University of Virginia Library

Come On Down

A communication we received from the
Minister of Tourism and Telecommunications
listed six regulations of "special pertinence to
young people everywhere." These pertinent
regulations say in effect: don't bring any
drugs, don't think you are going to get away
with sleeping on the beach, don't bring any
guns with you, make sure you have $3 to pay
the departure tax when you leave, don't think
you can live off fish caught by spear fishing,
and don't think you will be able to cash a
check in the Bahamas.

Evidently the good people in the Ministry
of Tourism and Telecommunications are a bit
paranoid about college students. Their view of
students as pot smoking, beach sleeping, gun
toting spear fishers seems misguided. They
must have been listening to Spiro Agnew too
much.

The message of the Ministry comes
through strong though. If you plan to go to
the Bahamas bring cash and prepare to spend
it. Students who go down and do not
contribute to the economy are of no use to
the Bahamas.

The Ministry concludes by saying that
they want students to "enjoy our lovely land
as a top resort — not as a last resort." Things
must have been much easier when all the
Ministry had to worry about was a little beach
blanket bingo.

The cold of February is behind us, and
March has entered as a lamb instead of the
proverbial lion, which leads us to draw two
conclusions: first, the groundhog was wrong
again, and second, spring vacation is not very
far ahead.

It seems that the Ministry of Tourism of
the Bahamas agrees with us in our latter
conclusion, and they have issued their annual
invitation to college students to spend their
spring vacations in the Bahamas soaking up
the sunshine, spending money, enjoying the
tropical beauty, and spending money.