Are The Islands of The Bahamas – a former British colony and now a member of the Commonwealth – not exactly shining examples of civilisation, are they? Indeed, apart from offering a expensive tourist product what do the Bahamas contribute? 60 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (CDP) – which is about $3 billion (drug trafficking not included) – comes from tourism related activities.

The Bahamas profits from its location specially – starting 50 miles off the coast of South Florida and stretching as far south as Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. What about bad attitudes, low level of service and wide spread crime, corruption, injustice as well as money laundering? And how should we value the wide spread drug trafficking?

Bahamians put under the rug that the they loathe Americans and other nationallities. What for? We have to consider that many citizens live due to the Bahamian fiscal policy (no income taxes but high duties) on the expenses of other countries. The Bahamas enjoys a per capita income that is among the world's top 30, but there are imbalances in the distribution of wealth. Some Bahamians wonder that according to the World Bank (2001) there is an average annual income of almost 15,000 $

We have to bring incompetence and corruption in the Bahamas legal profession to the worldwide attention till lawyers, the Bahamas Bar and members of the government clean up their filthy industry. Perry Christie, a lawyer, is the country's third prime minister since independence from Britain in 1973.

Disgrantled foreigners are calling for tourists and investors to boycott the Bahamas by air and by sea. Bahamians should start a debate about what is really loathsome. The Bahamas regime has not exactly earned respect of the democratic and civilised world, has it? The PLP has been the dominant party in Bahamian politics since independence, winning every election from 1973 through to the 1992 poll when voters rejected the late Sir Lynden Pindling and a government accused of corruption and drug trafficking.

Indeed, the Bahamas has about 4 million visitors every year but the yearly increase is much lower comparing to other caribbean tourist destinations. The Bahamas is ranking very low in tourist satisfaction. Most of the tourist are cruise ship passengers and many of them stay for a few hours only in Nassau and Freeport. The cost of living – due to high duties – is extremly high. Additionally there are many Bahamians living happily abroad on social security. This shows also what own people think of the Bahamas governmental system, doesn't it?

In case you are not able to visit the Bahamas at the 19th we could arrange an additional press meeting in Miami at the 21st of April. Let us know your idea please. And send your email to bahamasconsult@hotmail.com. Or give us a call after Eastern at ++1-242-393 5976 or ++1-242-364 1744 while we are in Nassau.

As usual every country express great optimism for the year ahead. But addressing government and key industry partners at the first annual National Tourism Conference, being held this week at the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino, Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie said the Bahamas must offer visitors greater value for their money in order to prevent the further loss of market share to competitors.

The three growth markets in the Caribbean are the Dominican Republic, Cancun and Cuba confirmed Bahamas Mr. Christie at the opening of the first national forum to discuss problems and strategies in the Bahamas tourism industry.

It is well known that competitors have been able to gain an edge on the Bahamas since years by offering better attitudes and higher level of service. Tourists demand cheaper vacations and claim wide spread crime which goes along with corruption, drug trafficking and high murder rate in the Island of The Bahamas.

Bahamas Consult does not agree with Perry Christie, who explained that competitors can offer more reasonable vacations “because they pay their workers less than we do". Harald Fuhrmann, Directing Manager of Bahamas Consult, reminds that the tourist satisfaction is very low. Specially in Nassau tourists stay on board of their cruise ships in the evenings because there they get more fun than what locals are willing to offer. They like the cruise, they like the buffet on board and they prefere the entertainment on board because Nassau downtown after 7 pm is dead.

Tourists from America and Canada are becoming more and more aware that they are not getting value for money. 5 star hotel rates, for 3 star accommodations, will not generate repeat custom. And high taxi rates rates, for old vehicles and sometimes without aircondition, will not generate repeat custom either.

2003 was the most horrible year in the Bahamas due to the fear of rising crime has become too great factor in daily life and the largest missing persons investigation ever to be recorded in Bahamian history. Five school-aged boys on Grand Bahama went missing without a trace, testing the metal of authorities and forcing the country out of its social comfort zones. The first boy, Jake Grant, disappeared from home on May 9^th. Soon to follow that month was Mackinson Colas and then DeAngelo McKenzie.

The country feared the worst. Two months later Junior Reme and Desmond Rolle went missing and soon frightened parents wondered whose child would be next. Rumors of the boys' whereabouts abounded, but after months of investigations which reached international proportions, 35-year-old Cordell Farrington, a hardware store clerk, turned himself into police and led authorities to the remains of Grand Bahama's fallen sons. He was also charged with killing his former friend, Jamaal Robbins. Four juveniles were charged two weeks earlier in the disappearance of Jake Grant.

Already on January 1, the New Year's Day revelry also took a violent turn. That day, 29-year-old Anthony Dean was shot to death. It was the first of more than 50 murders in the Bahamas for the year and put a damper on hopes that violent crimes would show some abatement.

In early April, the spotlight was placed on the National AIDS programme when former U.S. President Bill Clinton visited the Bahamas on a mission to save lives. The former president, addressing a national youth rally said the Bahamas was carrying the hopes of the world in its fight against the disease. Mr. Clinton urged the Bahamas to help ensure that a projection made by experts that there will be 100 million people living with AIDS by the end of the decade never materializes.

By the end of 2003, health officials released new figures on AIDS, which showed that the numbers of children orphaned by the disease climbed significantly since 1998. As of June 2003, there has been a cumulative total of 9,593 HIV infections in the Bahamas.

On June 5, former U.S. Ambassador J. Richard Blankenship announced his resignation, saying only that he was returning to the private sector and his business interests in Florida. He also left saying that he was departing at a time when the bilateral relationship between the United States and the Bahamas was on its most firm footing ever.

Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell at the time declined to address the relationship between Mr. Blankenship and the Government of the Bahamas. Speculation was rife in political circles regarding the resignation. But this was something that Minister Mitchell refused to feed into. During his term of Ambassador to the Bahamas, Mr. Blankenship had been embroiled in controversy, with Minister Mitchell even accusing him at one point of threatening the country's dignity. Mr. Blankenship's resignation became effective July 18.

Another story of the year was a “Death Boat” desaster. Four people died during an boat accident near Eluthera/Bahamas and more than 20 were injured when the 98-foot Sea Hauler, said to have been carrying 196 passengers and seven crew, collided with the 178-foot freighter, UnitedStar, at August 2nd. The second vessel was carrying 11 people as well as vehicles and other cargo. Sea Hauler was licensed to carry only 130 passengers and did not have life vests and life-boats for emergencies. Captain Allen Russell even did not lists of passengers, crew and cargo on board.

This happened just a short time after Rev. Dozier John Michel and his wife had just picked up their son and nephew from the Eleuthera Express Mailboat and were heading back around the bend in their car when it plunged off the dock. The son was the only survivor of that terrifying ordeal. It wasn't the first time that due to poor safety standards at Paradise Island Bridge a vehicle had careened off the pier ending fatally.

It was May 2003 when Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie made his much-anticipated budget communication to parliament with the 2003-2004 budget projecting an overall funding shortfall of $122 million which would raise the government debt by 2.2 percent to 38.7 percent of GDP. Mr. Christie announced that in the new fiscal year, the government would start a programme of measures to contain the deficit and gradually eliminate it over a reasonable period of time. It was also revealed that the government intended to collect more than $1 billion in revenue.

60 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – which is about $3 billion (drug trafficking not included) – comes from tourism related activities. The Bahamas profits from its location specially – starting 50 miles off the coast of South Florida and stretching as far south as Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Highlighting the discrepancy between advertising statements in travel brochures and the real dangers in vacation destinations, the U.S. Department of State has issued not only once a Travel Warning. The US Embassy in Nassau explains that crime and drug trafficking have increased to such a level that it is necessary to officially inform specially younger tourists about the bad conditions they may encounter in the island nation.

Bahamas Consult

Paradise Island Bridge to Atlantis: Richness meets Poverty

Presseinformation 11. Dezember 2003

- Negative Bahamas-Schlagzeilen im Jahr 2003

- Bahamas geht jetzt mit Herzog HC

Wie Harald Fuhrmann, Geschäftsführer von Bahamas Consult, Seeg, mitteilt, hat die Allgäuer Firma keineswegs die Funktion des ehemaligen Büros des Bahamas Tourist Office, Frankfurt, übernommen. Da das in der Leipziger Straße ansässige Fremdenverkehrsamt der Bahamas - zuständig für Deutschland, Österreich, die deutschsprachige Schweiz und Osteuropa - geschlossen worden sei, habe Bahamas Consult seit einigen Tagen mehrere Anfragen zu touristischen Fragen erhalten. Bahamas Consult bezeichnet sich zwar als Kenner der Bahamas, jedoch versteht man sich weniger als Dienstleister für Touristen als vielmehr Berater für potentielle Investoren.

Es ist aktuell nicht bekannt, wo die ehemaligen Mitarbeiter des Bahamas Tourist Office zu kontaktieren sind, dem Vernehmen nach hat jedoch die bereits im Tourismusbereich beheimatete Marketing- und Verkaufsmanagement-Gesellschaft Herzog HC GmbH seit Dezember 2003 auch die Aufgaben als Bahamas Tourist Office übernommen. Diese ebenso in Frankfurt ansässige Gesellschaft zeichnet beispielsweise auch als Kontaktadresse für das Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (Germany) verantwortlich.

Bahamas Consult, die bereits etwa vierzig Bahamas websites, u. a. www.bahamas-info.net.tc, veröffentlicht hat, weist ihren Informationen zufolge auch darauf hin, dass die Münchener „aviareps“ nicht mehr als Partner der Bahamasair auftritt, was den Bezug von Bahamasair-Ticket nicht unbedingt erleichtern wird. Obwohl das Bahamas Ministry of Tourism neue Märkte sucht und nach den Worten des Ministers Obie Wilchcombe „auch mehr in Europa tun will“, haben im Jahr 2003 wenig positive Reiseberichte und negative Schlagzeilen das Tourismusgeschäft beeinträchtigt.

Beispielsweise hat es in diesem Sommer auf Grand Bahama die größte Suche nach verschwunden Personen in der Geschichte der Bahamas gegeben. Die gesuchten Kinder wurden jedoch – nachdem auch Scotland Yard und FBI eingeschaltet wurden – nur tot aufgefunden. Auf Potter´s Cay am Fuße der Paradise Island Brücke, wo kleinere Schiffe von Nassau nach den Außeninseln ablegen, kam es zu einem Unfall, bei dem drei Insassen eines PKW´s, der in das Hafenbecken stürzte, ertranken.

Von dort startete am 02. August auch ein Schiff, das nachts in der Nähe von Eluthera mit einem anderen Boot kollidierte. Hier starben vier Passagiere und mehr als 20 Reisende wurden verletzt. Kritisiert wird u. a., dass es weder das notwendige Rettungsequipment noch eine Passagierliste gab. Andererseites waren mit 198 Reisenden rund 50 Prozent mehr Passagiere an Board als erlaubt, wird berichtet. Wie Bahamas Consult weiter erklärt, sind hohe Kriminalitätsraten, weit verbreitete Korruption, Drogenhandel und eine im Vergleich zu Deutschland extrem hohe Mordrate bei Touristen kaum bekannt. Von offizieller Seite heißt es jedoch, „die Werbeanstrengungen, Erstbesucher zu bewegen, auf die Bahamas zu reisen, werden immer teurer“.

PRESSRELEASE 30.08.2003
BOAT CRASH IN THE BAHAMAS

Four traveler died - many are still missing.

Even four weeks after the tragic accident at sea in the Bahamas there is
no light in how many people died. Harald Fuhrmann, managing director of
Bahamas Consult, reports that there are all witnesses interviewed but the
Government did not submit a further official report.

Four people died during an boat accident near Eluthera/Bahamas and more
than 20 were injured when the 98-foot Sea Hauler, said to have been carrying
194 passengers and seven crew, collided with the 178-foot freighter, United
Star, at August 2nd. The second vessel was carrying 11 people as well as
vehicles and other cargo.

Sea Hauler was licensed to carry only 130 passengers and did not have
life vests and life-boats for emergencies. Captain Allen Russell even did not
lists of passengers, crew and cargo on board. Survivors have reportet
that they saw persons jump into the ocean after the collision. The United
States Coast Guard did search and rescue mission around the area where the
accident took place but found no bodies.

There appears now to be an attempt by the Government of the Bahamas to
downplay the "Death Boat" disaster - and then quietly sweep the tragedy under the
carpet in order not to threaten the Bahamas tourist industry.

PRESSEINFORMATION

Bahamas im Kreuzfeuer der Kritik 11.05.2003

Bahamas Consult kritisiert ein "etabliertes Sytem von Bestechlichkeit und Sittenverfall"

Die Bahamas laufen durchaus Gefahr, sich in die Liste weltbekannter Schurkenstaaten einzutragen. Bahamas Consult nimmt die Diskrepanz zwischen den Werbeaussagen in offiziellen Reisebroschüren und den realen Verhältnissen, wie sie sich in den dortigen Tageszeitungen wiederspiegeln, zum Anlaß, eine Internetseite über Kriminalität, Korruption und Menschenrechtsverletzungen auf den Bahamas zu veröffentlichen.

Harald Fuhrmann, Geschäftsführer von Bahamas Consult, ist von bahamesischen Geschäftsleuten und ausländischen Investoren gebeten worden, die Machenschaften dortiger Elitegruppen, in die seit Jahren auch Rechtsanwälte verwickelt sind, international anzuprangern. In der Webpage www.bahamas-international.net.tc wird an Beispielen dokumentiert, mit welchen Risiken und Gefahren auch Ausländer rechnen müssen, wenn sie sich mit dem vermeindlichen Inselparadies – beispielsweise als Investor – einlassen.

Angeprangert werden Anwälte, die sich beispielsweise skrupellos Immobilien von Mandanten aneignen, Gerichtsentscheidungen manipulieren und ohne moralische Prinzipien Gerichtsfälle behandeln und zum Nachteil der Auftraggeber verzögern. "Obwohl der Premierminister Perry Christie allgemein zur Einhaltung ethischer Grundsätze auffordert, herrscht vor dem Hintergrund der weit verbreiteten Korruption im Rechtssytem der Bahamas Chaos vor", berichtet Fuhrmann.

Wie weiter betont wird, werden selbst Beschwerden bei der Anwaltskammer, beim Generalstaatsanwalt und beim Büro des Premierministers grundsätzlich ignoriert, so daß der Ungerechtigkeit und richterlichen Fehlentscheidungen – besonders gegenüber Ausländern – Tür und Tor geöffenet sind. In einem solchen Land mit nur rund 300 000 Einwohnern finden sich fast selbstverständlich nicht einmal Anwälte, die einen anderen Vertreter der gleichen Zunft mit Engagement in die Verantwortung nehmen würden.

Bahamas Consult kritisiert "ein etabliertes System von Bestechlichkeit, Vetternwirtschaft, Cliquenbildung und Sittenverfall auch zu Nachteil der einheimischen Bevölkerungsmehrheit". Wenn Ausländer von einheimischen Drogenhändlern zusammengeschlagen werden, Investoren auf korrupte Art und Weise ihr Eigentum verlieren oder andere aufgrund Bestechlichkeit inhaftiert werden und Fremde um ihr Leben fürchten – ohne daß auch nur eine einigermaßen angemessene Bestrafung erfolgt – dann sind nach Fuhrmann´s Ansicht die Grenzen der Verträglichkeit überschritten.

Fuhrmann weiter: Die Verpflichtung von Regierungen, für die Einhaltung von Menschenrechten Sorge zu tragen, endet nicht an den jeweiligen Landesgrenzen. Die Vereinten Nationen sind deshalb jetzt aufgerufen, erste Schritte einzuleiten. Um anderen – insbesondere Ausländer – zu helfen und zu warnen, werden zudem Außenministerien verschiedener Länder und deren Handelskammern kontaktiert.

PRESS RELEASE

Fuhrmann: “Bahamas – Nation without Ethic” 12^th May, 2003
Bahamas Consult sends letter to 186 UN ambassadors

"Nobody likes to embarrass the legal profession
or a government but should we not tell the people
of the world what code of ethics the Bahamian
people live by?" German investor Harald Fuhrmann
and Managing Director of Bahamas Consult
demands from the Prime Minister Perry Christie
an answer to the question: "Do you think it is
ethically acceptable for ministers of the Bahamas
not to respond to serious complaints after several
years?

Fuhrmann recalls that the Prime Minister did
send a "strong warning to Cabinet Ministers
to avoid corruption in higher offices and that
he outlined a new Code of Ethics in the
House of Assembly just one year ago". Citizens
and foreigners claim that Bahamian lawyers
are defacing the Bahamas by stealing real
estate, setting up rogue bank accounts and
manipulating court decisions. Bahamas
Consult will not question because the
government has a special system in place
to protect its lawyers. “This system is called
sanctimony”, the German added.

When you file official complaints to the
Bahamas Bar Association or repeatedly
contact Ministers, such as Alfred Sears,
Bahamas Attorney General, Fred Mitchell,
Bahamas Minister of Foreign Affairs, or
Prime Minister Perry Christie, everything
will continue as it was before. Even before
one writes a letter he knows already he won´t
receive any answer. It seems ministers do not
have eyes to see or ears to hear and no mouth
to talk in case a relief, a written answer or
personal meeting is necessary. Everyone who
is calling for honesty patrol will turn deaf ears
on a plight as long as you are not a member
of this so-called “honest” Bahamian society.

Bahamas-inside, a internet newsletter
published by Bahamas Consult, has been
asked by a Bahamian businessman to act
as a guardian to inform the world community
of the on-going conspiracy against individuals
by the legal profession of the Bahamas.
"Bahamas Consult has evidence that this
man does not stand alone as a victim. Tourists
and foreign investors alike would agree with
him or similar cases”, the newsletter reports.

The Bahamian businessman describes his
situation: When the legal profession, the
government and "the public" can involve
themselves in “criminal activity” against an
individual, I am justified in taking my case
to the entire world in order to free myself
and to help others against such criminal
activities. This behaviour involves slavery,
lying, theft of funds, property and children,
abusing the innocent and illegal scientific
programs designed to destroy lives. By
denying the right of access to our lives
through secretly paying informants to injure
our private lives and reputations, we are
at liberty to take any cause of action we
deem within the limits of the law to expose
such criminal behaviour even if it shames
the entire legal profession, the government
and its people.

As St. Lucia´s Julian Hunte appointed
Mrs. Missouri Sherman-Peter to assist
the 57th General Assembly of the United
Nations in May, Bahamas-inside has
published a letter to all UN ambassadors
and a new website www.bahamas-international.net.tc
requesting assistance. I am convinced that
the Ministers would want to have these
Bahamian disputes discussed at a higher
level, says Fuhrmann. The Bahamian legal
profession and its government should be
held accountable for the serious complaints
made against them.

Bad apples need to be weeded out of the
Bahamian community, no matter how big,
rich and prominent they are. This should
be done before they destroy the Bahamas’
international reputation. Bahamas-inside
has internal knowledge that Bahamians and
foreigners call for a self-restriction of attorneys
in both the official agencies and the Bahamian
government. Too many of them occupy high
and relevant positions and protect each other.
Without a change in the Bahamian community,
corruption, crime, drug trafficking and killing
will reach an impenetrable level.

The website has links and pop-ups showing
additional Bahamian disputes such as the
Robertson and the BahamasB2B founder
Lisa Wells stories, important Bahamian
a ddresses that are useful to foreigners,
United Nations email addresses and quotations
about what foreigners can expect from this
island nation. The above mentioned illustrations
of several individuals are monographs; however,
there are more serious warnings from people who
lived or invested in the Bahamas. The increase in
these crimes has become so prevalent that
crime prevention and criminal justice in the
Bahamas should be rectified by the United
Nations. The Bahamas Consult highly
recommends the alleged corruption be
relayed to the public sphere, private sector,
financial investors and political arenas.

Presseinformation 10.03.2003

(download möglich www.your-bahamas-newsletter.de.vu)

Bittere Pille für Bahamas

Strukturwandel erforderlich

Als „bittere Pille für die Tourismusindustrie der Bahamas“ bezeichnet Harald Fuhrmann, Geschäftsführer von Bahamas Consult, die Reisewarnung, die vom U.S. Department of State in Washington aktuell für amerikanische Studenten herausgegeben wurde und zudem generelle Bedeutung hat. Darin werden keineswegs pessimistisch die Auswirkungen der weltpolitischen Lage beschrieben, sondern deprimierend allein auf die landeseigenen Gefahren des vermeindlichen Urlaubsparadieses hingewiesen. Deutlich werden als Gründe Kriminaliät, Drogenhandel, Diebstahl, bewaffneter Raub, kidnapping bis hin zu Mord an Touristen genannt.

Anläßlich der weltgrößten Reisemesse, die bis zum 11. März in Berlin stattfindet, teilt Fuhrmann mit, daß die Regierung der Bahamas jetzt zwar mit einer außerordentlichen Anzeigenkampagne in Höhe von immerhin 15 Mio. Dollar in die Offensive gehen will, darüber hinaus hält er aber auch einen schnellen Strukturwandel für erforderlich. Er fordert gerade die Reedereien, wie u.a. Carneval Cruise, auf, solche Warnungen bei Ihrer Marketingpolitik nicht unberücksichtigt zu lassen. Man erinnert einerseits an das boykottierte St. Croix, zum anderen hat Nassau bei Karibikrundreisen mangels ausreichender Attraktivität schon in der Vergangenheit keineswegs eine Spitzenposition in der Beliebtheit eingenommen. Auf dem Weg vom Hafen zum Stohmarkt wird man wegen des hektischen Autoverkehrs und der Abgase eher an eine Großstadt erinnert, die dazu insbesondere nur Billigstartikel aus Fernost gegen US-Dollars anzubieten hat. Vor dem Hintergrund hoher Einfuhrzölle stellen Touristen gerade die Bahamas als preiswerte Urlaubsdestination zudem immer mehr in Frage.

Aufgrund der Nähe zu den Vereinigten Staaten wird der Karibikkreuzfahrer die Bahamas vielfach zwangsweise in die Rundreise mit einbeziehen, Reedereien sollten jedoch mehr die Strategie verfolgen, Anlegepunkte auf eigenen kleinen Bahamas-Inseln anzustreben und nicht falsche Signale an solche „Out Islands“ zu senden, die bereits durch Kriminaltät, Korruption und Drogenhandel aufgefallen sind. Überlegenswert ist auch, Nassau nicht über Nacht anzulaufen, um den Warnungen in etwa zu entsprechen. Bahamas Consult befürchtet, daß die „warnende U.S.-Pille“ keinen wirklichen heilsamen Effekt für das weiter „kränkelnde Bahamas“ haben wird, da die Verantwortlichen der Regierung der Bahamas allein nur mit extremem internationalem Druck bereit sind, bestehende gesellschaftlichspolitische Konflikte mit Engagement auszutragen.

Aufgrund des fehlenden Respekts gegenüber Ausländern, der weitverbreiteten Scheinheiligkeit gegenüber Investoren aber auch der Kritik am Rechtssystem veröffentlicht Bahamas Consult konsequenterweise eine Investitionswarnung. Man weist darauf hin, daß das umfangreiche Angebot von staatlichen Serviceagenturen bis hin zu Rechtsanwälten nicht unbedingt etwas mit der Qualität und dem Leistungswillen zu tun haben muß. Bahamas Consult kritisiert im allgemeinen den Ausbildungstandard und auch eine vielfach anzutreffende Unfreundlichkeit gegenüber Ausländern.

Das vermeindliche gute Klima für Investititionen kühlt sich oft spätestens dann ab, wenn man sich der angebotenen Leistungen von Anwälten versichern muß. Fuhrmann betont weiter: Es sind zahlreiche Beschwerden bekannt, die aber grundsätzlich weder von der Anwaltskammer noch vom Justizministerium angemessen gewürdigt werden. Bei der Einschaltung eines Anwaltes sollte man bei Honoraren von bis zu 400 US Dollar je Stunde exakte Vereinbarungen formulieren.

Anhang:

Reisewarnung http://travel.state.gov/springbreak_bahamas.html

Investitionswarnung

FON ++49-(0)8364/986655	REG.-GERICHT	KONTO # 21342
FAX ++49-(0)8364/986633	KEMPTEN HRB 6750	RAIBA Südliches Ostallgäu
Email: 4fun@the-bahamas.de	IdNr. 121 643 047	BLZ 733 699 33

Anhang:

U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C.

FACT SHEET
SPRING BREAK IN THE BAHAMAS

Over 200,000 American teenagers and young adults travel to The Bahamas over their Spring Break each year. While the vast majority do so without incident, a small number of travelers are not so fortunate. Using common sense will help you avoid unpleasant and dangerous situations.

Nassau is a growing city with increasing crime. The Bahamian government has recently acknowledged the prevalence and availability of weapons in the Bahamas. Most criminal incidents take place in a part of Nassau not usually frequented by tourists (the "Over-the-Hill" area south of downtown), but crime and violence have increasingly moved into more affluent tourist and residential areas.

Drinking, drug use and unruly behavior can lead to serious problems in The Bahamas. Alcohol is involved in the vast majority of arrests, accidents, violent crimes and deaths suffered by students in The Bahamas. Violent crimes such as rape often happen at night or in the early morning hours, and frequently involve alcohol and the club environment.

Valuables should be left in a safe place or at home. Do not leave belongings unguarded on the beach while swimming. Passports and other valuables should be left in hotel safes. Walking at night on secluded beaches alone or in small groups is not advised. Visitors found alone or incapacitated have been targeted for rape, robbery, and assault. Know your drinking companions and be accompanied by friends when in clubs, bars, walking, or in a taxi at night.

Drug traffickers could be encountered on the Islands. They are often armed, and are frequently violent. Both drug purchasers and innocent passers-by risk injury. Be aware of your surroundings, take appropriate precautions, and make smart decisions.

The water sports industry in The Bahamas is not carefully regulated. Unlicensed operators have been linked to assaults, and a number of Americans have been killed or injured by the improper use of jet-skis and other personal watercraft. Ask to see a copy of the operator's business license, inquire about their insurance coverage and insist on training before using the equipment.

The importation, purchase, possession or use of drugs can incur severe penalties, including heavy fines or imprisonment. All persons 16 years of age or older are tried as adults.

Arrests or accidents in The Bahamas can result in difficult and expensive legal or medical situations. If you find yourself in trouble, contact the U.S. Embassy. Consular officials in The Bahamas can visit you in prison, provide information about the Bahamian legal system, and furnish a list of Bahamian attorneys or doctors, among other assistance. They cannot arrange for your release or pay medical and other bills.

Investment warning (March 2003)

Highlighting the discrepancy between advertising statements in investment profiles and the real difficulties in the investment business, Bahamas Consult issues a Investment Warning for those who want to invest in The Bahamas. Bahamas Consult explains that not only crime and drug trafficking have increased to such a level that it is necessary to inform foreigners about the bad conditions they may encounter in the island nation. One mentions theft, armed robbery, physical attacks kidnapping and murder of foreigners as potential risks.

Bahamas Consult points out that the quality of services offered by some Bahamian service agencies, particularily attorneys, doesn't always live up to the client's quality and service expectations. Bahamas Consult has, for some time, criticized the knowledge, experience and unfriendly attitudes towards foreigners.

The Bahamas Investment Authority points out The Bahamas has the "right" climate for investments but those conditions are often spoiled by the poor attitudes and inefficient services of Bahamian lawyers. We have knowledge of various official complaints but no decisions are taken by the Bar Association or the Ministry of Justice. Attorney fees, of up to $400 per hour, seem grossly out of proportion compared to the Bahamian weekly minimum wage a 30 $ a day only.

Bahamas Consult describes the travel warning currently issued by the U.S. Department of State in Washington as a “bitter blow for the tourist trade in the Bahamas“. It certainly isn’t a pessimistic description of the effects of the global political situation, but depressingly, it is based solely on the dangers within the country which is supposed to be a holiday paradise. The reasons for this are stated clearly; they are criminal conduct, drugs dealing, theft, armed robbery, kidnapping right up to the murder of tourists.

On the occasion of the largest travel trade fair in the world, which takes place in Berlin up until the 11th March in Berlin, Harald Fuhrmann, managing director of Bahamas Consult, is calling on the shipping companies in particular, such as Carneval Cruise amongst others, not to ignore such warnings in their future marketing policy. On the one hand we recall the story of St. Croix, and on the other hand in the past Nassau certainly hasn’t lost its top spot in the popularity stakes because it isn’t attractive enough. On the way from the harbour to the street markets the mad road traffic and the exhaust fumes are reminiscent rather of a large city which, in addition to this, only has cheap articles from the Far East for sale in US-dollars. Given the fact that there are high import duties, tourists are beginning to question overall whether the Bahamas does represent value for money as a holiday destination.

Given the proximity to the United States, the Caribbean cruise liners often take in the Bahamas as part of their round trip by necessity. However, shipping companies ought to pursue a policy instead of mooring off small private Bahamas islands and not give the wrong signals to the "Out Islands", which have already attracted attention on account of criminal conduct, corruption and drugs dealing. It is also worth considering not to make for Nassau at night, to more or less take warnings on board. Bahamas Consult fears that the US-warning medicine will not have any real beneficial effect for the continually ailing Bahamas, since the persons responsible in the government in the Bahamas will only tackle the existing socio-political conflict with commitment if they are placed under phenomenal international pressure to do so. Given the lack of respect towards foreigners, the widespread insincerity towards investors but also the criticism of the legal system, Bahamas Consult is publishing an uncompromising investment warning.

The importation, purchase, possession or use of drugs can incur severe penalties, including heavy fines or imprisonment. All persons 16 years of age or older are tried as adults.

Investment warning (March 2003)