The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Abaco’s economy has taken a hit from ongoing boat thefts, its Chamber of Commerce president yesterday saying the private sector was working ‘feverishly’ with law enforcement to combat the problem.

Speaking with Tribune Business at the 13th annual Abaco Business Outlook conference, Vado Bootle Sr said: “We have a new slate of officers in Abaco with the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

“We’ve moved throughout the island introducing them, and the Chamber with them is working on a road-map to take away the access that one would have to boats, as well as intercept the boats if and when stolen.”

He added: “We are putting a team together to determine how people respond when things happen. For instance, if a boat is stolen in Hope Town and there is a tracker on it, and they are heading north, we will have teams in Man O’ War with boats and police on board, teams out of Marsh Harbour, Guana Cay and Treasure Cay, depending on where the boat is headed.

“It would increase the chances of these persons getting their property back fully intact,and we are working with the police in that regard. It’s a very new initiative but we are working feverishly.”

Mr Bootle said that while boat thefts were a “great concern” for the Abaco community, the problem was not unique to those islands.

“While the problem is a great concern to us, it is not unique to Abaco or the Bahamas; the Florida Cays has the same issue,” he added.

“We are working feverishly to alleviate all aspects of crime. We don’t want anything left undone. We are going to be working with the Ministry of Tourism very soon to bolster our arrivals via vessels. We have taken some minor and, in some cases, significant losses in that regard as a result of boat theft.”