The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS and ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporters

A Cabinet minister yesterday asserted "recklessness" on Bahamian waters will no longer be tolerated as he pledged that the Government is moving to tighten maritime safety laws with new speed restrictions, tougher penalties and stronger enforcement powers.

Leon Lundy, minister of transport, in contributing to the 2026-2027 Budget debate in the House of Assembly outlined a package of maritime safety measures that will affect private boats, commercial recreational watercraft and motorboats operating throughout The Bahamas.

The proposals come one day after the US Embassy in Nassau issued a security alert warning American citizens about the ongoing dangers associated with jet ski rentals in The Bahamas, citing a history of serious injuries, sexual assaults and inadequate industry enforcement.

While Mr Lundy did not specifically reference the US embassy advisory, he said the Government's legislative agenda is designed to improve safety and accountability across the country's waterways.

"The recklessness that has too long been tolerated on our waters will now meet the firm hand of the law," he told Parliament.

Among the proposed changes is a maximum speed limit of five miles per hour within Nassau Harbour under the Boat Registration (Amendment) Bill 2026. The legislation would also require operators to maintain safe speeds throughout port areas, and imposes significant penalties for violations.

Mr Lundy said similar provisions will be applied through amendments to the Commercial Recreational Watercraft Act and the Water Skiing and Motorboat Control Act, creating what he described as a co-ordinated approach to harbour safety.

"The Commercial Recreational Watercraft (Amendment) Bill 2026 mirrors these provisions for commercial recreational craft," he said. Mr Lundy also announced tougher measures targeting abandoned vessels, which he described as hazards to navigation and the marine environment.

Under the proposed framework, owners who leave vessels abandoned for extended periods could face fines of up to $100,000, while serious violations under the Water Skiing and Motorboat Control Act could attract penalties including imprisonment.

Mr Lundy said abandoned vessels obstruct channels, create environmental risks and impose unnecessary costs on taxpayers when removal becomes necessary.

He said the reforms form part of a broader modernisation of the country's maritime regulatory framework and are intended to improve safety in one of the country's busiest marine corridors. "Nassau Harbour is a working harbour. It is a place of commerce and connectivity," Mr Lundy said.

Mr Lundy has already met with Herschel Walker, US ambassador to The Bahamas, to discuss safety concerns relating to jet ski operators and water sports in general. In a statement issued after the meeting, the Ministry of Transport said visitor safety “is not negotiable” and pledged a “full and immediate response” to concerns raised by Mr Walker earlier this week.

“Deaths that could have been prevented should never have occurred,” the ministry said. “Sexual harassment and assault by any operator is criminal conduct. Unsafe watercraft, unlicensed operators and disregard for weather and marine conditions put lives at risk.” 

The Ministry of Transport said discussions focused on immediate measures to improve visitor safety, as well as structural reforms, including stronger information-sharing on incidents and quarterly meetings with private sector stakeholders and members of the resident consular corps.

It added that an inter-agency enforcement taskforce, established in April 2025 and led by port director, Berne Wright, has already been working to strengthen safety and conduct standards across the industry.

According to the ministry, the task force met again on Tuesday with representatives from the Port Department, Royal Bahamas Police Force, Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Beaches and Parks to examine international best practices in water sports safety and operator training.

Among the measures already being implemented are stricter licensing requirements, mandatory identification badges for operators, random compliance inspections and the deployment of beach marshals at heavily trafficked tourist beaches. The Government also said it is advancing plans to introduce body cameras and GPS tracking for operators as additional accountability measures.

Officials warned that any operator found to be unlicensed, uninsured, using unsafe equipment, ignoring marine or weather conditions, or engaging in harassment or assault will have their licence revoked and face prosecution.

While welcoming the Government’s engagement with the US, Astra Charlton, director of business development at My Own Water Sports, argued that industry operators must be included in shaping the reforms.

“We acknowledge the dialogue held today between the minister of transport and the US Ambassador to The Bahamas,” Ms Charlton said. “We hope that the discussions were productive and that they represent a genuine step toward meaningful action for the benefit of the industry, our visitors, and The Bahamas as a whole.”

However, she said operators have repeatedly sought a seat at the table. “For some time, we have advocated to be included in the room when these discussions take place,” Ms Charlton said. “We are not observers to this issue; we are the operators and business owners representing our employees and their families, all of whom are most directly impacted by the decisions being made.”

Ms Charlton said any regulatory overhaul must be practical, enforceable and developed with the participation of those working in the industry every day.

“What is needed now is a practical working plan that is viable, enforceable, accepted by stakeholders, and capable of taking immediate effect once the meeting ends,” she said. “The industry cannot afford prolonged bureaucracy while our businesses, reputations and livelihoods remain at risk.”

Her comments highlight the risks facing the sector after Mr Walker’s circulating video warning Americans about renting jet skis and swimming in areas where watercraft are operating. The warning came after several incidents involving tourists, raising concerns about visitor safety in one of The Bahamas’ signature tourism experiences.

Ms Charlton cautioned that, despite yesterday’s meeting, the industry’s economic challenges remain.

“The reality is that the warning remains in effect,” she said. “The video remains publicly available. A meeting held today, while welcomed, does not automatically reverse the damage already done or the potential impact many operators may face during what should be the most lucrative months of the season.”

Ms Charlton added that legitimate operators stand ready to work alongside government to restore confidence in the industry.

“We remain willing and prepared to sit collectively with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the necessary work is done and that any agreed action is carried from the boardroom to the beach without delay,” she said.

The Ministry of Transport similarly stressed that the overwhelming majority of Bahamian water sports operators comply with the law and maintain high professional standards, arguing that stronger enforcement is intended both to protect visitors and to safeguard the reputation and livelihoods of legitimate businesses.

“The Bahamas and the United States share a deep commitment to visitor safety,” the ministry said, adding that both governments have committed to co-ordinated action and will provide further public updates as reforms progress.