National Security Minister Wayne Munroe. Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
IN the wake of two reported rapes involving jet ski operators and a heightened warning from the US Embassy, police have proposed outfitting tourists with body-worn cameras as a safety measure — an idea some licensed operators support, though they say the real problem is a lack of enforcement against unlicensed vendors.
The US Embassy’s advisory warned travellers of sexual assault risks tied to jet ski rentals in The Bahamas, noting that both victims were picked up from beaches on Nassau and Paradise Island and then taken to remote islands near New Providence, where the assaults occurred.
National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said that a police-led task force examining the jet ski industry has proposed attaching body-worn cameras to life vests rented with jet skis. He supports the idea and said it could improve safety while removing secrecy around incidents that typically occur away from public view.
“If you have live camera on it, then you’re never alone,” Mr Munroe said.
“The body-worn cameras permit you to communicate to a base, so if you get injured, you can call for help.”
He said authorities are also exploring centralising jet ski rentals in designated areas, citing a suggestion from the US Chargé d’Affaires about using beach stalls similar to those used by coconut vendors.
“Being a tourist destination that we are,” he said, “we have to make a step in safeguarding not only the industry but, more importantly, citizens from The Bahamas and other countries who come in.”
Licensed jet ski operators told The Tribune they do not object to the proposed camera policy but believe its effectiveness would be limited unless the government cracks down on rogue operators who target tourists without oversight.
Dennis Johnson, owner of Dennis Watersports, said unlicensed vendors are the real issue and should be removed from the beaches.
“Those who are not licensed, they need to tell them, look here, leave the area,” he said.
Pedro Bannister, CEO of Pedro’s Watersports, said licensed operators “wouldn’t have a problem” with body-worn cameras but questioned how the policy would apply to unregulated vendors operating outside authorised areas.
He said people working legitimately “ain’t gone never see nothing,” while the illegal operators will remain unchecked.
Mr Bannister, who has operated his business for over 30 years, said he already imposes strict rules on his six employees, including warnings not to ride with intoxicated female tourists or leave his line of sight.
“You can’t go no funny place with my tourist,” he said, adding that Defence Force officers on jet skis could help patrol popular areas.
Mr Johnson also called for more robust police presence at beaches to deter bad actors in the industry.
Another veteran operator, speaking publicly, but asking not to be named in this article, criticised government’s approach to regulation, saying unlicensed vendors are frequently allowed to roam beaches on weekends without police interference. He claimed some of them lure female tourists with free rides and then take them to offshore cays with predatory intentions.
Comments
Dawes 5 days, 21 hours ago
Why not just give them a whistle?
temptedbythefruitofanother 5 days, 21 hours ago
This is the funniest thing I have read in a long time! Government refuses to rein in the out of control JetSki thug gangs, beating raping and torturing tourists for DECADES, so they want to have everyone wear cameras HAHAHAHAHHAA
What else will the "police-led task force examining the jet ski industry" come up with? having drones fly up and down all the bahamian beaches videoing the abuse of tourists by these out of control gangs? How about asking the jetski thug gangs nicely to please stop kidnapping, raping and beating tourists because it's not that nice? There's an idea
AHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH
ExposedU2C 5 days, 13 hours ago
Guess which of one of our cabinet ministers is in the business of selling body cameras?
Empiricist 5 days, 21 hours ago
Why not diversify the job duties of the police to include a unit dedicated to jet ski area patrolling and require jet ski operators to wear cameras as part of the licensing process.
screwedbahamian 5 days, 21 hours ago
The object is to stop the crimes period and not view it on camera. How degrading for female tourist visitors who want to have an affordable watersport experience in the beautiful Bahamian sea waters and honest tourist industry entrepreneurs. If an irresponsible licensed jet ski owner or an employee of an irresponsible jet ski owner has ever received a complaint or crime committed against a tourist visitor, they should be barred for life from ever receiving a business license or employed in a tourist industry related job in the Bahamas. Come on man, at this time, tourist is the life blood for Bahamians and need to be treated as such. There should be two Jet Ski locations, one in Nassau and one on Paradise Island. At the expense of the Jet Ski operators or Jet Ski Owners/Operators' association two police officers, one Female and one male should be stationed at each location to monitor the operations and receive complaints from any Jet Ski customer and investigate it on the spot with a monthly complaint report made and published to the public.
CaptainCoon 5 days, 20 hours ago
Look! The Savage Rape Apes and other primates are assaulting and raping again! We are seeing these baboons and monkeys raping like we've never seen them rape before. This is what DEI negro leadership of this country leads to. More savagery and baboonery!
We need to end this woke nonsense in this country and come down hard on the operators!
SAD!
ExposedU2C 3 days, 16 hours ago
The racist tone to your comments besmirches only you. The world is not without plenty of caucasian (white) men who fit the bill of violent rapists.
rosiepi 5 days, 19 hours ago
This so called Minister of Justice is telling women in The Bahamas he is no such thing. He’s saying our judiciary and it’s police force are so corrupt that to expect them to do their job ie.to enforce the law, to protect and serve is such an oxymoron that this government should outfit the hundreds of thousands of women who live (I hope he wasn’t excluding our residents) and visit here with body cams to ‘catch’ their rapists!
Now the next conundrums…what good does this “evidence” do for women? Report it to the RBPF and judiciary who have refused to enforce the law? Or take it to the newspapers and/or perhaps the US Embassy in a hapless attempt to shame them into action?
And 2) where is the money to fund such an outrageous suggestion? Let’s get real here, this gov’t hasn’t even the money to contribute it’s share of the RBPF’s medical insurance!
bogart 5 days, 19 hours ago
In many instances of criminal action and presence of cameras or any other likelihood to document/expose the crime, taken in the unagreed act of rape, would likely escalate to serious act of murder by criminal mind to dispose of evidence to incriminate the criminal.
Many rapes that occur also ends in death of the victim with the criminal trying to evade the crime.
Criminals are not entirely stupid.
Baha10 5 days, 12 hours ago
👍
hj 5 days, 19 hours ago
When the tourists will ask why do I have to put on a camera the answer will probably be,just in case you are molested. I am sure after this explanation tourists will have no problem going into jet skis. What will be the next suggestion, provide tourists with guns? The stupidity in this country is beyond belief
Baha10 5 days, 12 hours ago
👍👍
ExposedU2C 3 days, 16 hours ago
An even better answer would be that our stupidly perverse National Security Minister likes to view instances of sexual violence.
zemilou 5 days, 19 hours ago
Sounds like the kind of response one would hear from the current US president, not a QC and member of the Inner Temple -- especially in a country so dependent on foreign visitors.
ExposedU2C 3 days, 16 hours ago
Take your TDS pill and chill.
Seaman 5 days, 18 hours ago
Stupid is what stupid says. 🤣 Only in the Bahamas can this s#!+ be real.
joeblow 5 days, 18 hours ago
... a camera because you can't stop someone from overpowering you to sexually assault or rape you, but a camera will keep you safe??? Yeah, that sounds like a very Bahamian solution to the problem!
bogart 5 days, 17 hours ago
Where can I get one of these camera jackets?
Sounds good for me to wear to the food store to help me in the pushing about with people fighting over the available. eggs.
Porcupine 5 days, 17 hours ago
The ultimate level of reasoning in a country that cannot provide the parenting, the education, the nutrition, the political and spiritual guidance necessary to raise a generation of people who have decency and respect for others. The future is staring us in the face.
Baha10 5 days, 12 hours ago
👍👍👍
TalRussell 5 days, 16 hours ago
Had Called-in the armed Policemans'. -- Despite the ever presence of overhead cameras capturing on films the every actions and sounds of govt and King's loyal opposition -- for whatever the reasons -- - has it reigned-in the behaviors of MPs' nor has the House of Assembly (HOA) Speaker; gone uninvolved. -- Sometimes recorded such physical encounters -- sufficiently have required some 20 armed policemans' to enter to arrest and remove the unruly from the HOA floor. --- Yes?
JokeyJack 2 days, 21 hours ago
Correct. And the March deadline has long passed for MPs to file their net worth etc report, but no consequences of course. Yet, we expect consequences for unregistered gang members?
Empiricist 5 days, 14 hours ago
Then how about redesigning the jet ski to where the equivalent of double passengers model is introduced and the current “single seater” is banned. And, most importantly, only when two passengers are on board can the jet ski take off and function properly. That way the rapist would be disinclined to rape or molest two individuals at the same time on the same trip.
One 5 days, 13 hours ago
Might as well give every tourist a mandatory gun to carry for the duration of their visit. If we're going to put it on tourists to carry a camera give them something to defend against an attack.
It's the government's responsibility to create a safe society. But by these statements, it's every man for themselves. Until it starts hurting our leader's pockets.
Baha10 5 days, 12 hours ago
👍👍👍👍
BONEFISH 5 days, 12 hours ago
The stupidity that comes out of the mouths of the leaders in this country. Can they not do their jobs, enforce laws and provide a safe environment for Bahamians, residents and visitors alike
Baha10 5 days, 11 hours ago
👍👍👍👍👍
JohnQ 5 days, 10 hours ago
This suggestion confirms the measure of absolute ignorance that is rampant in the leadership of our country.
Bonefishpete 5 days, 9 hours ago
Maybe Bear Spray be more appropriate.
TalRussell 5 days, 8 hours ago
I will talk more later but Dr. Duane knows me knows, plenty. -- Minnis, ain't goin' away and Pintard's seat has now come into play. -- And, ask Dr. Duane, why does he not have a confirmed Nassau House-seat to run in? -- The RedParty 'is about to undergo a major remake. -- Pintard vs a former CoP. -- Yes?
trueBahamian 5 days, 6 hours ago
This is backwards. Properly regulate the industry. Put safety measures in place. What's smarter would be to put tracking devices on the registered jetskis to ensure they haven't ventured outside designated areas. Make it clear to tourists that they should only rent jetskis from designated areas where the registered operators are. Anyone found on breach automatically gets their license suspended. Give hefty fines to unlicensed operators when caught along with a warning. If found again operating illegally give a higher fine and arrest them. If you add some jail time here as well, you can solve the problem.
xtreme2x 5 days, 3 hours ago
That's the best the government/ police can do,
bogart 4 days, 10 hours ago
The situation goes back before 2018 where the US President advised the Bahamas Prime Minister of these jet skis situation and other situations to the tourists.
These average jet skis with 40 mph to 50 mph or more are obviously dangerous to handle by errant operators. Never even seen a Police Officer on a Police Jet monitoring these errant operators. Also never seen any police on a motorbike ever chase lawless motorcyclists creating dander to motorists.
These situations just seem all in the favor of the criminals, and so if the rapist commits murder, goes on bail, unlikely to face the death Penalty and likely better off in jail conditions when one see the extremely poverty depressed situation where people on the streets begging for food and sleeping in areas on the street corners and find some area to poop.
Just seems to pay off and ban the jet ski business around tourist areas and send the bill to former Dr. Minnis who seems not to have clamded down on uncontrollable business and the business allowed to grow. Bad behaviours only cause the Level warnings increase and jeapordise our Golden Egg Tourism which sustains our entire country and puts food in the mouts of school children.
Flyingfish 4 days, 14 hours ago
This is the most stupidest thing I've ever heard. Like I just taken aback. Instead of they crack down and regulate/license the industry properly, they want to film P0rn.
Put heavy regulations on the operators who refuse to acquire licenses and create a clear designated area for jetski operators to be rented from.
SP 4 days, 10 hours ago
What an absolutely irresponsible response. Why not simply just do the obvious and don't allow unsocialized animals, F graduate morons anywhere near front line tourism!
Why is it common since is so darn scarce here ?
TalRussell 4 days, 9 hours ago
To insert your return at the premiership campaign in the wake of two in the news reported rapes and a 2018 Trump visit; -- doesn't exactly speak well as to the 2025/2026 team's strategy. -- Yes?
ExposedU2C 3 days, 16 hours ago
Yup, let's just start telling all female tourists that they must to wear a camera during their stay in our nation because our stupid, incompetent and perverse National Security Minister likes to view raw evidence of instances of sexual violence.
Got to hand it to Stumpy Davis.....he sure knows how to pick mentally unstable cabinet ministers with no moral values.
But then again, Stumpy Davis, like Vomit Christie, was for many years a very close and dear friend of that other sexual deviant Nygard whom they say had a great love for both porn and orgies during the wild parties at his Lyford Cay Jungle House. And you know what they say, birds of a feather tend to flock together. My oh my!
bogart 3 days, 10 hours ago
On the collection of data from these cameras, is the worry of who gets to keeep the data when the camera is activated and --- captures those as the wearer moves about and captures those in string thongs leaving little exposed as the foreign cultures tend to show a bit more than what Bahamian women tend to expose.
What will the authorities face when these thongs, exposed bungies etcetc or almost nonexistant clothing is documented under the authority of the Bahanas govt. and is documented, to be aware by those representing the Bahamian constituents/people/churches with very strong views which they may consider un-christian behaviour.
Would others on the crowds on the beach want to have their images captured when the wearer turns in their direction and catches those who are probably cheating, or LGBTQ holding hands, kissing in beach or water.
How long is the data kept and when is it destroyed. Are we going into other areas AI images profiling Bahamian crowds data capturing.
How well is the film data secured from hackers, theft or assessed by others.
Number of queries arise when data is captured authorized by the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
ExposedU2C 2 days, 21 hours ago
Electronic data collected from anyone today is kept forever......i.e., virtually indestructible no matter who may say otherwise.
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