No NHI tax 'at the outset' says Gomez
HEALTH Minister Dr Perry Gomez yesterday affirmed that there is no significant introduction of taxes directly related to National Health Insurance (NHI) implementation “at the outset”, citing the single governance model as fundamental to the health care industry’s reformation and a smooth NHI implementation.
PM proposes new tax concessions approach for Grand Bahama
TAX concessions when used properly should be an inducement to encourage private sector investment, Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday, noting the extended Hawksbill Creek Agreement (HCA) concessions will encourage and facilitate further development and employment on Grand Bahama.
Union has legal backing for Melia negotiations
BAHAMAS Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) president Nicole Martin yesterday expressed confidence that the union was in a more firm legal position to proceed with negotiations with the Melia Nassau Beach Resort having secured a long-awaited certificate of recognition, describing it as “one of many steps” to be taken to ensure proper representation for the all-inclusive resort’s employees.
Revisit Gaming Act to protect banking sector says Chamber chief
THE Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president yesterday asserted that the Gaming Act 2014 should be revisited and, if necessary, amended to ensure that the sector does not imperil the country’s already fragile banking sector.
QC: Judgement in email leak “saves financial industry” in Bahamas
AN outspoken QC said that yesterday’s Supreme Court judgement against Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald for breaching the constitutional rights of environmental advocacy group Save The Bays by disclosing and releasing the group’s private emails in Parliament affirmed that the Bahamas is “not a political banana republic”, asserting that it would have been the “kiss of death” for the country’s financial services industry had the judge vindicated the minister’s actions.
Smith “not about to lay down” in BREA battle
AN ex-Cabinet Minister said yesterday that he was “not about to lay down and play docile” amid an ongoing legal battle with the Bahamas Real Estate Association (BREA), with a judicial review looming in the next round of the contentious dispute.
IDB report reveals Chinese tourism opportunity for Caribbean
CHINA represents a new “source market” for tourism-dependent economies like the Bahamas, with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) suggesting that many changes and investments would have to be made to capture more of this market.
Christie has “obligation to deliver” on Baha Mar
OPPOSITION Finance spokesman K Peter Turnquest said yesterday that Prime Minister Perry Christie has “an obligation to deliver” on the Baha Mar project completion having thrust the government into the saga via its push for liquidation, arguing that the Bahamian people should not be left in the dark regarding any developments surrounding the stalled resort.
SuperGreen Solutions: Solar batteries can save money and support the energy grid
Does it make sense to add batteries to your solar system?
Whistleblower challenges CIBC evidence ‘credibility’
A Cacique award winner’s bid to avoid financial ruin may receive late help from a former Cabinet Minister, after ‘whistleblower’ evidence cited “inconsistencies” with CIBC FirstCaribbean’s case.
Consumers ‘totally naked’ against banking practices
A former Cabinet Minister believes Bahamians are “completely naked” against sharp banking practices, adding that the problem had become “endemic”.
TUC takes Sandals to court over long-delayed industrial deal
PRESIDENT of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Obie Ferguson said that the union had been left with “no other alternative” but to file criminal charges against Sandals Royal Bahamian and its top executives for failing to negotiate an industrial agreement since 2009, a move prompted by the recent termination of union officers employed at the Cable Beach all-inclusive property.
Regulator won’t ‘price control’ banking fees
The Central Bank will not intervene to cap or “price control” commercial bank fees, its governor has revealed to Tribune Business.
Property Fund ‘nowhere close’ to rental targets
The BISX-listed Bahamas Property Fund says occupancy rates at its two flagship properties are “nowhere close to where we’d like to be”, after it incurred a $1.545 million net loss for 2015.
Maintaining quality requires more people, says Standards Bureau chief
THE Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality (BBSQ) is hoping to increase its staff compliment by at least 15 in the coming months and looking at adding at least 100 plus inspectors in the next three years, The Tribune has been told.
