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Old 31-03-2013, 16:39   #106
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

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People of the Bahamas in general are pissed at foreigners because they feel the British have deserted them after exploiting them. There is a lot of truth in that but then again they could have built an economic empire in paradise if they would have put their shoulders under it.

They are also not unique in that, nor in considering other nationalities as more of the same.
What they lost with the British, they seem to be makeing up for, with the Chinese...
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Old 31-03-2013, 16:55   #107
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

Sorry about your engine. Sorry about your troubles. I have read through all the posts with interest. Like CSY Man, I would have been inclined to attack the problem there. However, I do not know your time constraints or other limits that you might have regarding your cruise. Your problem with the locals could well harken back to using an outside service to give you a tow, even though you were not the ones who instigated the use, you appeared to be the source. There can be a lot of resentment built up over the years and then it boils over and it slopped on to you. That happens sometimes, you have to take it in stride and move on. As far as cruise ship's helping local economies, if you are a busboy, waitstaff, or hotel maid or work seasonal retail then yeah they boost the local minimum wage, to a point where most folks can just barely eek out a living, paying inflated rents and food because of the boosted local economy doesn't take into account the ones who can least afford the prices.
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Old 31-03-2013, 17:37   #108
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

Hi Jim,

I don't think I listed any nations that may do better or not than others, but I know what you mean. I guess it is about that "filter" I mentioned: those who are not good at it, don't get too far.

However, here in the Caribbean it is still pretty bad and the deportation I mentioned happened in Trinidad. It also has to do with formal colonial relationships etc., it's more complicated than it first seems.

ciao!
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Nick, somewhat to our surprise we have actually found that out here in the South Pacific (and Mexico before that) Americans seem to be better at dealing with third world folks than many other nation's cruisers. We've encountered arrogant and insensitive folks from many nations including all of those you mention.

In general, it seems that the farther one is from the nearest big marina, the more cosmopolitan, competent and considerate the cruising folks are. Perhaps this explains why we hear so many cases of Americans being poorly received in the Bahamas and other nearby island groups... too near home!

No quantitative data to back up our impressions, but that's how it looks to us!

Cheers,

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Old 01-04-2013, 03:58   #109
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

This whole thing is absolutely ridiculous.
Good thing this didn't happen in Bermuda... that would have been one hell of a tow.
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Old 01-04-2013, 04:32   #110
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

There is a Yanmar dealer in Nassau. There are surveyors in Nassau. The communications system is good. The language, English, is common to both countries. Why was there a need to have the vessel in the States to resolve the issue? This "problem" could easily have been averted by dealing with the engine issue in Nassau.

Now we have eight pages apparently trashing the Bahamas because of one silly experience. The trashing starts with the header.

Posted from beautiful Black Point in the Exumas.
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Old 01-04-2013, 06:16   #111
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There is a Yanmar dealer in Nassau. There are surveyors in Nassau. The communications system is good. The language, English, is common to both countries. Why was there a need to have the vessel in the States to resolve the issue? This "problem" could easily have been averted by dealing with the engine issue in Nassau.

Now we have eight pages apparently trashing the Bahamas because of one silly experience. The trashing starts with the header.

Posted from beautiful Black Point in the Exumas.
Just FYI if you read the full story...we worked with Marine Diesel (Yanmar) in Nassau and were very impressed with them. But our insurance wanted us home for diagnostics and if there is a chance that they will cover engine replacement (which is looking promising), then we were right to come home as they requested.

I blasted the extortionist, not the Bahamas. Most of the people we met were wonderful.

In any case, I think we've all beaten the topic in the ground. Time to move on.

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Old 01-04-2013, 06:36   #112
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

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Just FYI if you read the full story...we worked with Marine Diesel (Yanmar) in Nassau and were very impressed with them. But our insurance wanted us home for diagnostics and if there is a chance that they will cover engine replacement (which is looking promising), then we were right to come home as they requested.

I blasted the extortionist, not the Bahamas. Most of the people we met were wonderful.

In any case, I think we've all beaten the topic in the ground. Time to move on.

Three Sheets Out
I did read it all. If the insurer wanted you in the States let them arrange the tow. And, as stated by another poster earlier, what if you had been in Bermuda?
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Old 01-04-2013, 06:55   #113
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I did read it all. If the insurer wanted you in the States let them arrange the tow. And, as stated by another poster earlier, what if you had been in Bermuda?
Sigh. Ok I will respond one more time. All we did was file a claim. Insurance arranged the tow as part of our policy coverage. We wanted to take advantage of the tow because at the time, it seemed the fastest route home. I have no clue what would've happened anywhere else, but that's a moot point really.
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Old 01-04-2013, 07:02   #114
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

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Sigh. Ok I will respond one more time. All we did was file a claim. Insurance arranged the tow as part of our policy coverage. We wanted to take advantage of the tow because at the time, it seemed the fastest route home. I have no clue what would've happened anywhere else, but that's a moot point really.
My point is if insurance arranged the tow let them deal with it. Not your responsibility.
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Old 01-04-2013, 07:02   #115
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

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Sigh.
Understanding seems to be the issue..
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Old 01-04-2013, 07:03   #116
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

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My point is if insurance arranged the tow let them deal with it. Not your responsibility.
They did as said before..
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Old 01-04-2013, 07:08   #117
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

Again there was no need for you to go to the authorities etc. etc. Let the insurer do it all. It may be that your approach exacerbated the situation. Let the insurer arrange for a tow that would not conflict with Bahamian regulations.
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Old 01-04-2013, 07:21   #118
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Thumbs up Re: Extortion in Nassau

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I would also love to hear a statement from the Bahamanian search and rescue folks about whether the individual mentioned in this thread represents them, and about their organization generally; its abilities and limitations, how it fits in to the local scene, how they are supported, what cruisers should expect.
Yes, as would I.

I emailed BASRA a couple days about this, and asked them for some input... I gave a link to this thread. Sadly, there has not been a reply to my email yet (I offered to post to the thread for them if they did not want to register).

Will update when / if I hear anything.... The Bahamas has a long weekend for Easter, most businesses are closed here today so maybe someone will get back to me sometime after tomorrow.
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Old 01-04-2013, 09:05   #119
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

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I did read it all.
SNIP
Your comments would indicate otherwise.

Three Sheets has posted several times most of the folks she met were great. The real problem seems to be the guy (his name was posted but I forget it) who claimed to be BASRA official and who also seemed to have some type of insider relationship with a customs official. My take was the guy was a private tow service employee wearing a BASRA shirt who got a hot tip from customs and tried to get a job with an inflated price using the justification that the insurance company would pay for it so the Three Sheets folks should not care.

It is good to see there are folks who are trying to get an official response from the real BASRA. Same goes from trying to get an official response from the dept of tourism, or whatever it is called in the Bahamas.

Whatever anyone things about the seamanship abilities of Three Sheets or their choice of fixing things here or there the bottom line is that this is a black eye for the Bahamas if there is not an official rebuke of the guy who claimed he was the only option for towing.
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Old 01-04-2013, 09:06   #120
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Re: Extortion in Nassau

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Rich white Americans in their big yacht, appalled that the filthy peasants would try to make a buck off the insurance company!


I see you've eaten a steady diet of WHITE GUILT in your life. Who in this blog, other than you, mentioned anything about skin color being the reason for the problem? This is really a ridiculous comment and inappropriate for this discussion.
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