U.S. citizens and foreign nationals will have to present valid passports or other secure, accepted documents – like a border crossing card in the case of Canada and Mexico – to enter or re-enter the United States.
The BHA has written to U.S. Ambassador John Rood and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell to express its “considerable concerns” about the new policy and request that the implementation date for The Bahamas be on par with that of Mexico and Canada.
U.S. citizens re-entering the United States from those two countries have until 2008 to get passports.
“While we understand the reasoning behind the ruling and certainly do not wish to compromise the security of our respective nations and the traveling public, the implementation timetable presents the industry and The Bahamas with a huge challenge,” BHA President Earle Bethell said in a statement sent to the media on Wednesday.
“As you know, a large number of Americans visiting The Bahamas do not travel with a passport.��Many of these visitors are impulse travelers, often from Florida, who make
last minute travel decisions and do not possess passports.��Another sizable group of travelers without passports are those attending conferences, meetings, etc. – whose travel arrangements are made many months in advance.”
Mr. Bethell said without sufficient time to educate the traveling public regarding these
new requirements, coupled with the time required to secure a passport, the December 31, 2005 implementation date will have a detrimental impact on our visitor arrivals.��
“This will have a corresponding negative effect on industry revenue, government revenue, and upon employment levels in the industry.”
An estimated 60 million Americans – about 20 percent of the nation’s population – have passports.
The new rules, which are the latest effort to deter terrorists from entering the United States, apply to Americans traveling from The Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Central and South America.
The goal is to strengthen border security and expedite international travel, according to officials.
“By ensuring that travelers possess secure documents, such as the passport, our immigration inspectors will be able to conduct more effective and efficient interviews,” Homeland Security Acting Under Secretary for Border Transportation Security, Randy Beardsworth said in a recent press release.
As it stands, U.S. citizens as well as many residents of other countries in the Western Hemisphere are not required to present a passport to enter or re-enter the United States when traveling within the Western Hemisphere.
But the U.S. Congress recently moved to change all that with the passing of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act.
“We recognize the implications this might have for industry, business and the general public, as well as our neighouring countries, and they are important partners in this initiative,” explained Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs, Maura Harty.
“The overarching need is to implement this legal requirement in a way that strengthens security, while facilitating the movement of persons and goods.”
Last week, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe said his initial reaction to the new policy was whether such a measure has to be implemented immediately.
“If you are going to allow for Mexico and Canada, 2008, there’s no reason why the Caribbean should be rushed to comply with the full implementation just to ensure that they have the passports by January of next year. It’s a matter that I’m not sure is written in stone. I’m hoping that it’s not,” the Minister said.
“I don’t think that it’s a matter that is going to be resolved by us at this level.”
On Wednesday, The Bahamas Hotel Association said it has conveyed concerns on this matter to the Caribbean Hotel Association which is tackling the issue from a regional perspective and will coordinate efforts with the national hotel associations.
“We will be making every effort to extend the implementation date, albeit, we recognize that this will be a difficult task,” the Association said in its release.��”BHA members are encouraged to convey their concerns as well to the US Ambassador and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as any other individuals who they believe might influence the outcome of this decision.”
Also, as recommended at BHA’s Board of Directors meeting last week members are advised to begin to include information about the requirement in all appropriate communications to potential guests, assuming the policy will take effect January 1, 2006.
On its website, the Association says its primary objective is to do everything possible to promote, increase and regulate tourism through the cooperation, understanding and close association among hotel owners and operators in The Bahamas.
The association says it has particular responsibility to serve as the chief advocate on behalf of the interest of the hotel industry in its relations with the Government of The Bahamas and all its ministries, departments, agencies and officials.
By: Candia Dames, The Bahama Journal
