Opposition Leader Philip Davis yesterday raised  a major concern in the House of Assembly  over watercraft operators in the country. 

Mr. Davis asked Transport Minister Renward Wells if the moratorium has been recently lifted from the licensing of jet skis. 

Vice President of the Cable Beach Water Sports Association Pedro Bannister last week expressed concerns of the Baha Mar Resort renting watercrafts to their guests – an activity that poses a major threat to small businesses in an industry supposedly reserved for Bahamians.

A peeved Minister Wells reiterated that no license has been issued to the resort or any foreign direct investor, assuring that watercraft licenses are indeed solely reserved for Bahamians.

He said, “Baha Mar has no jet ski licenses, or any licenses to engage in the water sports business in this country. There are a number of Bahamian companies who are involved in the watersports business on Cable Beach.

“One of those companies happen to be a Bahamian company called Jet Surf. You can go online and see the products offered by this international brand of which a local Bahamian has engaged with that business abroad, and has offered those pieces of equipment for watersports to our touristic visitors.” 

Mr. Wells  added that his ministry has issued licenses for Jet Surf for two pieces of equipment for the watersports company. 

These apparatuses were thought of by the Opposition as jet skis, where licenses were placed on moratorium several years ago. 

In this regard, the Transport Minister said, “There’s been no lifting of the jet ski moratorium, but I will say to those engaged in the watersports business that this Cabinet  is  in discussions and will be in discussions about their business. We will be back very soon on the request that has been made from Cable Beach who say that they were promised licenses by the former administration or, the return of their licenses that they had when they were at Nassau Beach. A number of them that they have not yet received.”

The Minister  promised to investigate the matter. 

 If that is the case, Mr. Wells said the Cabinet will be looking into ways in which they can ameliorate  the situation.