Thread: Cruises avoid Nassau in wake of robberies

NASSAU, Bahamas - At least three cruise ship companies have canceled excursions within certain parts of Nassau after police in the Bahamas reported several tourists being robbed.

Cruises avoid Nassau in wake of robberies

Here is the text:

Cruises avoid Nassau in wake of robberies

The Associated Press
Published: November 30, 2009

NASSAU, Bahamas - At least three cruise ship companies have canceled excursions within certain parts of Nassau after police in the Bahamas reported several tourists being robbed.

Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz says the decision to suspend trips to Earth Village is temporary. She said today that the company is offering other trips as an alternative.

Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line officials said they also have suspended excursions within Nassau.

Bahamas tourism director Vernice Walkine says police have increased foot and car patrols in popular tourist areas as a response to the recent robberies. She said she deeply regretted the incidents.

More than 2 million cruise passengers come through the port of Nassau each year.

Thanks for the information!

If the locals can not safeguard the tours, the ships will go away.

Originally Posted by Blizzard

If the locals can not safeguard the tours, the ships will go away.

I think you will see some slight itinerary changes in coming weeks, as the cruise companies pressure local authorities to get a handle on the situation.

We've seen Carnival Cruises do this in the recent past and we've seen some ships change course this week in and around Nassau.

But, the bigger these ships get, the more passengers disembark into a port...simple mathematics is going to increase the frequency of occurrence, but NOT necessarily the chances of it happening to you.

Let's look at the local papers in the region closely in coming weeks and see if there is any discussion of the topic.

Update:
The Nassau Guardian Online Guide

Former nature tour worker is suspect in tourist robberies


By JASMIN BONIMY ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ jasmin@nasguard.com:

As the fallout sparked by the recent robbery of 18 tourists at Earth Village continues, police have confirmed that a suspect in the case is a former employee of the tour group and rehabilitative resident of Bahamas Association for Social Health (BASH). Yesterday, Executive Director of BASH Terry Miller opened up about the matter for the first time since last Friday's daring daytime robbery of the tourists who were ambushed during a mid-day tour at BASH's Earth Village in Chippingham.

Miller emphasized that the management of BASH was "appalled" by the armed robbery, and said he and his team plan to beef up security in the area and are looking at the possibility of implementing a guard system, solar powered cameras and fencing off the perimeter.

"To this end we have met with the Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest and have gotten his commitment to send police officers to discuss security from the perspective of the force," he said.

"...We believe that with these new security initiatives, Earth Village will regain its atmosphere of sacred serenity that those of us who have experienced know well."

Miller said while the tourists were robbed on BASH's property, the 18 visitors were on a tour with Caribbean Segway Tours — a company that has partnered with the rehabilitative center located on 170 acres.

He admitted yesterday that the suspect once underwent treatment at the rehabilitative center.

"The police are holding someone who was an employee of [Caribbean] Segway and was a former resident of BASH," said Miller, whose claim was confirmed by head of the Central Detective Unit Superintendent Elsworth Moss.

Moss said yesterday that police are still holding that suspect but investigators are unsure when charges would be filed.

Said Miller: "Whoever it was it doesn't matter if it was someone we assisted. It is frustrating because of the impact it has not only on Earth Village but the impact it has on The Bahamas."

Since 1991, BASH has been managing an adult male residential substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation facility.

According to BASH's management, Earth Village Bahamas was established several years ago in a bid to protect the Perpall Tract Wellfield from destruction as well as to provide visitors with an eco-friendly experience.

Miller said the Segway tour at Earth Village was launched just over two years ago and has had a peaceful existence until the recent robbery that police said involved two men armed with shotguns who held-up cruise visitors from the Disney and Royal Caribbean cruise lines.

"While the guests were robbed of most of their possessions, no one was severely physically hurt although a female guide was kicked in the head," said Miller. "I was among the first to arrive at the scene five minutes after and the police came a few minutes after me."

The BASH executive added that the violent incident coupled with the local and international publicity has produced much expected backlash.

"To date, three cruise lines have suspended their tours, severely impacting the income generating potential of Caribbean Segway Tours and of BASH and Earth Village," said Miller.

"It is interesting to note that on the date [of the robbery] Disney Tours were scheduled to take an exploratory horse ride through the forest at two o'clock with a view to adding our riding tour to their shore package."

Miller said so far this year, 3,000 tourists have toured Earth Village as Caribbean Segway offers an average of five to six eco-tours a day at the BASH facility.

He added that the current and expected loss in business during the upcoming weeks will cost BASH approximately $50,000.

"We are looking at getting all the tours back in," said Miller. "We are looking at what we are going to have to do and the security measures that we'll have to come up with.

"With one of the cruise lines, their first response was to ask have they caught them [the armed robbers] yet. That was all they wanted to know and I think that will probably be one of the prerequisites that they would want to have in place."

Miller said once those security measures are established and suspects charged before the courts, BASH will embark on an international marketing campaign in a bid to attract visitors back to the facility.

So, it sounds like there is a good chance that a single person is responsible. How much money has been lost to the island because of this?

From the Nassau Guardian: The Nassau Guardian Online Guide

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham has announced that he will make a national address to the country on the issue of crime and the government's responses to it early in the new year.

At a news conference at Lynden Pindling International Airport yesterday, Ingraham said he will address the crime issue at the swearing in ceremony of the new commissioner of police on January 4, 2010, and shortly after, he will address the country.

"And so, over the coming months, you will hear what the full picture is going to be," he said.

Ingraham also said his government will introduce new anti-crime legislation to Parliament in the new year. However, he did not disclose yesterday what those amendments or new laws would be.

This year, The Bahamas has set its second murder record in three years — the previous record was set in 2007.

As of the end of November, armed robberies and robberies were up 17 and 25 percent respectively as compared to the same period in 2008.

The armed robbery of 18 tourists last month at Earth Village led to bad publicity for The Bahamas internationally.

Royal Caribbean warned its passengers on the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship on Friday about the crime situation in New Providence.

When asked if he was troubled that the information was given to the cruise passengers, Ingraham said "no."

"It was quite appropriate for them to point out the facts to their passengers and it is very important for us to maintain a safe environment for our residents and for our visitors. And I think that you will see an accelerated set of policing — prevention — taking place very soon and we will seek to make our streets safer and our homes safer," he said.

"The current crime wave is totally unacceptable and must be brought under control. The acting commissioner (Ellison Greenslade) has very clear instructions in that regard."

There have been numerous changes in the leadership of the governmental agencies at the forefront of the criminal justice system since Ingraham returned to office in May 2007.

Ellison Greenslade is the third person to lead the police force over this period. There have been four attorneys general; and the government is now looking for a new director of public prosecutions to replace Bernard Turner who is becoming a Supreme Court justice.

Both the governing Free National Movement (FNM) and the opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) have in recent weeks begun to publicly debate the crime issue, as conditions worsen in New Providence.

The issues of the high rate of violent crime in the country, and the high level of joblessness, both now appear to be the two main election issues for the two parties.

We were in Nassau the week before these events and while we did not experience anything as horrible as this (thank God), would suggest that visitors keep their eyes open. When walking to the public beach past the Hilton, we noticed a group of four or five 20 somethings sitting at the park tables. As we passed, my wife holding a large beach bag, we noticed two got up and began walking 20 ft or so behind us. I told my wife to hang on and we stopped. They stopped. We started walking again, they started walking again. At that time we crossed the street and headed in the Conch restaurant and watched until they passed. It may have been nothing, but just keep your eyes open. In the shop areas on Bay Street we did notice Policeman asking young locals to show id, asking them 'What is your business down here' etc...