Violent crime and its impact on tourism in The Bahamas is an issue being carefully watched by the U.S. Embassy, Guardian Business has learned, as the country carries on from a blood-stained year. "There are concerns about crime," Alex Sokoloff, political and economics advisor for the embassy, told Guardian Business, "specifically violent crime and the extent to which it could become an issue for tourism.
If crime increases any more it could have a negative impact. We are certainly watching that with some concern." Adding that there are no "off-the-shelf" solutions, the U.S. advisor said he has been impressed with the leadership in The Bahamas and expressed confidence in its ability to deal with social issues. The embassy plans to continue its security, outreach and educational workshops this year. A new initiative, Sokoloff pointed out, is a special committee to address human trafficking.
As the third-largest source of illicit profits in the world, behind drugs and firearms, The Bahamas is not exempt from this scourge, he said. In fact, the country has received a rating indicating more work could be done by the government to stop it. He told Guardian Business various economic conditions, such as unemployment, were the driving force behind the crime wave.
The Bahamas broke crime records last year, most notably the murder rate which shot up to 127. "Hopefully it will improve in the coming year," he said. Focussing on the economies of the U.S. and The Bahamas, Sokoloff told Guardian Business initial indicators are looking quite positive. In the U.S., improved job growth and a drop in the unemployment rate have injected some renewed confidence in the economy, which should hopefully lead to more tourism arrivals for The Bahamas.
Sokoloff expects a "gradual if not dramatic improvement in the regional economy". Good management and economic diversification continue to be buzz words for this country, he told Guardian Business, and leaders should take the opportunity during down times to be innovative and try new things. He noted many promising signals concerning renewable energy in particular. In fact, the U.S. Embassy, he added, is now actively working with American companies and Bahamian stakeholders to spur more energy initiatives.
Bloom Energy, a firm based in Silicon Valley, came to Nassau last year to take part in a forum on energy efficiency in the tourism sector. Sokoloff said Bloom is expected back next month in an effort to explore options. "We invited Bloom and they said they would come. We'll be looking for opportunities in waste energy, for example, and we would like to play a leading role in organizing that."
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