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Ex-Hard Rock franchisee queries transfer to ex-MP

Hard Rock Cafe's former Nassau franchisee has questioned why the business was so readily handed to its Bahamian landlord, when a decade earlier he had been "forced" to pay $1 million to end their partnership.

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$600m Sarkis claims branded 'hogwash'

An ex-Baha Mar director has slammed as "hogwash" claims that Sarkis Izmirlian lacked the $600 million financing needed to complete the project, accusing the Government of "playing the blame game".

Revived Mortgage Plan may assist ‘over 1,000’

The Government yesterday unveiled a revised Mortgage Relief Plan it believes could assist “upwards of 1,000 delinquent borrowers”, via a 20-25 per cent cut to monthly loan payments.

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.

Gov’t plans to narrow VAT payment window

The Government yesterday unveiled plans to shrink the Value-Added Tax (VAT) payment window by seven days, and other revenue enforcement measures, amid the numerous tariff rate cuts consistent with a pre-election Budget.

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'Madness': 90% of loan requests are consumer

The Bahamas' consumer loan "madness" is making sustainable economic development impossible, as more than nine out of every 10 credit applications fall into this category.

GB Power seeks ‘unique’ energy storage solution

Grand Bahama Power Company is planning to launch a tender for energy storage technology that is “maybe unique to the world”, in a move that could reduce operating time for at least two generation units.

Airport increases US bridge capacity 50%

Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) is predicting that passenger numbers will grow by 2.4 per cent for the year to end-June 2016, as it moves to increase bridge capacity for US carriers by 50 per cent.

Freeport losing investment since climate 'up in the air'

Freeport's largest investor has confirmed that nine-figure investments have been delayed because the Government has left the city's expiring tax incentives "up in the air".

Bahamas breaks global standards with jet fuel tax

The Bahamas is breaching international standards by levying 7 per cent import duty on jet fuel, warns a report produced for the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Developer seeks $10m in new equity finance

The developers behind Eleuthera’s French Leave Resort and Marina yesterday said they were “cautiously optimistic” about securing an additional $10 million in equity financing to fund the build-out of 20 more villas.

Freeport consultation ‘a matter of survival’

The negotiations over Freeport’s expiring tax breaks are “very much a matter of survival” for the Grand Bahama Port Authority’s (GBPA) 3,500 licensees, an outspoken QC arguing that these incentives are among the few “not completely breached” yet.

BTC profits slump 26.4%

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) suffered a 26.4 per cent profits slump for the year to end-March 2015, as its revenues and staffing levels came under pressure in the run-up to mobile liberalisation.

‘Wonderful opportunity’ for Long Island revival

The resolution to a 10-year dispute over Long Island’s one-time largest employer presents “a wonderful opportunity” to revive the island’s economy, its MP yesterday describing the surrounding area as “ghost town”.

Court: ‘No deal’ for 25,000 acre property

An $11.5 million deal to purchase the 25,000 acre property that was once Long Island’s largest employer cannot be concluded because there was never “an enforceable sales contract”, the Privy Council ruled yesterday.

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Wilson: Ingraham responsible for Sth. Eleuthera’s ‘demise’

The developer adjacent to a newly-announced $100 million resort project believes they will together make Cotton Bay “the Caribbean’s premier destination”, as he blasted former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham for decisions that caused South Eleuthera’s “demise”.

Bahamas ‘falls off map’ on Caribbean hospitality lending

The Bahamas has ‘dropped off the map’ among traditional bank lenders to the hotel/tourism industry, with this nation failing to feature among the top 10 Caribbean destinations for new lending.

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BEC managerial talks start today

The Government will today begin negotiations with PowerSecure International over the five-year Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) management contract, amid pledges that the deal will be overseen by “a non-partisan” Board.

BEC manager-elect slams 'fraud by hindsight' claim

The Bahamas Electricity Corporation's (BEC) prospective manager has dismissed as "fraud by hindsight" claims that it artificially inflated its stock price prior to a one-day wipe-out that erased $250 million in shareholder value.

Local dive operators reject foreign ‘double tax’ offer

A foreign dive operator’s offer to pay double the legal charter fee has been rejected by his top Bahamian counterparts, who argue that this sum pales against the “30 per cent or more of revenue” that they pay in taxes.