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CAR DEALERS SUFFER $75M REVENUE HIT

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Bahamas Motor Dealers Association (BMDA) members saw their collective sales revenues fall by more than $75 million over the first 10 months of the years between 2009-2011, one dealer suggested yesterday, although

$500M REVENUE RISE NO FISCAL GAP BRIDGE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Government's annual fiscal deficit averaged more than $170 million during the 2002-2008 'economic boom' years despite an almost $500 million rise in revenues over that period, showing that reining in out-of-co

'Little chance' to lower high debt, bad loan levels

The Central Bank of the Bahamas has admitted the current economic climate provides "little opportunity" to reduce high consumer debt and loan delinquency levels, with only 'qualified borrowers' able to access credit.

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Gov't 'good faith' key to Brewery's 100-job growth

Sands Beer’s manufacturer yesterday said its planned $15 million growth strategy, which could more than double its workforce via the creation of “over 100” jobs in the next five-10 years, depends on the Government maintaining the ‘tax advantage’ it holds over its BISX-listed rival.

IDB to combat 'stodgy' image

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Inter-American Development Bank's (IDB) country representative yesterday pledged to reach out more effectively to the Bahamian private sector, admitting that the institution was perceived as "too stodgy and bu

'CATASTROPHE' WARNING OVER INDUSTRIAL UNREST

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Widespread labour-related disruption "could be catastrophic" for an already-weak Bahamian economy, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation's (BCCEC) chairman yesterday warning that this was "po

'Aggressive' insurer targets the Bahamas

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor An "aggressive" St Maarten-headquartered underwriter has caused a stir in the Bahamian general insurance market after obtaining regulatory approval to write business in this nation, Tribune Business can reveal, a

FIRSTCARIB MARKET CAP SHRINKS 44% DURING RECESSION

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) has seen its market capitalisation plummet by 44.4 per cent since the recession started, its 2011 annual report disclosing that return on equity (RoE) had also drop

FIRSTCARIB MARKET CAP SHRINKS 44% DURING RECESSION

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) has seen its market capitalisation plummet by 44.4 per cent since the recession started, its 2011 annual report disclosing that return on equity (RoE) had also drop

FIRSTCARIB MARKET CAP SHRINKS 44% DURING RECESSION

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) has seen its market capitalisation plummet by 44.4 per cent since the recession started, its 2011 annual report disclosing that return on equity (RoE) had also drop

$10M SOCIAL SECURITY REFORMS 'FIRST OF THEIR KIND' IN CARIBBEAN

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Bahamas' proposed $10 million social security reform initiative is a 'first-of-its-kind' in the Caribbean, as it will tie welfare payments to "improving human capital" through better educational achievement fo

FEEDBACK FROM THE FIRM'S KING

By Ian Ferguson We agree that a stronger focus on our customers enhances our ability to grow and expand our businesses, and to deepen our ability to maximise customer satisfaction. We say often that the customer is 'KING', and that they are the driving f

Engineers chief: Our growth is being ‘stymied’

The Bahamas Society of Engineers (BSE) president yesterday bemoaned how local professionals were frequently being ‘frozen out’ of foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, with work “never touching our soil”.

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800 job applications for new mobile player

Cable Bahamas had received around 800 applications for jobs with the nation's second mobile provider by end-last week, it was revealed yesterday, and is confident the new operator can beat its financial targets.

Tax break may help 41,000 homeowners

Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday said more than 41,000 homeowners could benefit from the Government’s decision to waive real property tax arrears for owner-occupied homes valued at less than $250,000.

Banks to ‘double’ VAT recovery.... to just 10%

The Bahamian banking industry is hopeful it might be able to recover ‘double’ the amount of Value-Added Tax (VAT) inputs than previously thought, as one institution yesterday revealed its total tax burden will increase by $6-$7 million in two years.

Skills transfer woe still a ‘sad reality’

The Bahamas must change “the sad reality” that key skills and knowledge are not being passed on to local workers by expatriate work permit holders, a prominent contractor argued yesterday.

Trade deficit narrows 9.7%

The Bahamas experienced a 9.7 per cent drop in its trade deficit to $2.554 billion in 2013, largely due to an almost-$300 million fall in its import bill.

FNM deputy fears ‘bubble pop’ over infrastructure spend

The Government’s lack of investment in infrastructure will be “a bubble that pops” on the next administration, the Opposition’s finance spokesman warned yesterday, adding that this was contrary to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) advice.

Competition fears on Super Value's City Markets 'deal'

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Rival food retailers have voiced fears that allowing Super Value to acquire City Markets' remaining stores would create a "virtual monopoly" in the New Providence supermarket business, with an estimated 60-80 per