Amazing Change in Government

[SamFamAustin]

Realizing that the mega-investor thing wasn't working so well in the Bahamas, the Bahamian Parliament and Ministries decided to open up the small cottage market to locals, second homeowners, and renters with favorable subsides, tax reductions, and other pro-tourism and home investment functions. "We knew we went over the top with $300 cruising permits and those exorbitant landing fees and property and hotel taxes and need to reinvigorate our economy," one spokesman (who declined to be identified) said. "The big projects have been an utter failure, and will now concentrate on having small time investors get a tax-free shelter for the first million dollars spent in the Bahamas ... we simply need more tourists and that is a fact."

In a major turn-around, the Ministries seem to be focusing on sustainable, environmentally unintrusive development on smaller scales, especially in the Family and Out Islands, allowing local settlements to have a voice in their future while making positive gains, as well as preserving their roots history. "We must do this as a matter of self preservation" said one spokesman.

Reactions were wild and varied, as government plans were not yet set in stone, from "I'll believe it when I see it" to "about time, they're going to open up Cuba." It remains to be seen if a tax holiday for small investors can be balanced by the projected increase in tourism and its attendant economic stimulus. Amazingly, several Ministries started touting organic farming, alternative electric investments for clean power, and a fisheries hatchery so as to invigorate the dwindling stocks of crawfish, Queen conch, bonefish, and snapper. "We can go over the million dollar marker if such projects directly benefit our fellow Bahamians in terms of direct salary labor and indirect revenue streams."

The author stands in disbelief too, as the official news doesn't cover this, not in the media, Nassau newspapers, or the lowly Abaconian. :D

[boatbum]

We decided to retire early because we were afraid the area would be over run by development. Given the reception by some establishments over the last three years we are glad we made the call.
We don't need the Jersey Shore over here. As soon as the Bahamas turns into the Jersey Shore we stop coming. The sad part is quite a few places are going the route.

[H2Os]

Is this the future in Abaco? Hello Cuba here we come!

[Lancen]

It's really incredible that there is virtually no solar or wind generated electricity in the islands. Solar costs are steadily dropping; in the USA our electric rate is 8 cents/Kwh and it pencils here; Abaco is about 30 cents / Kwh and probably going up! Plus there is almost always at least a 10 kt wind. It's insane to rely totally on diesel generators.

[flyingdogs]

10K-15K for a wind generator that does aprox 500 kwh per month or it knocks $150 off your electric bill. My summertime usage is 1000-1500 kwh in conservative mode. Salt water exposure and 80 mph winter winds and ?? hurricane winds.....how long would one last....I would love to be off the grid but, investment, reliability, so many variables. Someone prove me wrong....Please!

[Two Turtles]

Huh:confused:

[SamFamAustin]

Ah yes, I was going to design a solar powered smoke house for smoking fish, perhaps with some mesquite and applewood, although I'd love to try Bahamian woods for smoking as long as it wasn't poisonwood. Never doubt those inscrutable engineers!

[oudi14]

Sam, you can use Buttonwood for smoking fish. As for solar/wind, it is so tempting, but just not feasible on a large scale, not yet. Plus, it would have to be a combination of the two, with possibly tidal power included. Abaco lies in the 'Horse Latitudes' belt, too far north for reliable trade winds; it is often calm, or almost so.

[island boy]

The wind is rather calm during the summer months and then of course the other issue concerning wind generation will be the noise. I know Sammie remembers well what happened to all those wind generators on Block Island.People could not deal with the noise.
Solar would be a good alternative as long as it was kept away from the immediate Atlantic side of the island.It would just become too much of a hassle to maintain the panels there.My wife will clean the salt off our windows in the morning and by noon they are covered again when it is windy from the East.I would imagine the efficiency of solar panels would drop dramatically as they become more opaque from salt.

[trubahamian]

Referring to the original post: We have heard this type of thing before from our Government.A good two years into this recession our Government finally admitted there was a problem so they started airfare discounts to Atlantis/Paradise Island etc. At the same time the Honourable Vanderpool Wallace announced that the Government would be dramitically reducing Bahamian taxes on international airline tickets.Soon after the Government offered foreign home owners a tax discount if they collected hotel taxes.

After all was said and done,only the airfare discounts to Atlantis/Paradise Island eva happened and I bet that was only because Sol Kerzner held their feet to the fire ova it!:mad:

[Lancen]

I see a lot of variation on solar costs; research needed.

[SamFamAustin]

Referring to the original post: We have heard this type of thing before from our Government. A good two years into this recession our Government finally admitted there was a problem so ...

The man catches my drift, which was a post written possibly "unda da influence" but sometimes I wonder if the Bahamian government would change its policies to be more pro-tourism of a sustainable sort. I wonder too about the direction of the US but this being an Abaco forum, and not supposed to be overtly political, so I wrote it as I did.

Let's examine the alternatives. The housing and construction business is way off, so there's little or no money in that aside from these mega-resorts (same here on the mainland). One has to wonder about these mega-resorts in this economy, as they all seem to be failing in one aspect or another. But there is a sustainable kind of tourism that is probably focused on us "Boomers" who want to travel to unique, relatively pristine, funky places that are a wee bit remote. The issue there is that the way the various taxes and fees and prices add up, the result was to price a lot of us out of the market, or to make trips less frequently.

Oh, we can live without the small airline problems, which I think we'll always have in one form or another, but there is no effort to make things more seamless or transparent. Remember that just ONE "busted trip" where people don't show up, can starve the economy of several thousand dollars. These are the good spenders, the Baby Boomers. Many don't like the cruise ships or high-rise hotels, but more of an authentic "experience" as opposed to yet another casino with a swimming pool.

Of course I am preaching to the choir, and my words would have no effect on the leaders in power. However, a nice fellow from the Hopetown Chamber of Commerce asked us nicely for some ideas, which we submitted. I'm just taking the high road from there.

And ... would neat stuff like windmills and solar and heat pumps that could cool your house cheap also be a good thing? I think so. The Boomer generation is pretty teckie and loves that stuff. 'Nuff said.

[PELLUCID]

Sammie een no Jonathan Swift, but he'll do. Next we get to hear the true history of the Yahoo, or Yahoe, depending on how the story is told.

And do remember, the difference between Lilliput and Blefuscu was over which end of the egg it was proper to crack, the large or the small. Which pretty much sums up the difference between PLP and FNM.

Don't strike me down for politics Dr. Ralph! Honest it is all in fun. Wikipedia says so:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullivers_travels

[Jacaranda]

Sammie been smoking trumpet flowers AGAIN............:confused:

[SamFamAustin]

May I add that the some of the local Bahamians are expert electricians and can wire a house for gensets and BEC and water pumps with a great deal of expertise - the average American would be absolutely clueless. A little solar panel power or a dink wind turbine, no problem for these fiends. In Mexico is seems like the daddies teach their boys to make trash fires, but in the Bahamas they teach how to become master electricians too. Not kidding, actually - one local helped rig my folk's house on Dickie's Cay by powering it from their Mainship trawler auxiliary engine during a particularly nasty hurricane.

As to Jacaranda, those trumpet flower blossoms weren't worth a hoot. Can buttonwood do anything for ya? :D

[Flatfish]

Sam,
Where was the original "quotes" taken from if they weren't in the newspapers or radio/tv? Or am I missing the point of your poking fun at the Bahamian government? :) Pardon my land lubber ignorance........

[Charlotte Couple]

Turn up your sarcasm detector

[Flatfish]

Ahhhhh, yes. Humour. I almost forgot....... LOL