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THURSDAY, JULY 3, 2025
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Dominican food import deal ‘slap in farmers’ faces’ • Regulators approve six products from Caribbean neighbour • Minister says announcement ‘premature’; no deal is signed • Trade chief confirms part of strategy to combat cost of living By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN agricultural entrepreneur yesterday branded the Government’s move to expand food imports from the Dominican Republic as “a slap in the face to our farmers”. Caron Shepherd, the Bahamas Agro BARRY GRIFFIN Entrepreneurs Group’s president, told Tribune Business it was “heart-breaking” to the industry and especially veteran farmers after it emerged that Bahamian regulators have approved six agricultural products - bitter orange, pineapple, lime, avocado, banana, and plantain - for CARON SHEPHERD importation from the Dominican Republic. Challenging why The Bahamas is spending money that could be invested in increasing production from its own farmers on expanding food imports instead, she argued that the move contradicts the Government’s stated policy goals of greater domestic output and enhanced food security - particularly since most of those six targeted products can be grown here.
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$1.5bn Bahamas ‘treasure maps illegally exploited’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
• Explorer’s nemesis hails ‘new Bahamas venture’ AN underwater explorer is voicing fears that its $5m • Island Luck co-founder investment in creating “treassays ‘Mr Fox’ is not me ure maps” of The Bahamas is already being “illegally” exploited by an ex-contractor • Contractor claims forced to locate “in excess of $1.5bn in riches”. out of The Bahamas Carl Allen, owner of Walker’s Cay, and his Allen Exploration Group (AEG), are alleging they have obtained evidence showing Dan Porter is using their proprietary data and mapping to launch “an incredible new venture” exploring for treasure and historical artifacts that can be recovered from shipwrecks in Bahamian waters. The multi-millionaire, in filings with the North Texas federal court, disclosed a February 12, 2025, notice issued to investors in Mr Porter’s
company, Maritime Research & Recovery, in which the latter discloses that he is “in the final stages” of sealing an agreement with “Mr Fox of Long Island, Bahamas”, who has purportedly secured a exploration licence from the Government. ‘Mr Fox’s’ full identity is not disclosed in the court papers, but Adrian Fox, the Island Luck co-founder and Fox Group of Companies president and founder, told Tribune Business it is not
him. “I have not been granted any licence and I don’t know anything about this,” he said in response to this newspaper’s inquiries. Mr Porter, in the update to his investors describing “exciting news”, wrote: “A new exploration licence has been officially granted to Mr Fox of Long Island, Bahamas, setting the stage for an incredible new venture. I have been deeply involved in the design of the licensed area and have worked closely with the team
to support them throughout this process. “This region holds multiple high value targets, and we are strategically preparing to begin exploration efforts. Additionally, we are in the final stages of completing our agreement with Mr Fox and his team to establish a strong and mutually respectful working relationship that will ensure the success of this endeavour. “We have already finalised and tested the recordation system, ensuring seamless tracking data. The database for Mr Fox’s operations is complete, and we have successfully integrated the designated search areas into our software. With remote sensing data acquisition surveys about to begin, this project is officially ready for launch.” Mr Allen and his company alleged in documents
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Marinas chief: ‘Looks like in COVID again’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net OPPOSITION to the new and increased boating fees has sparked multiple online petitions with the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) chief yesterday saying: “It looks like we’re in COVID again.” Peter Maury told Tribune Business that the Bahamian marina industry is expecting this week’s July 4 US
independence weekend to “be pretty much a bust” due to the ongoing confusion, uncertainty and fall-out from the increased ‘temporary’ cruising permit fees, and new fishing permit and anchorage fees, that went into effect this Tuesday. He added that marinas, and visiting boaters, have had to deal with “the normal confusion” over the changes as one vessel with six persons aboard was charged $500 plus a $50 attendance fee by
Customs. Under the Customs Management (Amendment) Regulations 2025, only three of those persons should have been charged a $30 per head passenger tax making for a total of $90, while the Customs and Immigration fees are supposed to be incorporated into the temporary cruising permit fee. The ABM chief spoke after several online petitions emerged in response to the negative boating community reaction to the fees and other
PETER MAURY reforms. One, called ‘Save our Bahamas’ maritime industry, had gained 297 signatures as this newspaper went to press last night.
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Court frees vessel seized in undercover fish probe By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A FOREIGN vessel, seized in an undercover operation involving multiple Bahamian and US agencies for alleged fisheries law violations, has been freed by the Supreme Court in return for a $100,000 bond. Justice Andrew Forbes, in a July 1, 2025, verdict, ordered that Highly Migratory, a sports fishing vessel, be released to its owner, self-described Florida businessman Mark Tsurkis, once he pays a security or guarantee equal to the maximum $100,000 fine that can be imposed if the vessel and its occupants are ultimately
found guilty of the claimed breaches. Noting that the boat is purportedly valued at $750,000, and that it is costing the Government $3,000 per month to store it at Grand Bahama-based Bradford Marine, the judge signalled that the vessel’s release from detention made commercial and financial sense. And, besides having to lodge a bond ten times’ higher than the $10,000 security he had suggested, Mr Tsurkis was also ordered to pay $20,445 - representing five months’ worth of storage fees - to Bradford Marine and cover all costs involved in recovering the
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Aviation chief: ‘Everyone wins’ on pilot exam deal By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamian aviation regulator’s chairman yesterday asserted that “everyone wins” in the settlement reached over an exam some feared would spark a pilot shortage and damage the industry. Devard Francis, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas’ Board, told Tribune Business that the agreement reached over the ‘air law’ exam that must be sat by all Bahamian pilots had ended potential “acrimony” with both sides largely achieving their objectives.
For while the regulator has succeeded in upholding the exam, and the need for airmen to sit and pass it, the industry - led by the Bahamas Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (BAOPA), and its estimated 100-strong members - succeeded in adjusting its content to be more Bahamian-focused, as well as gaining extra time to study and prepare for what will now be an ‘open book’ exam. “We’re definitely satisfied,” Mr Francis told this newspaper of the outcome. “We’re happy we got it resolved. We didn’t want to see any acrimony with
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