Measure VAT success from deficit reduction
Value-Added Tax’s (VAT) success can only be measured by the extent to which it reduces the fiscal deficit, a Bahamian economist saying: “You can’t call VAT a success if you have not reduced your deficit.”
Govt plans RFP for landfill deal
A Cabinet Minister yesterday said the Government was planning to issue a structured tender, seeking proposals to manage and remediate the New Providence landfill, “as soon as possible”.
Tourism to dominate ‘my generation and the next’
Tourism will be the dominant driver of Bahamian jobs and GDP “for mine and the next generation”, a senior Baha Mar executive predicted yesterday, with international forecasts potentially under-estimating the project’s jobs impact.
CLICO’s liquidator renews health policy ‘terminate’ warning
CLICO (Bahamas) liquidator has again warned that he will have to terminate all the insolvent insurer’s medical policies unless the portfolio can be “immediately” transferred to its proposed new underwriter.
NHI doctor sign-on ‘reasonable, not huge’
National Health Insurance’s (NHI) assistant project director yesterday said the number of doctors registering to provide services was “not huge but reasonable”, amid ongoing ‘care quality’ concerns surrounding the scheme.
Chamber chief says labour law revisions ‘seem to have held’
The Chamber’s chairman yesterday said agreed changes to the labour law reforms “seem to have held”, as numerous draft Bills were circulated between the Government, private sector and trade unions in a bid to conclude the controversial exercise.
Govt targets Wednesday for labour Bills passage
A Cabinet Minister said yesterday that the final amendments to the Employment Act and Industrial Relations Act will be passed in Parliament on Wednesday.
Consumer protect chief: ‘We must save banking’
The Consumer Protection Commission’s (CPC) chairman yesterday repeated his calls for more Bahamian-owned banks and greater regulation of banking fees, arguing: “We have to do what it takes to save banking in the Bahamas.”
Unions: Fine stubborn employers $5,000 daily
Trade unions want companies to be hit with a $5,000 per day fine if they fail to start industrial agreement talks within 45 days, with one leader urging employers to accept “full responsibility” for the worker-friendly reforms being imposed upon them.
Aliv takes 100 site options as BTC ‘Plan A’
Aliv will “revert to Plan A” and execute 100 mobile network site options if it cannot reach agreement with the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) within a reasonable time period.
FNM candidate confesses to $10k, 15-year tax debt
The FNM’s North Eleuthera candidate yesterday took “full responsibility” for his failure to settle a 15 year-old debt worth $9,500 to Bahamas Customs, and pledged to pay the full amount outstanding today.
Top Aliv exec: BTC has nothing worth copying
Aliv’s top executive has thrown down a challenge to the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), saying he sees nothing in its product offerings worth imitating.
Employers wait anxiously on labour law revisions
Bahamian employers were last night anxiously awaiting the revised draft labour law reforms, the Chamber’s chairman acknowledging that the private sector needed to provide “empirical evidence” earlier in the consultation process.
Top banker urges open policy on Immigration
The Bahamas will remain a “very attractive” private banking jurisdiction as long as its Immigration policies allow institutions to bring in external resources and skills when necessary, a top executive says.
‘We must get Grand Bahama moving’
The Minister of Tourism says he remains optimistic over the future of Grand Bahama’s tourism sector, while acknowledging that the island needs more than just hotels for the industry to rebound.
