Foreign owned charter boats are threatening local excursion businesses, charter operators claimed yesterday.
Charter fishing captains are questioning why four boats are operating offshore charters from the Nassau Harbour Club on East Bay Street.
While the boats have been registered and allowed to operate by the Port Department, the boat operators are complaining that the competition is a threat to their operations.
The captains said it is not fair for local charter operators to have to compete with a foreign business fro their livelihood.
“What happened to government’s policy for small businesses, especially charter fishing businesses in the Bahamas, being just for Bahamians? If this is no longer the policy then when did it change and who changed it?” they asked.
The operators pointed out that there is no way a Bahamian charter operator would be allowed to go to Florida or any US state and operate charters out of a marina there.
Source: The Tribune
