Issued by
Raynard Rigby
National Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party
Sunday, the 21st day of December, 2003

This is simply bad advice, it is preposterous and it goes to show the entire nation that the FNM and its leadership do not have the best interest of this nation and our Tourism product at heart.

In a story published in the Tribune on Saturday the 20th December, 2003 under the caption: “Turnquest: potential visitors must be told of industrial unrest” and which story also appeared in the Nassau Guardian on Saturday under the caption “FNM troubled over industrial unrest”; Tommy Turnquest was quoted as saying: “the Ministry of Tourism and hotels must advise travel agents and potential visitors that there is looming industrial rest. Travelers had to be made aware, as they made bookings, that this was happening. Persons would recognise there would be a decline in usual service standards and might want to make other plans.”

This statement is indicative of the leadership style of Tommy Turnquest and it clearly shows that Mr. Turnquest does not possess the intellectual capacity to be a leader in this nation. The advice offered by Mr. Turnquest would go to ruin the reputation of The Bahamas and will cause irreparable damage to our tourism product. It is silly and absurd. It is bald of all understanding of the industry and the strengths that the hotels possess even in circumstances where a strike looms and it is foul of the resolve that exist amongst the leaders in the tourism industry to strengthen this nation’s capacity to invite and maintain a quality tourism product. Simply put, it is terrible advice and it is like a Bahamian going to a local doctor complaining of the flu and the doctor says the best remedy is to spend two weeks in the snow in New York City.

To make such a statement, obviously, Tommy Turnquest does not appreciate that the industry is embarking upon its most busy period. Mr. Turnquest also does not appreciate that to avert potential travelers from these shores would spell damage to our industry and economy. Bahamians will be adversely impacted as jobs may be lost, and workers may suffer short workweeks. Hoteliers and the national Treasury will lose revenue. New tourism advertisement campaigns will also have to be launched to undo the damage caused. Tommy Turnquest’s advice can only be described as utterly ridiculous and it goes to demonstrate, rather glaringly, that he and the FNM have no sensible answers for the challenges facing this nation.

The advice also reveals that Tommy Turnquest would destroy the nation by making statements and decisions that are illogical and foul of commonsense. Too, his statement demonstrates once again that he could not effectively manage a crisis. One can recall his tenure as Minister of Tourism and his decision to pull all of the tourism advertisements in the USA after the September 11th terrorist attacks.

It would be wise for Tommy Turnquest to learn to keep his advice to himself.
 
THE END…….
Issued 21st December, 2003