By Keisha Lynne Ellis
THE 1960s and 70s were a revolutionary epoch for the “New World”, and during this time a number of Caribbean countries gained independence. Unfortunately many of these countries, specifically The Bahamas, have kept themselves yoked to imperialist ideology by the tourism industry. During its march to independence, The Bahamas fought for the opportunity to develop its economy and national identity without the control of foreigners. However, the tourist industry is in direct contradiction to these goals.
Though majority rule did not remove all the obstacles hindering the black population, it put many people in a new position to take advantage of opportunities which they were previously denied. According to the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), only when fully independent could the Bahamian people truly live in an environment of equal political and economic opportunity. In his 1966 address to the United Nations, Sir Randal Fawkes said that colonialism kept The Bahamas in a position of stunted growth. He and the PLP were of the conviction that until The Bahamas was a sovereign state, social, economic, and cultural development would be at a standstill. We were a nation hungry for autonomy and an opportunity to develop ourselves as Bahamians. We were eager to build and nourish an identity for ourselves that was consistent with our history and experience. This could not be done while still a colony.
On July 10, 1973 the Union Jack was lowered and the aquamarine, gold and black of the Bahamian flag fluttered over the new country: The Commonwealth of the Bahamas. As citizens of a sovereign state, Bahamians could set off on the task of nurturing an ailing national identity and equalising a warped economy. The independent Bahamas envisioned by the men we call our Founding Fathers was one populated by a proud people aware of their history and who they were as a nation. This new Bahamas would be governed by Bahamians according to the social and economic needs of Bahamians. With black Bahamians at the helm, the new nation began its voyage toward its ideals. It failed, however, to pull the anchor of tourism.
The tourism industry (and consequently the Bahamian economy) is not firmly in the hands of the Bahamian people. It is not something that may be held, moulded, or controlled to any significant extent other than by allowing major foreign investors to make themselves at home in the country . The Bahamian government finds tourism as something to be coaxed, coddled, and appeased through tax incentives to developers and special concessions to visitors. As a result, leaders tend to make decisions that benefit the foreigner over the citizens.
The parties with the most control over the Caribbean tourism industry are the airlines, tour operators and hoteliers, however it is critical to note that most of these organizations operate from outside of the region. Dependence on an industry that rests in the hands of foreign parties is a far cry from the economic autonomy that the leaders of the Bahamian independence movement called for. The institution of tourism is a projection of the imperialist ideals and agenda that have dominated the social and economic development of The Bahamas since Columbus.
The tourism industry at the time of independence was an industry profitable to only a small group. Today the Bahamian economy is as dependent (if not more so) on tourism as it was during the rule of the United Bahamian Party (UBP) and though the industry has grown in scope it rests on the same foundations of wealth extraction as it did at its beginning. The Bahamas has traded colonialism for nothing more than neo-colonialism.♦bf
About the Author: Keisha Lynne Ellis writes critical essays, fiction and poetry. She has a Master’s degree in International Political Economy.
July 14th, 2010 at 11:47 am
Very interesting point of view. However as British subjects, ‘oops’, I mean people of the Bahamas, we are struggling with self actualization; which determines our self worth, self esteem and self concept to believe that we can own and operate major corporations. We have been convinced that our (black Bahamians) beginning started on the voyage on the slave ships to the Western hemisphere. Is there a beginning before that, I will like to know? Until then we feel good working for the man!
July 14th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
“The parties with the most control over the Caribbean tourism industry are the airlines, tour operators and hoteliers.”-K.L Ellis.
I for one cannot agree more. For a long time, I have always been proud that St.Lucia, the only home I have ever known did not resemble the experience of mass tourism exhibited in the Bahamas, that we very well had our niche as a more exclusive kind of paradise. But whereas you Bahamians may have the masses of tourist from the gamut of “classes”, we in St.Lucia are no different at the end of the day. We tend to get the worst kind, the ones with all the money in the world to build home or have the balls to find means and ways of doing so and still have the audacity to demand “Charmin-like quality toilet paper” because the ones we produce on our own soil is not “good enough”. Granted I was very young when that kind of thing made headline news, but even in my secondary school years, I felt there was something wrong with this need to be”coaxed, coddled, and appeased” in all types of fashions and forms. We may need the tourism dollar, but we sure as hell don’t need tourists if that’s the way economics must be had. This is absolutely ridiculous indeed Ms. Ellis and I am very glad to know that I am not the only crazy person on this planet who believes this as colonialism in “new dress”- neocolonialism as it is called. Self actualization is indeed important in getting to that point as previous commentor stated, because I believe its the surest way to get people on board to revolution, to a cry for self-determination form African peoples everywhere. “The Beginning” before the salve ships made their voyages are the stories that should be taught to children from as early as kindergarten, all the way up through secondary school. We cannot afford to be discovering ourselves in our twenties and thirties and beyond. This is sickening to think we’ve managed so long without demanding to know “who we are”….and so it is up to all of us to aid the campaign in whatever form we can. Start with the children, continue with the children and we’ll meet the adults where they are. African Philosophy is a must. Teaching women that they are matriarchs, queens and empresses are a must. “The hands that rock the cradle rules the world” and let’s support our men. We must dismantle these imperialist strongholds and tourism is definitely a might one, when for so many women and men, is the only way to put bread and butter on the table. Thank you so much for sharing. Look forward to your other posts.Uhuru- to all my African (Caribbean) family-Freedom to all. Let’s wake up.Wake up. Wake up!