Public health system’s 40% financial wastage
Up to 40 per cent of funds spent in the Bahamian public healthcare system go to waste, the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president yesterday arguing this made it impossible to have “a fully functioning” National Health Insurance (NHI) or any other scheme.
DNA chief, Minister clash over Carnival’s ‘crime advisory’ fear
The Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader yesterday warned that downtown Nassau’s cruise tourism product would suffer “immeasurable” harm if Carnival Cruise Lines restarted issuing crime warnings to its passengers - an assertion that drew a sharp rebuke from the Minister of Tourism.
Web shop licences issued October 15
Web shop licences will be issued on October 15, the Minister of Tourism confirmed yesterday, although he was unable to say how many companies will receive them.
Baha Mar delays ‘almost good thing’ for property prices
Baha Mar’s delayed opening is “almost a good thing” for the property market because it has not sparked any major price inflation, a realtor believes.
PM’s Baha Mar meetings were ‘a PR exercise’
Prime Minister Perry Christie’s recent meetings with the parties to the $3.5 billion Baha Mar dispute were yesterday branded “a public relations exercise” by the Democratic National Alliance’s (DNA) leader, who agreed it amounted to “interference” with the project’s provisional liquidators.
Minister urges improved ‘red carpet’ for tourists
The Minister of Tourism said yesterday that Festival Place will be ready for the new cruise season in November, stressing that it was important this nation improves the “red carpet” treatment for its visitors.
500% consumer credit explosion ‘a tragedy’
A well-known businessman has warned that the near-500 per cent increase in Bahamian consumer debt over the past two decades is undermining “nation building” and fuelling “irrational behaviour” by borrowers.
Private sector fearing ‘extinction’ over NHI
The Bahamian private sector could become “extinct” as a result of ever-increasing taxation, the Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive warned yesterday, as he urged the Government to provide more details on long-term National Health Insurance (NHI) financing.
Poultry producer in 70% output fall
An Abaco poultry producers yesterday said its production levels have fallen 70 per cent due largely to a “softening” of sales in New Providence.
New mobile provider unveiled in October
The Government is now aiming to announce the winning bidder for the second mobile licence next month, with the private sector “anxious” for the arrival of competition that should bring improved services and lower costs.
Izmirlian downbeat, but Gov’t is upbeat
Prime Minister Perry Christie’s meeting with Sarkis Izmirlian yesterday achieved “nothing substantial” in attempting to resolving the $3.5 billion Baha Mar dispute, with the latter again demanding that his Chinese partners negotiate in “good faith”.
‘Golden opportunity’ for ex-BTC employees
Former Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) staff have been allowed to form a company that will have the “right of first refusal” to supply services to the carrier, a trade union leader says.
Don’t gamble away the legal profession
Do you consider yourself a gambler? Opening the Bahamian legal system to foreign law firms is just that: A gamble. There is only a small chance (20 per cent, give or take) that opening the legal system to foreign law firms will drastically increase offshore financial services bsiness for the Bahamas.
Crawfish ‘turnaround’ from vessel rotation
Fishermen have seen a “turnaround” in their 2015-2016 crawfish yields, the Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance’s (BCFA) president yesterday saying this was largely due to new fishing practices.
Contractors ‘lulled into abnormal’ Baha Mar pay
Contractors and suppliers working on the $3.5 billion Baha Mar project were “lulled into accepting abnormal payment practices”, an international construction company head saying: “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
