Farm eviction exposes Schooner Bay bust-up
An Abaco couple have slammed Schooner Bay’s “arrogance” in evicting them from their farm in a dispute stemming from the controversial licencing of 100 Crown Land acres to a foreign developer.Glen Kelly told Tribune Business that agents for the south
AG opinion sought on Schooner Bay's Crown Land licence
A FORMER investments minister says he sought a legal opinion from the Attorney General’s Office on the Schooner Bay developer’s obligations under its 100-acre Crown Land license.Khaalis Rolle, who held that post under the former Christie administrati
Appeal Court blasts QC on deal 'conflict'
A PROMINENT QC has been blasted for failing to disclose his ‘conflict of interest’ over a real estate transaction involving a “sometime client” serving a 15-year prison sentence.The Court of Appeal found Elliot Lockhart QC had failed to inform Cliffo
80% conch drop threatens lives of 9,000 fishermen
THE livelihoods of more than 9,000 Bahamian fishermen and their families are under threat from the 80 per cent conch population decline since the 1980s, it has been revealed.An Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report, accompanying a $500,000 pro
Fiscal Responsibility 'litmus test' of Govt's reform commitment
THE implementation of Fiscal Responsibility legislation is “the litmus test of just how serious this government is”, the Chamber of Commerce’s chairman urging: “Show us we have a future.”Michael Maura told Tribune Business that shrinking the Bahamas’
Unlocking Eleuthera's rich history and culture
There is no doubting the treasures of Eleuthera and Harbour Island, which are found in their miles of coastline, pink sand beaches, sweet pineapples and unique architecture. While rich in history, the island offers an even greater learning experience
DPM: Bahamas must ‘prove’ itself to S&P
* ‘Not at all’ upset nation still ‘junk’ * Blames former Govt’s failure to deliver * Nation has 12-24 months to execute
The Government must “prove” it can deliver on its fiscal and economic turnaround strategy, the Deputy Prime Minister admitted yesterday, after Standard & Poor’s (S&P) kept the Bahamas at ‘junk’ status. K P Turnquest told Tribune Business he was “not at all” disappointed at the outcome of S&P’s annual review of the Bahamas’ sovereign creditworthiness, despite having previously expressed optimism that the Government could make the case to be upgraded to ‘investment grade’ status.
Development Bank fund ‘sinking’: Covers 1/3 of $46m bonds
* Just 28.4% of loans ‘performing’ * Accumulated losses over $60m * Solvency deficiency at $31.31m
THE Bahamas Development Bank’s (BDB) ‘sinking fund’ covered just one-third of its $46 million outstanding bond debt at year-end 2016, with only 28.4 per cent of its loans ‘performing’. The BDB’s 2016 financial statements, tabled in the House of Assembly in Wednesday by the Prime Minister, reveal the parlous state of another state-owned enterprise (SOE) that has racked up more than $60 million in losses for the Bahamian taxpayer during its 43-year existence.
‘No cause for celebration’ over S&P breathing room
* Bahamas ‘still has to climb out of hole’ * But Chamber chief ‘fully expects’ 2018 upgrade * Many Bahamians don’t realise reform ‘gravity’
PRIVATE sector executives yesterday said the Bahamas has “no cause for celebration yet” after Standard & Poor’s (S&P) elected not to further downgrade its sovereign creditworthiness.
S&P: Gov’ts fiscal, economic reforms ‘will take time’ to work
* 1.5% average growth forecast lower than IMF’s * Grand Lucayan closure takes out 7% of rooms * Debt to rise through 2020 to 52% of GDP
THE Government’s fiscal and economic reforms will take time to “pay dividends”, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) warned yesterday, as it took a more ‘bearish’ view of the Bahamas’ growth prospects. The rating agency, in its latest Bahamas country assessment, expressed confidence that the Minnis administration’s fiscal reforms will “arrest the deterioration” in the Government’s deficit and the national debt.
Gaming Board lacks ‘oversight structure’ for numbers houses
* Minister: Changes to make regulator ‘more relevant’ * Gaming Board will ‘look very different’ in five years * ‘92,000 didn’t vote for us to maintain status quo’
RECENT downsizings are intended to make the Gaming Board “more relevant” and help it cope with the “seismic changes” created by web shops, a Cabinet minister said yesterday. Dionisio D’Aguilar, who has ministerial responsibility for gaming, told Tribune Business that the industry regulator will “look extremely different from the Gaming Board of today within five years”.
Economist: Enterprises Bill $250k should be ‘bit higher’
THE Commercial Enterprises Bill’s $250,000 investment threshold should have been “a bit higher”, a University of the Bahamas economist argued yestrerday. Rupert Pinder, addressing the Rotary Club of West Nassau, said the $250,000 benchmark for foreign companies applying under the Bill did not match the level of incentives being granted.
Economist backs spending cuts to end ‘major wastage’
A University of the Bahamas economist yesterday backed government spending cuts on the grounds there has been “a great deal of wastage”. Rupert Pinder, addressing a Rotary Club of West Nassau luncheon, said: “We cannot overemphasise the importance of economic growth. You can cut spending until the cows come home, but what is really going to put this economy on a strong footing is growth. I am a proponent for cuts in public spending because I think there has been a great deal of wastage.
Chamber chief urges holiday crime ‘vigilance’
THE Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) chief executive yesterday urged businesses and consumers to be “vigilant” and “take every precaution” to avoid becoming victims of crime this Christmas season. Edison Sumner expressed concern over the “startling” increase in cyber crime and credit card fraud.
Ex-Miss Bahamas accuses Tourism on copyright, $130k
* Khiara Sherman claims song used with no say-so * Copyright infringed in promoting Bahamas to guests * And Ministry ‘breached’ three-year employment deal
A former Miss Bahamas Universe winner-turned-songstress is suing the Ministry of Tourism for allegedly breaching a $130,000 employment contract and violating her copyright. Khiara Sherman, who once represented the Bahamas at the global pageant then-controlled by US president, Donald Trump, is claiming the Ministry failed to obtain permission to use her song, Fly Away With Me, in its multi-million dollar marketing campaigns.
