Arawak Cay Shrugs Off Canada’s Travel Warning on the Bahamas

coro

29 December 2018 7:17am

Following warnings issued by the Canadian government and Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas this month on the safety of visitors at Fish Fry, Rodney Russell, president of the Arawak Cay Conch, Fish, Vegetable and Food Vendors Association asserted yesterday that the popular cultural village and string of restaurants is being unfairly targeted.

Speaking with Eyewitness News Online, Russell, the owner of Red Snapper, said Arawak Cay is safe and there have been no incidents in the last year that warrant advisories against visiting the area.

“It appears to me that the Anthem of the Seas’ advisory is an advisory coming from something that stems back from 2017 when there was a problem at the place called the Sand Trap,” said Russell, citing a shooting in November 2016 which prompted American officials to declare the St. Albans Drive nightspot off limits for their employees.

“Early in 2018, after the hurricane, we had some issues with lighting. I spoke with the government concerning the situation. Since then, our government has illuminated Arawak Cay.

“There is no problem in Arawak Cay.

“If there were problems in Arawak Cay, I would have known about it and the relevant authorities and I would have sat down to solve the problems.

“There are no problems at the Fish Fry or with our guests or our Bahamian visitors who frequent Arawak Cay.

“We understand tourism is our bread and butter and we look out particularly for our guests.

He added, “We have done everything possible in The Bahamas and at Arawak Cay to support our visitors and our guests. We are bending over backwards to make sure every visitor that visits The Bahamas enjoys themselves here at the Fish Fry.”

In a December 20 advisory, the Canadian government said visitors to should exercise a “high degree of caution in The Bahamas due to high rates of crimes, especially in Freeport and Nassau.”

It acknowledged the decrease in crime since the beginning of 2018, but said violent crimes persists.

It said armed robberies, burglaries, purse snatching, theft, fraud and sexual assaults were the most common crimes committed against travelers.

The travel warning also advised that robberies take place in cruise ship terminals and in and around popular resorts.

It recommended avoiding Over-the-Hill and Fish Fry/Arawak Cay, especially at night.

In a purported letter to guests dated December 26, Anthem of the Seas advised guests that Nassau has been experiencing an “increase in crime”.