Everyday we read or hear about all the great developments (hotels, businesses, etc.) that are anticipated for Freeport, but until something is done or someone addresses the problem of customer service, these projects will ultimately fail or leave like many others have done in the past. Look at what has happened with the cruise lines, everyone's celebrating the return of RCL, but we've lost several (Disney, Carnival, etc.) in the process. Why? Mainly because of poor customer service. This begins with the first people most of the tourist meet when they step off the plane or boat, Customs, Immigration and the transportation people (taxi drivers, tour operators, etc).... you know what they say about first impressions. If this poor attitude and lack of training continues with people working in the service industry, then Freeport will continue in its economic spiral..... it'll only be a matter of time before RCL pulls out too.

By the way, the "automatic" 15% gratuity that the writer talks about is actually not an obligation to pay; there is nothing in the law that states that a 15% gratuity should be added to the bill. This is something that was established by the hotel unions as a service tax for its members working in the service areas of the hotels (restaurants, housekeeping, etc.). As customer's we have the right to refuse to pay the 15% gratuity.

Remember, there are a lot more places in the Caribbean that are more welcoming than Freeport is in its present state (Turks & Caicos, Dominican Republic, etc.)

There has to be a change in attitude before anything else will change.

R.E.M.

What we really need are some radio ads telling the young men that “its time to cover up or DIE” and the young women that “ without protection… along with a cute baby can come a slow death…for both of them from AIDS! 

A few years ago there was a local TV ad campaign ongoing and lots of talk and posters about AIDS. Now all I hear about is the Ball. There was a very interesting art exhibit at the Nature Center last week with the Bahamas AIDS quilt and AIDS paintings by a wonderful Bahamian artist, Antonius Roberts…. very poorly attended. I sincerely hope that the high school kids were bused over to see it, but I doubt it. On top of that, there was no jar for donations set up at the exhibit! A small thing but come on! I would have written a cheque.

We worry about crime in this country and it seems that most of it these days directly involves the youth. Well, we wont have to worry about that for long when the majority of them develop AIDS and die before they become adults. It is time for hard facts and hard language out there on the streets about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. They watch it on TV and like it in the music videos…well, give it back to them.

Why doesn’t the Committee take some of this “building money” and ask Beyonce Knowles (of Bahamian heritage) if she would donate her time to make a video information ad for AIDS AWARENESS in the Bahamas , I am sure our children would listen to her!!!

MUDDASICK!!!!!

K. Taylor

Much to our dismay, the server was EXTREMELY rude when we sat down and placed our order. My mother always taught me to use the old rule of "“kill 'em with kindness”" and so I just kept on smiling. She obviously had a bad night or perhaps a bad customer earlier, but this had nothing to do with me or our group. I continued to smile even though she was being rude and ordered my drink. Again her reply to me was impolite when advising me that they no longer had the type of drink I wanted. I just continued to smile and ordered something else. The group I was with was stunned by the performance of this server and a few even said something. The worst thing about this was that the owner was standing about 4 feet away and saw this conduct and let it go on. Finally another server (much more polite) came and took care of us.