Nassau

This is our second website about Nassau – Paradise Island. Click here for the first issue.

You want to travel as a first time visitor to the Bahamas? Your right destination might be Nassau and Paradise Island? We returned from Paradise Island recently and will give you our authentic report about false advertising, high costs, „head money“, crime, drug trafficking, killing, insincerity towards foreigners and much more. And look at our pictures. We do not want to win any awards and we do not write postive only like travel journalists who report what they saw during their „carefully controlled“ visits. This summer was one of the most horrible time in the Bahamas due to

-    the largest missing persons investigation ever to be recorded in Bahamian history

-    the sea tragedy when four travelers died and 25 others have been injured when two boats collided

-    poor safety standards at Paradise Island Bridge a car plunged into waters off Potter´s Cay and 3 people died

NEWS: We won´t return

As a result of the National Tourism Quality Assurance Survey the Bahamas Government is putting additonal millions of dollar into an ad campaign to attract tourists. A significant percentage of tourists visiting Nassau and Paradise Island won`t return due to bad attitudes, high prices and poor service. But the situation did not change and still there are many question marks for potential tourists and investors in 2003. It´s better in the Bahamas - not a reality. And critique is not always allowed in some Bahamian message boards. Therefore listen to returing travelers: Over 60% of visitors are disappointd with hotel value for money in Nassau and Paradise Island! MORE

NEWS: Free flight to attract

With the Bahamas experiencing a soft tourist market, the Ministry of Tourism has instituted a 'companion flies free' promotion to stimulate the market and get people thinking about the destination. The offer is valid on new bookings to Nassau, Paradise Island and Grand Bahama and applies to two individuals booking a hotel package together. Travel must be booked by Nov. 14, 2003 and completed by Feb. 8. Flights will be on US Airways for travelers in the northeast and Gulfstream International Airlines out of Florida. Other promotions being offered by the ministry include the American Express Bahamas Getaway Plan. With this plan, travelers receive a „head money“ of $75 for staying three nights or more and for four nights or more, they get an additional $75. Travelers who make bookings through American Express agencies also get an additional $150 from American Express.

This promotion follows closely on the worst September/October experienced by the hotel sector in recent years. A frequent complaint by hoteliers recently has been a lack of destination market by the Ministry of Tourism. Check details with your agent. And do not forget: The Bahamas is one of the most expensive travel destinations in the world. MORE

    + + +  To many people lost their lives at sea. Since last year there have also been three plane crashes in waters near Abaco and two in Freeport, Grand Bahama, where both Bahamians and Americans have lost their lives  + + +

NEWS: Death boat
left Potter´s Cay

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.

Bahamas Consult criticizes that Sea Hauler, leaving from Potter´s Cay Dock in Nassau, 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 reported
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 in order not to threaten the Bahamas tourist industry. Prime Minister Perry Christie called the incident a national tragedy.

NEWS: Bodies found on Paradise Island

An 18-year-old Bahamian appeared in court accused of murdering British schoolteacher Joanne Clarke at an exclusive resort in the Bahamas. Unemployed landscaper Anton Tennel McIntosh of South East New Providence in the Bahamas was charged with the murders of Ms Clarke and American Lori Fogleman, 32, whose bodies were found near each other on Paradise Island. During a short hearing at Magistrates Court Number 6 in Nassau, McIntosh was charged with the murder, robbery and rape of 24-year-old Ms Clarke, whose body was found covered in leaves and dumped in bushes weeks ago. She had disappeared while sunbathing on a remote beach and had been strangled.

He was also charged with the murder and robbery of Ms Fogleman from Richmond, Virginia. The body of missing American tourist Lori Fogleman was found on the same island. The Bahamas government offered a £100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the murderer. Three former senior Scotland Yard detectives have been invited to the island to help local police with the murder investigation. A team of FBI murder detectives arrived already on the island assisting with the investigation.

NEWS: Overboard – three persons killed

Potter’s Cay in Nassau is no longer seen as a cay, the word for a small island near a bigger one. It has been joined by a bridge to the mainland of New Providence longer than most Bahamians can remember. It was more recently, yet still a long time ago filled in to expand its girth. It has also grown up like Topsy with a mishmash of commercial enterprises including fish vendors, the site for the docking of the Family Island mail boats. The waters around it are a general pot in which to throw everything imaginable. The area like most of New Providence was not properly planned. The popularity of the area in the night where people go with their friends to drink beer, or to buy cooked fish and conch has overwhelmed the ability of the resource to cope. People have died over the years by driving overboard. Some have done it deliberately to end their lives. Most have mainly fallen overboard by missing the road.

And so it was that this week three persons were killed. Four were in the car. One escaped. It appears that they missed the road. The Government immediately came under fire for not doing something about it. But it is like most things in The Bahamas, we don’t seem to take note of a pattern and then even when we do, we simply do nothing about it through inertia. It doesn’t happen enough to affect our daily lives. This time seems to have been the one that took it over the top. A religious leader and his family perished. The whole thing seemed senseless. It appears that if a simple barrier had been put up to prevent the cars from missing the road then that would have stopped the needless deaths.

NEWS: Rising crime

Police were investigating several crimes that occurred over the weekend, including two murders... also on Sunday the body of Kenneth Brown was pulled out of waters at Potter´s Cay Dock. The police reported that the young man had multiple stab wounds to the body. A few hours before another stabbing took place in the area of Potter´s Cay Dock/Paradiese Island Bridge. Sabreo Glinton reportedly received multiple stab wounds to the head and body. He was taken to hospital for treatment, but it is believed that his injuries are not life threatening.

Police believe that an altercation between the victim and the two men resulted in the stabbing. Investigators also believe that the two Potter´s Cay incidents are related.

In other weekend crime news two armed dark-skinned males reportedly entered the VIP Chinese restaurant at Bay and Deveaux Streets. They demanded cash and made off with an undetermined amount of money and four Quik Cell cards. The men escaped on foot in the Dowdeswell Street area close Paradise Island Bridge. Crime is rising!

NEWS: Tourist at BahamasB2B message board

I just returned from a vacation on Paradise Island. Although I would have gladly chosen the Bahamas as a vacation destination, it was my daughter who insisted on staying at the Atlantis resort because of a video she watched of the Olsen twins vacationing there. I am a lawyer who made the switch from working for profit to working to help the underprivileged. Because of that switch, I insisted that part of our vacation include touring the Nassau area to see how the average Bahamian truly lives. My feelings about the Bahamas have been forever marred by what I found.

We chose to tour the island on motorscooter. This proved to be quite dangerous. Why, on an island so small with such beautiful weather, is scooter travel so unpopular and dangerous?

The employees at the resorts were very friendly and well-mannered. And yet there was a palpable underlying anger. When we left the resort to explore the island, the anger was even more evident. It seemed the locals held some animosity for tourists. I think I understand why after seeing their living conditions.

My comments to the Minister of Tourism can be boiled down to the following: Most people care more that a country takes good care of its inhabitants - people, animals, and Earth - more than they care about enjoying a stay at a glitzy resort. The Bahamas is failing in that regard and from my perspective there is no excuse for that failure. The resorts located in the Bahamas are making money hand over fist. Their wealth is derived by taking advantage of the beauty the Bahamas offers. It would seem that a sizeable percentage of that profit should go to improving the lives of the natural inhabitants. Your government could make that possible.

And yet, my daughter and I witnessed many shanties, people down on their luck, and droves of sickly dogs. I was affected enough that upon return to the United States I tried to further research the socio-economic statistics in the Bahamas. Sadly, I found a real lack of meaningful statistics. Further, I found tidbits of information that confirm some of my sadness for your country. Apparently, conch is now considered a threatened species. And yet, conch salad was offered at every meal at our resort. What a shame!

I let the Minister of Tourism know that I would refuse to return to the Bahamas unless major changes were immediately implemented to address some of these issues. It seems the Bahamas is no different than many places in the world today - the rich get richer, the poor suffer, and for some reason the political leaders are unable to effect change. Of course, in the United States, we have many of the same problems. It is just a shame to see such travesty in a place as small as the Bahamas.

Your people and your island will be in my prayers.

NEWS: Listen to returing travelers

The entire bathroom floor was completely blanketed in these bugs! The sink and tub were full of them, too, all wriggling around and fluttering their wings.

While the Bahamas may appear to be a low cost vacation can be unexpectedly costly. The food and drink prices are unbelievably.

If you are suggesting to your readers that the Bahamas is minimal expense and affordable, you are doing them a gross injustice.

No stellar cuisine here. It sure wasn't the same place as the ads. The jazz band playing on New Year's Eve was mediocre and the rest of the entertainment was shabby.

I am a travel agent, and just last week we took a trip to the Bahamas and stayed at the Atlantis resort. In short I would tell you and all of your readers that, outside of the Atlantis which is an outstanding resort, I would never ever send a client to the Bahamas.

We had gone through customs (long lines in a hot warehouse) and then faced a packed hotel lobby. An announcement was made that a $30 per person tax would be assessed. Everyone was upset but we were also hot and tired and guess what...everyone paid the tax.

The weather was not all that great. The pool was cold and the ocean was OK. It was rainy. It wasn't at all what I expected in terms of basking in the sun.

We became aware, very quickly, that the Bahamians tolerated us in varying degrees while their eyes were really on our money. Some of them barely concealed their hostility and others were just indifferent. Needless to say, we won't be returning to Nassau.

Two stray dogs attacked a Canadian visitor while she walked along a beach on the island.

I went to report it to the police, they made me feel like a horrible person.

Paradise Island Bridge: place of contrasts

We do not allow human waste to be dumped indiscriminately in the harbour

Vagrants are sleeping on stalls not only at night

The necessary changes will come, it is only a matter of time

The sewerage tanks located between the bridges cause the odor?

Important email recieved

Every day you get fresh at Potter`s Cay

Handling at the cay is difficult

Fishermen toss their garbage, skinned fish parts etc. into the water

Some fishermen never clean the knives

Be afraid if you see buckets with sea water

Vendors lean over the side and go to the bathroom in the water

Bathrooms are in the mess

What happened to previous reports?

Everybody should keep the stall clean

Any impact on the food that is being sold for consumption?

Money saving vacations and travel opportunities

Taxi costs to/from PI are incredibility high

Why not become a guest at Atlantis Beach Tower?

What you will find in the Bahamas

Beach at Paradise Island

Take enough tourist dollars with you

Comfort at its best

Ocean Club: Wonderful place for refeshments

Harbourside: Are you dreaming of owning a home?

This is our second website about Nassau – Paradise Island. Click here for the first issue.