The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A Long Island business owner, who has applied to stage a peaceful protest over the condition of the island’s economy, yesterday said conditions at the Deadman’s Cay airport are “holding the island back”.

Chuck Fox, owner of 4K’s Adventure Tours, said Long Island has been “on a slow decline” for the past 15 years and the airport is limiting the number of visitors that can access it.

Speaking to Tribune Business, Mr Fox said his taxi and tour business has been “drastically” impacted due to low visitor arrivals which the long-hoped for Deadman’s Cay airport redevelopment is intended to change by providing greater airlift access to Long Island.

“The airport itself is holding the island back big time. No matter what people think, tourism is the biggest industry in The Bahamas, and it drives the economy on the island,” said Mr Fox.

“If we had a proper airport, we would be able to get more flights coming in; direct flights from the US and elsewhere. It would be a huge boost for the island and improve the economy. That’s really holding the island back right now. And of course, me being in taxi and tours, it’s impacting me drastically right now.”

Mounting concerns over the economy pushed Mr Fox to request permission to hold a peaceful protest so residents and business owners could voice their frustrations. He said he drafted a letter and met with local police officers but has yet to receive approval.

“I was trying to organise a peaceful march so that Long Islanders could actually come out and voice their opinions and push for change. I drafted a letter to the chief superintendent here, and I had a meeting with them, and they told me that they sent it to Nassau,” said Mr Fox.

“Every time I e-mail or call them, they said that they are waiting to hear from Nassau and nothing ever came out of it. I was told that you have to get permission from the police to have a protest. So, we were trying to do it the right way.”

Mr Fox said although the economy of Long Island has been “on a slow decline” for the past 15 years, this year’s bookings are significantly lower when compared to 2024. He said his company has only secured three tours since November 2024, a sharp decline from the 20 tours booked during the same time period last year.

“I’ve been doing tours for about three years now, and it’s always been slow because the economy has been slowly dying on the island. But this year was the worst ever. We’ve seen about a third of the business we got last year, and it was slow last year,” said Mr Fox.

“Lately, if lucky, I get two taxi rides in one week. By this time last year, we had done about 20 some tours. I’ve booked three tours since November. So, this year has been horrible so far.” Mr Fox said business has also been slow for many other Long Islanders, leading many to close their enterprises and prompting some to leave the island entirely.

He explained that he returned to Long Island in 2020 and decided to become a tour guide so that he can share the island with visitors, but if the economy does not improve he will also be forced to relocate.

“There’s so much people who want to visit this island it’s unreal, and they can’t get here. Long Island is the most one of the most beautiful islands in this Bahamas, and we have so much to offer. I became a tour guide because I love my island, and I love to show people my island,” said Mr Fox

“It’s a sad situation here. Business is extremely slow, and the island has been basically flat lining. People are closing their businesses and, to be honest with you, if something doesn’t give I would have to, actually, sadly, have to move off the island again.”

Mr Fox pointed out that New Providence and neighbouring islands, such as Exuma, have a “booming” tourism industry due in part to accessibility, but Long Island is “getting scraps” because of the protracted repairs to the airport.

“I was in Nassau yesterday. I went downtown, and I know the majority were probably cruise ship passengers, but I could hardly walk downtown because it was so many tourists. They are always talking about these record numbers and Long Island, we are getting the scraps on the side of the table. That’s what we get, and we deserve more. Exuma is right there and they’ve been booming for years and years and years now,” said Mr Fox.

“We really, as an island in The Bahamas, we get treated like dogs, and they are just slowly killing us. It’s like they have a choke hold on us, and they won’t let us go. And no matter what government comes in, it looks like the same thing.”

At the Long Island Business Outlook conference last year, deputy prime minister, Chester Cooper, said he “fully expects to cut the ribbon” for the opening of Long Island’s new international airport before the Davis administration’s term in office ends in 2026.

Acknowledging that such projects can take up to two years to complete, he added that the Government will seek to speed the project up by adopting what he described as the already-successful airport design for Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Island and implementing it for Long Island.

He said Long Island was “a priority” in this initiative alongside Grand Bahama, completion of Exuma International Airport, North Eleuthera, Black Point in Exuma and Cat Island. “You can be assured we will be working relentlessly to ensure the gateway to your island gets underway in the shortest possible timeframe,” Mr Cooper added.

“I’m confident these intentions are admirably ambitious, and signal a new era for Long Island reflecting our commitment to progress, sustainable development and enhancing the island’s charm.”

Long Island has long demanded an upgraded airport, fit to receive international commercial flights, and associated infrastructure for years amid a widely-held belief that tourism and wider commerce were slowly being strangled by a lack of aviation access.