‘Bank on something called NHI’ by April
A well-known physician yesterday said Bahamians can “bank on something called NHI” being rolled-out in the first week of April 2017, although he expressed serious doubt over the level of healthcare industry readiness.
Developer’s dolphin claim based on ‘false premises’
The Blackbeard’s Cay developer’s claim to own the project’s eight dolphins was based on “fallacious premises”, the Court of Appeal found, while also criticising its failure to accept ‘the rule of law’.
Christie Govt adds record $2bn to national debt
A governance reform campaigner yesterday said it was “absurd” that the Bahamas is again on pace for a $500 million deficit despite implementing VAT, with the Christie administration set to add more than $2 billion to the national debt.
GB hotels lose 30% of summer market
Grand Bahama’s hotel industry has lost 30 per cent of its summer market due to Vacation Express’s pull-out, the island’s Tourism Board chairman yesterday warning that the sector faced a “devastating” 2017.
Copper theft hurts 600 BTC customers
Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) executives yesterday said it had incurred “significant” financial cost as a result of copper theft over the weekend, which resulted in 600 customers having their services affected.
Realtor fearing ‘havoc’ on Freeport incentives
A prominent Freeport realtor yesterday warned that the city’s new investment incentives regime is threatening to “create a lot of havoc” and confusion for hundreds of existing foreign homeowners.
FNM deputy slams ‘lack of urgency’ on GB tourism ‘freefall’
The FNM’s deputy leader yesterday slammed what he described as the Government’s “startling lack of urgency” over Grand Bahama’s tourism “freefall”.
‘Decisive measures’ call as deficit soars to $314m
A key Ministry of Finance adviser last night warned that the 112 per cent increase in the half-year fiscal deficit to $314.2 million was an “early warning signal” that the Government must take “very decisive measures” to stabilise the national finances.
Dionisio: Govt creating ‘country of dependents’
The FNM’s Freetown candidate yesterday accused the Government of seeking “to create a country of dependents” through ever-increasing social programmes that the Bahamas cannot afford.
Port left licensees ‘hung out to dry’
A former Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) attorney has accused the quasi-governmental authority of leaving its 3,500 licensees “hung out to dry” over Freeport’s new investment incentives regime.
GB Chamber chief ‘more comfortable’; tax queries remain
The Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president says he feels “more comfortable” with Freeport’s new ‘tax breaks’ regime following Friday’s meeting with the Government, although key private sector questions remain unanswered.
Cable losses hit $16.7m amid wait for growth pay-off
Cable Bahamas suffered a 12.5 per cent increase in annual net losses to $16.658 million for 2016, driven by Hurricane Matthew-related repair costs and the wait for expansion investments to pay off.
‘Subdued’ 2017 start for tourism industry
The Bahamian economy endured a “soft” January amid “constrained” tourism output, with passenger traffic passing through Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) up just 0.1 per cent year-over-year.
URCA aims to ‘take Bahamas to world’
The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) aims to “take the Bahamas to the world” as a leader in information and communications technology (ICT), its top executive saying: “We have a very good foundation for ICT in the country”.
Bahamas urged: ‘Don’t over-react’ to rating agencies
The Bahamas should not “over-react” to assessments from the international credit ratings agencies regardless of whether they are negative or positive, the Chamber’s chairman saying: “We should have a plan.”
