Private sector's National Health fears unchanged
THE private sector's concerns over the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) initiative have not changed since the first Christie-led administration introduced the scheme in 2006, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation's (BCCEC) chief executive warning on the further added cost burden it would impose.
St Andrew's targeting Caribbean region lead
ST ANDREW'S School is aiming to become recognised as the "leading international school" in the Caribbean region, its principal telling Tribune Business that its newly-unveiled strategic plan would "shape us for the next eight-10 years".
KPMG global chief: Bahamas must show off 'sophistication'
KPMG International's global head yesterday urged the Bahamas to forge "strong" bilateral investment treaty relationships with countries now targeted by global money managers, adding that it was "critical" for this nation to "demonstrate its sophistication" to the world.
Bahamians 'excluded' from top diesel autos
BAHAMIAN car buyers are being "excluded" from the high-efficiency diesel auto market due to the "low quality fuel" being imported into this market, one dealer yesterday telling Tribune Business the sulphur content was 70 times' more than US and European regulations permitted.
BMW dealer 'ups' sales forecast 30%
THE Bahamian BMW dealer yesterday said it had "upped" its sales forecast for the brand's first year by about 30 per cent, and is expecting to close deals for 100 vehicles between that and the Mini this year.
NIB expands overseas investments to $59.4m
THE National Insurance Board's (NIB) foreign investment portfolio expanded by $21.9 million to hit $59.4 million by year-end 2011, it was revealed yesterday, the social security system having taken up 88 per cent of its annual allocation.
Four Seasons a 'shot in arm' for Eleuthera
WHILE a Four Seasons hotel on Eleuthera could be prove to be a "shot in the arm" for that island's economy, its Chamber of Commerce president told Tribune Business yesterday that obtaining the 'critical mass' necessary to make properties in the Family Islands successful remains a major challenge.
Out island development 'tempo' still big challenge
DEVELOPMENT on the Family Islands can simply be like a "lake in the middle of the desert", a leading Bahamian developer yesterday telling Tribune Business that the bigger picture needed to be assessed on this issue.
10% sales increase gives car dealers 'bounce in our step'
BAHAMIAN new car dealers have "a little bit more bounce in our step" after industry sales for the 2012 first quarter increased 10 per cent year-over-year, although they want to see three consecutive quarters of growth before "counting on" a confirmed recovery trend.
BORCO's 1.2m barrel 'key commercial win'
THE Bahamas Oil Refining Company (BORCO) has secured a "key commercial win" through a long-term contract that supports a further 1.2 million barrel oil storage capacity expansion, with the Grand Bahama-based facility driving a 24.1 per cent adjusted operating income increase for its parent's international operations.
Developer: Stamp Tax renewal 'vital' to 30-40% of sales
LEADING real estate developers have warned it is "critical" for the Government to extend the Stamp Tax exemption for first-time buyers beyond its June 2013 expiration date, one telling Tribune Business that such purchasers accounted for 30-40 per cent of his total sales.
Private sector has 'work cut out' with $302m loan arrears
THE Bahamian business community has its "work cut out" with more than $302 million worth of loans to it in arrears, a leading private sector official saying this showed companies were "not recovering as we had hoped".
Act ends metal dealers' 'band of thieves' stigma
WHILE new regulations governing the scrap metal industry have added paperwork and additional operational costs for dealers, one operator told Tribune Business the price to remove the "band of thieves" stigma was worth it.
BISX IN TRADING ACTIVITY INCREASE
The Bahamas International Securities Exchange (BISX) saw trading volumes and values increase during the 2012 first quarter, even though the All-Share Index closed down 4.11 per cent for the year-to-date - a greater decline than the 1.74 per cent seen last
New industries must be our primary focus
THE Bahamas has for many years been engaged in the conversation of economic and industry diversification. While we all view tourism as our mainstay, and appreciate its great sustained value to us as a nation, we have long feared serious declines in tourist arrivals and the dire consequences of this occurrence. Some understanding of the natural cycle of business, and our observation of regional and global trends in tourism, should certainly hasten us into encouraging entrepreneurs and investors alike to consider primary and secondary industries.
