The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A leading private sector executive yesterday praised the introduction of on-line company incorporation services at the Registrar General’s Department as a “tremendous advancement”, and called for more government services to be offered electronically.

    Edison Sumner, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) chief executive, told Tribune Business: “We’re very pleased about this new development as it relates to e-government, and being able to access government forms on-line.

“When you talk about the ease of doing business, it’s not only regarding financial services. It appears that there was some particular focus on financial services in the announcement. This also affects those of us who are not in financial services, but who also are doing business in the country.

“We must consider all aspects of business. Financial services is an important aspect, but there are certainly other areas of business that require attention as well. Hopefully, we will see this year the Government paying more attention to industries other than financial services,” Mr Sumner added.

“When you look at the Ministry of Financial Servcies, there has been heavy focus on financial services, but it has not been as heavily focused on trade. We are looking to pursue and further deepen that relationship as it relates to trade.”

    Mr Sumner said the incorporation of companies entirely on-line will go “a long way” towards improving the ease of doing business in the Bahamas.

“We would like to see more government services  go the same route, where we can eliminate the need to go in these offices, have to wait for long periods of time and still not get business done,” he added.