PPIL chair: 60 to 70 percent vaccination for tourism to bounce back

Chairman of Public Private Investment Ltd. (PPIL) Dr. Nigel Lewis told Guardian Business yesterday that the return of tourism revolves around the COVID-19 vaccine, adding that getting 60 to 70 percent of the Bahamian population vaccinated would be a good starting point for the country’s number one industry.

PPIL signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the operation and management of designated heritage sites in New Providence in April, 2019. The company is depending on the return of tourism in earnest to the country, which Lewis is confident could begin by the third quarter of this year.

“We would really like to brag that The Bahamas can become COVID-19 free,” said Lewis.

“Quite a number of Bahamians have a negative opinion about utilizing the vaccine, I believe it should be done. We need the public to be healthy in order to bring tourism back.”

While the pandemic has presented some setbacks for PPIL, Lewis explained that it has given the company a chance to more deeply evaluate the historic sites that it will manage.

“One of the things which has happened is that with COVID-19, it has given us a chance to complete whatever planning we were doing and so we are now fully prepared,” said Lewis.

“At the same time, it has given us a real opportunity to look at what is gong on with the structures that we are going to be managing and determine how and what we want to do with them. I think we know where we want to go and how to get there.”

Lewis said the project remains fully funded and the company will likely start with the refurbishment of the water tower at Fort Fincastle.

He explained that conversations with the cruise lines have revealed that they would like to see the redevelopment of historical areas begin with adequate security, cleanliness and toilet facilities.

According to Lewis, there are many opportunities for the Fort Fincastle area and down into Mason’s Addition.

“Even though the water tower is one of the most viewed or visited sites in the Caribbean, it truly needs work and we’ve promised that it is going to be one of the first things that we attack,” Lewis said.

“There is no good reason why for almost 30 years there has been this abject neglect of that structure. It is such a majestic structure to be allowed to degenerate the way it has been.”

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/ppil-chair-60-to-70-percent-vaccination-for-tourism-to-bounce-back/