Black Point and Staniel Cay plagued by power outages
FREQUENT power outages on Black Point and Staniel Cay in the Exumas are wreaking havoc on commerce and are reducing the quality of life for the residents there, according to the area MP.
Union of Central Bankers members walk off the job
MEMBERS of the Union of Central Bankers walked off the job yesterday citing unresolved grievances with management.
Marvin Dames has ‘every confidence’ on policing of new measures for fully vaccinated
MINISTER of National Security Marvin Dames said yesterday he has “every confidence” law enforcement agencies will be ready to police any new measures for fully vaccinated people once implemented.
Equinor progress on Grand Bahama oil spill
ACTIVIST Joseph Darville is pleased with the efforts being made by Equinor to clean up the oil spill in East Grand Bahama, but has indicated there is still lots of remediation work to be done.
Hopes for completion of $1.8m Abaco Centre and shelter by summer’s end
MONTHS after government officials broke ground for a $1.8m community centre and hurricane shelter in Abaco, State Minister for Disaster Preparedness Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe said construction work has officially started on the project, with officials hoping for completion before the summer’s end.
Scrap metal site fire still burning, but contained
A FIRE which started at a scrap metal site on Monday night has been contained, police said.
Inflation ‘significant’ threat to post-COVID recovery
Rising inflation poses “a very significant” threat to the speed and strength of The Bahamas’ post-COVID economic revival, a prominent economist warned yesterday, with key building material prices up by double digits.
‘Challenged’ to exploit govts VAT tax break
Real estate buyers will be “challenged” to exploit the government’s VAT waiver/discount on deals under $250,000 due to a shortage of contractors in the Dorian-hit islands, it was argued yesterday.
Bahamasair sees revenues fall 84%
Bahamasair’s revenues for the ten months to end-April 2021 plunged by 84 percent year-over-year, a Cabinet minister revealed yesterday, with taxpayers set to underwrite its survival via a $60m-plus subsidy.
Civil service expansion labelled ‘mind boggling’
A governance reformer says it is “mind boggling” that the government would abandon previous pledges to rein-in an oversized civil service by adding at least another 1,802 persons to its payroll.
‘Major improvements’ needed on bank fees
Almost two-thirds of Bahamian businesses say the fees charged by commercial banks need “major improvements”, according to the findings of a Central Bank survey.
Brave blasts govt on Dorian and COVID
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis accused the Minnis administration of mismanaging its Hurricane Dorian and COVID-19 response.
‘New citizens should wait to have a vote’
FORMER parliamentarian Loretta Butler-Turner says she believes the government should legislate “a timeframe” for naturalised Bahamians to become participants in the nation’s electoral process.
Home porting will deliver extra $50m
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar estimates that home porting will bring 30,000 to 35,000 cruise ship guests to the Bahamas this year who will contribute $50m during their week-long stay in the country.
Budgeting to face future challenges
* In the third of a four-part series, Hubert Edwards argues that a greater focus on foreign and Bahamian investment will be critical to breaking the low growth trap . . .
‘Phenomenal’ tourism pick-up - but still below 2019 levels
A Cabinet minister yesterday hailed the “phenomenal rate of increase” in stopover visitor arrivals as a sign “tourism is bouncing back” even though the industry remains more than one-third below 2019 numbers
THEY WERE JUST TRYING TO HELP: Police shot cutlass wielding man they had come to assist
A MAN who “charged at” an officer with a cutlass was fatally shot by police on Poitier Avenue and Foster Street in Chippingham yesterday.
Cruise home porting to give $50m boost
A Cabinet minister yesterday predicted that 35,000 home porting cruise passengers will spend a collective $50m across The Bahamas during their seven-night voyages around the island chain this summer.
Food stores confirm price rise pressures
Food stores yesterday said food prices have risen by at least ten percent since last year amid forecasts that increases could last well into 2022.
Prices regulator seeking more power as costs rise
The Price Control Commission’s chairman yesterday said recommendations have been presented to the Minnis Cabinet calling for it to be given greater powers over non-price controlled items.
