel brands – said: “We are also concerned about your safety and security and are therefore obligated to bring to your attention a matter related to the use of the beach.”
The letter then tells guests that water sports operators are not associated with the hotel and their industry is “minimally regulated.”
“Because of the safety and security risks associated with the Jet Ski operations in Nassau, the US Embassy in Nassau has prohibited its personnel from using the services of Jet Ski operators in Nassau and has strongly advised US citizens to do the same and not patronise these services.
“Given these circumstances, we strongly advise against your renting any motorised water sports equipment and you should never leave the beach alone with any of the staff or operators of such equipment. Should you decide to engage in any of these activities, that you do so entirely at your own risk,” the letter said.
When contacted for comment, sources said: “This letter isn’t new at all, it has been in rooms of our hotels and many other hotels around the country; certainly in the rooms of resorts associated with the Bahamas Hotel Association.”
The source said only a small change was made to the letter to reflect the recent warning given by United States embassy officials.
“We have a responsibility to our guests’ safety and security. While we have amended the letter to highlight the recent US Advisory and to warn them not to go on a jet ski alone with anyone, the letter has been in the room for close to, if not more than, ten years. Obviously if the environment improves with respect to watercraft regulation enforcement, the tenor of the letter would be amended.”
Last week the United States Embassy in Nassau “prohibited” its employees from using Jet Ski rentals in New Providence and advised its citizens visiting the Bahamas against using the rentals in Nassau. This came in the wake of reports that an American woman was allegedly raped by a man with a Jet Ski at Cabbage Beach.
Transport Minister Glenys Hanna Martin has maintained that the alleged attacker was not a licensed operator.
However, she added that her ministry has formed a committee composed of licensed water sports operators to fix the problems plaguing the industry.
In 2014, an American woman claimed she had developed post-traumatic stress disorder following an encounter near Paradise Island with Jet Ski operators who allegedly tried to sexually assault her. In December 2015, police arrested a Jet Ski operator in connection with an alleged sexual assault of a female visitor.
Comments
asiseeit 8 years, 10 months ago
Just another industry in the Bahamas that is mismanaged and overrun by thugs, nothing to see here folks, just Bahamians screwing themselves once again.
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 10 months ago
It is strange that ONLY the Cove has warned its guests. They need a massive sign on the beach.
John 8 years, 10 months ago
CHINA has advised some of its banks to stop trading US Dollars. China has suspended trading on its stock market several times last week as investors continue to panic and run for the hills In the main time there is hardly a single cargo ship in transit between Europe and North America. For the first time in history commerce has come to a standstill! Virtually. Gas prices in the US are expected to fall to below $1.00 for the first time in 15 years. THE great recession is looming and the US seems to be the major target to get hit. Is there any connection between this and the travel advisories issued for Americans travelling to the Bahamas.
banker 8 years, 10 months ago
Some of my financial models show a Dow Jones decline of 25% down to 12500 from its current 16500, coming in the 2017 time frame. But that is only in some fintech models. Most other models are optimistic for North America (essentially US, Canada & Mexico).
The recent job numbers in the US were pretty fantastic and new car sales in North America had a all-time record year.
The US GDP is expected to rise by a respectable 2.7%. Unemployment will fall to 4.6%. Single family homes will go up 16% in 2016. Core inflation will rise by 2.4% -- inflation of about 2% is considered healthy.
The hallmark of these times is unevenness. Just because some sectors are doing well, doesn't mean that everyone is doing well. The middle class is being squeezed. In this 4th Industrial Revolution, the knowledge workers command the high salaries, while almost every non-professional job will probably see a decline in wages and standard of living -- especially with inflation going from 0.7% to 2,4%
Interest rates will rise, and coupled with inflation, the Bahamian government debt will be more difficult to service because of it. It will bite more and more into general revenues, and the current level of deficits is unsustainable.
If NHI becomes a reality, it will probably be the straw that breaks the camels back in two ways. First of all, doctors and pharmacists will make less money, and there is the potential for a brain drain with doctors leaving. There are doctor shortages in select parts of North America (Canada for one). Secondly with the payroll tax or whatever means they come up to fund it, many mid to large businesses will either cut back or leave. I know of two or three major business owners who have been looking to relocate since 2010, and some of them have actively taken steps to figure out how to export dollars to Florida or the Caymans through various means.
While the US may enjoy better economic times, the same is not true for the Bahamas. With bellwether indicators up, many Americans will start taking vacations to more exotic places than the Bahamas. There will be a decline of stop-over visitors and probably cruise ship tourists. Unemployment will rise due to VAT effects showing up as well as more taxation for NHI. The government shows no sign of being able to control its deficit spending, and there is a very real threat of rating agency downgrade to junk status, making it totally impossible for the government to borrow money without high, high interest rates, if there are takers for its fiat bonds.
From an economics point of view, it really doesn't look good for the Bahamas, and no one in the government seems to give a damn.
John 8 years, 10 months ago
The contrast is that the US government applied a stimulus that allowed the economy to rebound and expand. This included tax breaks that allowed businesses to hire more people. The US also allowed consumers to benefit from lower gas and energy prices. The Bahamian government not only increased taxes but introduced new taxes. There was little or no gas or energy relief and the VAT along with the huge leakage on the economy from the we shops has stifled the economy. Consumer spending in the US down because consumer confidence is down, simply because consumers are wiser and don't want to get caught like they did in 2008. Americans are saving. Bahamians, could not cut back on spending because the increase in taxes and other costs of living increases is eating up all their disposable income. The high unemployment rate is also not helping because two or three people are living of one income and/or tax dollars. If there is another big slump in the economy many Bahamians and even the government will not be able to meet their financial obligations. The main reason being that the government did not allow the economy to benefit from the natural recovery mechanisms that the US did
John 8 years, 10 months ago
Many businesses are reporting that their sales for January 2016 are down by 7 - 40%. This is following a very lack luster Christmas sales.
TruePeople 8 years, 10 months ago
Thats one of the scary things about Bahamas, More expenses, less and less jobs. No wonder crime is high and youth don't mind killing or dying o_0
EnoughIsEnough 8 years, 10 months ago
so glad The Cove is doing this and hopefully all hotels will follow suit - put this industry out of business once and for all. they have done nothing to regulate themselves in all these years, in spite of the continuous complaints from residents and visitors, the increasing number of rapes, the number of deaths and accidents, and the countless near misses from reckless drivers (primarily the local operators) racing their jet skis 10 feet from shore. shut them down. no one comes here on holiday with the primary intention to ride them anyway.
John 8 years, 10 months ago
We all know these actions are racially motivated. They don't want young , black men to earn an honest living,so they force them to a life of crime. And what ever happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? The young m(black) man has not had his day in court yet. Just last week a young man in Chicago was released from jail after spending eight years for allegedly raping his neighbor. Then it's determined that it was all a dream. She (wet) dreamed she got rape and went to the police. Her neighbor went to jail for eight years.
Honestman 8 years, 10 months ago
"They don't want young , black men to earn an honest living" . Give me a break! It has been reported that there have been at least five such incidents in recent years. Atlantis are simply trying to protect their product. It is NOTHING to do with racism ALL to do with protecting their guests. If Hanna Martin and the FNM before her had been more pro-active in regulating the industry then we would not be in this position.
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 10 months ago
Hanna formed a committee...........
Wow.....
What a useless woman.....
Sign in to comment
OpenID