Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The off shore banking industry, another economic mainstay, has slowed down too fol-
lowing government cleanups in the early 2000s.
The new Prime Minister, Hubert Ingraham, of the Free National Movement party (FNM;
which is moderately conservative), was also an old Prime Minister - he had previously
governed from 1992 to 2002.
Crime Conundrums
'Murder Rates at All-Time High' screamed newspaper headlines in 2010 and 2011. Though
violent crime is still relatively rare in the Bahamas - and extremely rare for tourists - it's
hard to ignore the regular gun deaths, most of which take place in Nassau's working-class
Over-the-Hill neighborhood. Most of these murders are motivated by drugs and despera-
tion, the latter a rising concern in an uncertain economy.
The continuing involvement of Bahamians in the cocaine trade between South America
and the US also worries many. A 2009 report from the US Drug Enforcement Agency re-
vealed that there are 12 to 15 drug-trafficking organizations currently operating in the Ba-
hamas.
A Growing Environment Conscience
» Miles of coastline: 2201
» Number of islands: 29
» Number of cays: 661
» Airports: 62
» National flower: yellow elder
Though the Bahamas have never been on the cutting edge of the environmentalist move-
ment, the country is increasingly savvy about saving its precious resources. Sea turtles, a
traditional delicacy, were pulled from menus in 2009 following a nationwide ban on the
hunting, selling and consumption of turtles or turtle parts. And due to concerns over over-
fishing, the Bahamas has regulated its conch industry in recent decades, with populations
currently considered stable.
Another hot-button environmental issue has been the development of the Bimini Bay
Resort & Marina (see
Click here
)
, which threatens the island's rich mangrove swamps. En-
vironmentalists have been locked in a battle with developers for years, and the situation
continues to unfold.
There are few genuine ecolodges in the country, though resorts are beginning to respond
to consumer demand. Consider letting hotel management know how important recycling
and energy conservation are to you - the tourism dollar speaks!
