EXUMA and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper.
Govt yet to consider cruise port proposal for $35m project
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
ACTING Prime Minister Chester Cooper said discussions about a $35m water park at the Nassau Cruise Port are premature because the government has yet to consider the proposal.
“In fact,” he told reporters yesterday, “there’s been no application at this point before the NEC, and therefore all conversations as it’s related thereto is rather premature at this stage.”
Mr Cooper’s comments came after Mike Maura, the port’s CEO, told Tribune Business earlier this month that the $35m water park project would create 350 full-time jobs and should be completed within the next 18 months. He said the pool-based water park would be constructed behind the amphitheatre towards the western side of the existing property.
The announcement sparked debate and drew ire from some.
Education Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin said she opposes the plan in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, urging the port “to give it a rest.”
She highlighted straw vendors, taxi drivers, and entrepreneurs that helped form the Bahamian experience, suggesting a water park could prevent tourists from experiencing them.
Office of the Prime Minister acting press secretary Keishla Adderley could not say Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ view on the water park.
“The prime minister has not spoken on that publicly or openly, so I’m unable to say what his position is,” she said during a briefing on Friday.
Some downtown vendors have said they are not benefiting from the cruise port because many guests do not venture outside of it.
Mr Cooper, the minister of tourism, said the Tourism Development Corporation works with vendors to ensure they offer services and products that appeal to guests. He said he is confident officials will continue funding them to modernise their payment options. He believes over time there will be fewer complaints about vendors not feeling the effect of cruise passengers.
“Anyone who is not feeling the buzz in their cash register, I’ll be happy to have a conversation with them,” he said. “I’ll be happy to have the Tourism Development Corporation sit with them to help to determine what might be going wrong.”
Comments
truetruebahamian 5 months ago
A water park at the port is a terrible idea. It isolates the town of Nassau and ship tourists will be tempted to not leave the confines of the port. They spend little enough as it is. The ships do not stay long enough in Nassau to give any tangible benefit to the businesses in town and the water park idea is a product of greed and expected governmental protectionism for the port only. It cannot be even marginally considered to be of any benefit whatsoever..
TalRussell 5 months ago
Halt the slow creep of tourism by returning Arawak Cay to its assigned port area -- Solely for the portin' of ships' by repurposing all structures and areas back to portin' and its original name of Kelly Island. -- Yes?
ThisIsOurs 5 months ago
I remember when the port announced that they were opening a junkanoo museum, the show host said something like this is wonderful!, even brought in a j UK nkanoo expert to speak about how wonderful it was.
All I could think was, who okayed this? Why would you place this thing that is uniquely Bahamian, something you could point to the tourists and say this is ours, right at the cruise ship steps??? Put that someplace out South Beach and force an exciting tour through the streets culminating in the ultimate Bahamian experience.
But no.
All we like is ribbon cuttings and ceremony, when we realize all the goods gone is too late. Beaches in tourist spots in Italy I believe are now denying tourists the ability to reserve beach spots using placement of beach chairs. Sounds familiar? Everybody but us understand the value
They will keep biting away and biting away until they have an all inclusive stopping point on the dock.
Meanwhile we doing our own damage bulldozing the hills on Athol island that protect NP from storm surges. If Bay St, the cruise port and north eastern NP gets washed away, how many years do we think it will be before the next cruise ship docks? And what becomes of this tourist facility you created to attract cruise tourists?
jamesg30 5 months ago
I am so relieved it is still open for consideration! We really need a giant plastic mega structure on our Harbour. It would be beautiful, and will help to our keep Nassau as the TOP destination in the Caribbean! For low margin/spending volumes of visitors!!! I am kidding. The whole thing sounds horrible.
TalRussell 5 months ago
This man-made cay is the colony's only land -- Without Zoning Codes. -- Even Shantytowns' are made to conform to development and building codes and licensings'. -- Left unchecked, the port’s CEO Comrade MM -- Goin' adds a Ferris Wheel later on. -- Just can't make this up. -- Yes?
bahamianson 5 months ago
The water park is a great idea. Now bahamians can have another avenue to enjoy thems3lves. What is there yo do in the boring country? Movies and dinner are the only two avenu3s for entertainment. The youth will have a place to keep them busy all day, like WetNWild bahamian style. Great idea. Now, we need a permanent carnival with lots of rides. This place is boring. There is nothing for the youth to do.
truetruebahamian 5 months ago
Haha!
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