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FNM chair: VAT health claims change ‘insane’
The FNM’s chairman yesterday branded the proposal to change the VAT treatment of health insurance claims as “absurd, insane and inane”, warning that it will “destroy” the medical sector if implemented as originally planned.
Sir Franklyn ‘surprised’ at hint margin talks ending
FOCOL’s chairman says he is “surprised” that Bahamian petroleum retailers indicated negotiations over a margin increase had ended because talks were ongoing at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday.
December air arrivals up 13% on pre-COVID
Stopover visitors for December 2022, which included the peak Christmas and New Year's tourism period, more than doubled year-over-year to beat the industry's pre-COVID performance by almost 13 percent.
Gas station operator’s relief faith ‘now 120%’
A gas station operator yesterday said his faith was now “120 percent” restored over the Government’s intention to provide relief for the sector’s plight following Monday’s meeting with the Prime Minister.
Gardiner, Charlton open outdoor seasons with wins
It was a big outdoor season opener for World and Olympic champion Steven Gardiner at the 17th Annual Spring Break Classic in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
BASRA appeals for duty exemption on boating safety equipment
AFTER seeing so many lives needlessly lost at sea, a Grand Bahama BASRA official is calling on government to allow for safety equipment to be imported duty free for Bahamian boaters.
DIANE PHILLIPS: The mystery of the missing medical test
THERE must be a million medical tests out there. You can check your blood type, heart rate, hearing loss, even your vestibular, whatever that is.
Eric Wiberg: Wives and bases
THE build-up of New Providence into the hub of all South Atlantic air deliveries to the Allies in Africa, the Mediterranean, Middle and Far East was sudden, yet the nation’s air hub was built as Windsor Field for the RAF Ferry Command, and to support the RAF Transport Command, the No 113 Transport Wing instructors who trained over 7,000 students for the front, and to deliver over 9,000 aircraft to Africa.
DIANE PHILLIPS: Curing PMH’s ills one blanket at a time
How do you fix a problem that costs 20 times more to run than the revenue it generates?
PRINCESS Margaret Hospital is in poor financial health. And that is being kind.
EDITORIAL: Is taxation the solution to our sins?
IT appears the government plans to make us pay for our sins – literally.
Texas A&M Aggies capture inaugural Island Relays
GRAND Bahama — Veteran coach Pat Henry remembers his last trip to The Bahamas in October to participate in the homegoing service for his former Olympic sprinter Shavez Hart. This time, he was in a more celebratory mood as his Texas A&M Aggies captured the inaugural Island Relays over the weekend.
Gas stations seek ‘pennies on gallon for liveable wage’
Bahamian petroleum retailers yesterday revealed they are seeking a “pennies on the gallon” margin increase equal to 7 percent of the landed cost of fuel to achieve their version of a “ liveable wage”.
BPRA says 'stay tuned' as gas retailers soon to take action
MEMBERS of the Bahamas Petroleum Retailers Association (BPRA) say they intend to soon take action to get government’s attention to their cries for a long-awaited margin increase, arguing that they can no longer afford to operate on the current margin regime due to increasing costs.
Oban revival dismissed despite $2.5bn plans
Talk of reviving the $5.5bn Oban Energies oil refinery deal has been dismissed as “foolishness” by the Prime Minister’s spokesperson although an “introductory call” was held with the project’s new owners soon after the 2021 election.
January visitor numbers up 166 percent over last year’s figures
NEARLY one million visitors arrived in The Bahamas in January, representing a 166 percent increase when compared to the same period last year, Tourism Minister Chester Cooper revealed in the House of Assembly yesterday.
Nassau/PI resorts enjoy 112% room revenue rise
Leading Nassau/Paradise Island resorts have revealed that 2022’s room revenue more than doubled year-over-year as the industry benefited from the post-COVID travel rebound.
Air arrivals 100,000 off pre-COVID in ‘22
Air arrivals to The Bahamas in 2022 fell just 100,000 short of the 1.6m received in 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that shut tourism down for much of 2020 and 2021, it was revealed yesterday.
Gas station dealers mulling shut down
Gas station dealers are mulling a sector-wide shutdown this month amid growing concern about the ability of the industry’s fixed price controlled-margins business model to cope with a variety of cost increases.
January tourists beat 2019 arrivals by 33%
The Deputy Prime Minister yesterday said January 2023’s tourism arrivals were some 210,000 ahead of comparatives from 2019’s “banner year” as The Bahamas bids to “meet or exceed” 20 percent growth targets.
Gov’ts Central Bank debt soars 85% on IMF SDRs
The Government’s controversial borrowing of IMF special drawing rights (SDRs) reversed five years of decline by causing its net debt to the Central Bank to soar by 85.4 percent to $805.6m.
