The Tribune

• Tour and excursion operators still paying higher fees

• Registration halt causes insurance, licensing woes

• Cry for old rates as Bahamians 'still caught in mess'

By NEIL HARTNELL

and YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporters

Bahamian maritime operators yesterday warned the Government "urgently needs to resolve" the fall-out from the "very confusing" suspension of 1,000 percent and greater hikes in boat registration fees.

Paul Maillis, the National Fisheries Association's (NFA) secretary, told Tribune Business he was yesterday informed by the Port Department that the fee "suspension" unveiled by Chester Cooper last Wednesday, in his capacity as acting prime minister, does not apply to all types of boats and vessels.

While the fees have indeed been suspended for privately-owned vessels, including fishing boats, he revealed that the Government agency told him that the hiked fees still apply to commercial craft such as charter boats and passenger-carrying vessels.

This means that tour and excursion operators still face up to four-digit percentage increases in their first-time and annual registration fees. This was confirmed by Adoni Lisgaris, the Bahamas Excursion Operators Association (BEOA) president, who yesterday said the Port Department told him the fees have not been lowered for charter and commercial vessels and he thus must still pay the higher rates.

“I went to meet the Port Controller last week," Mr Lisgaris said. "He was tied up and I ended up speaking with the assistant controller, and he told me that basically what the deputy prime minister (Mr Cooper) said is not what they understand it to be.” He is now seeking definitive clarification from the Government on the status of the boat registration fees for all vessels.

Besides the uncertainty over whether the boat registration fee suspension applies to all, Mr Maillis explained that the actions unveiled by Mr Cooper also seemingly mean that no boat owner can licence their vessel until the new fee schedule is published.

He added that this creates additional problems that appear not to have been thought through because, unless the vessel is properly registered and paid up-to-date, commercial fishermen and all boat owners will be unable to secure the necessary insurance for their vessels.

And current boat registrations are also required for fishermen to renew their Business Licences and commercial fishing licences, Mr Maillis said, meaning the suspension has also created uncertainty in these areas.

Voicing concern that fishermen who run charters and excursions will still face the higher fees, he argued a better solution would be for the Government to revert to the former rates until the current ones are adjusted, approved and placed into law and regulation.

Senior commander Berne Wright, the Port Department's acting controller, declined to comment on or clarify the purported boating fee adjustments when contacted by this newspaper. He instead referred Tribune Business to the Ministry of Transport and Energy, adding: "I really cannot comment after the deputy prime minister." Jobeth Coleby-Davis, minister of transport and energy, did not reply to a message seeking comment.

However, Mr Maillis, echoing what Mr Lisgaris was told, informed Tribune Business: "I just spoke to the Port Department in Nassau directly an hour ago. They said the private motor vessel and water skiing regulations have been suspended for private vessels, but not commercial vessels such as charter vessels and passenger-carrying vessels and so on.

"Fishing boats are private motor vessels, but here's the catch. People cannot register right now. There's a suspension of registration. Until the new fees are announced, nobody is allowed to register. Until the new fees are given to the Port Department they are unable to register anybody, but the flip side of that is there will be no prosecutions based on non-registration.

"I was also informed that persons desirous of getting a commercial fishing licence, but who don't have their vessels registered, they can apply to the Port to proceed with the application notwithstanding the suspension," Mr Maillis added.

"The Port Department recently reached out to our president [Keith Carroll] and said to inform our members not to come into the office to pay for their vessel registrations at the moment until the matter is resolved. It's very confusing, and I wish there had been an outright suspension of all the fees but at the moment it appears only the private vessels are suspended."

Mr Maillis said he and other fishermen felt for Bahamian excursion and tour operators who, at present, seem to be stuck with paying the higher fees. "We are about ensuring Bahamians weren't disadvantaged by the new regulations," he told this newspaper. "It appears Bahamians are still being caught up in the mess the regulations have caused.

"It's our belief that these fees need to be amended for all Bahamian businesses, not just private vessels. It's also inconvenient that, at the same time, the registration is suspended outright instead of remaining with the old fees because then people could easily register their vessels rather than having the regulations suspended."

Mr Cooper, in announcing the "suspension", said the fees would be reviewed and go through a period of consultation. Given the uncertainty over how long this process will last, and the timing of any new fees schedule's introduction, Mr Maillis said "there needs to be accommodation for vessels to be registered" given the unintended consequences for the maritime industries and associated economic activity.

"This is a matter that urgently needs to be resolved," he explained. "You cannot get insurance for your vessel without registration being up-to-date. While it's wonderful that the fees have been suspended, there needs to be sufficient action on the alternative or a temporary revision to the old fees.

"There was certainly uncertainty when the deputy prime minister announced the suspension. It was uncertain what was meant by suspension. That needs to be clarified." Voicing sympathy with the plight of tour operators, Mr Maillis added: "We really feel sorry for the charter boats who are the backbone of the tourism industry when it comes to maritime tourism and excursion tourism.

"It pains us to know they are hurting was well. A lot of fishermen do charter fishing and fishing excursions in the off-season to earn side income to support their commercial fishing" and they are at risk of being caught by the higher fees as well.

The Port Department, though, seems to be on the same page in Nassau and the Out Islands with respect to boat registration fees. One source, who visited one of its Family Island locations yesterday, said: "They informed me nothing has changed. The high fees are still posted. They still apply.

"The woman there told me the deputy prime minister misspoke. He was acting prime minister at the time; top of the heap. The Out Island Port Departments have not received any notification of any changes. It's thrown total uncertainty in the air.

"Now there's hope they will be reduced, no one is paying anything now. Why give the Government $1,600 that you will never get back from them? While the deputy prime minister stood up and spoke, it has not yet filtered through yet. The bureaucracy has taken over."

Family Island fishing and bonefishing lodge owners yesterday confirmed they will wait to register their vessels in the hope that fees will be much less.

Timothy Smith, owner/operator of Pleasant Bay Bonefishing Lodge in South Andros, told Tribune Business that while he heard the fees are supposed to revert to the original structure he will allow more time for the Port Department to implement the changes before he registers his vessels.

Mr Smith has five boats for taking guests out for bonefishing excursions as well as other forms of fishing, and he said: “I think that with everything else going up the Government should go up too, but not a raise that’s a leap.”

Boat registration fees for some vessels jumped by over 1000 percent, with some boaters who used to pay just $20 for registration now paying over $700 for the same 20-foot vessel. “I don’t think they should have sprung this on the Bahamian people like that. So I’m not for this,” Mr Smith added.

Coming out of the COVID pandemic, some small Family Island fishing lodges have not “caught themselves” yet and are urging the Government to “take this into consideration” when it comes to the boat registration fees.

Nathaniel Adams, owner/operator of Deep Creek Lodge in South Andros, said the Government is “trying to put small fishermen out of business”. He added: “I’ve been in this for the past 43 years and this is the worst I have ever seen it.”

Mr Adams has six vessels he uses for bonefishing excursions and personal fishing and he, too, is allowing more time before he decides to register his vessels. “I’m going to do all of my boats on Wednesday. This was a very bad decision the Government made," he added.

"I was in Belize on a fishing seminar and their government is encouraging fishermen, and who doesn’t have boats, they will provide them with boats and engines. And when there is bad weather the government will give them a salary."