Minister set to intervene on hotel industrial deal
THE minister of labour will today meet with hotel union executives to discuss the latest counter-proposal from resort employees in a bid to break the stalemate over industrial agreement talks.
Energy, labour ‘bottlenecks’ must go for GDP break-out
THE BAHAMAS must overcome labour and energy “bottlenecks” to break out of the lower 1.5-1.8 percent economic growth rates it is forecast to enjoy from 2025 onwards, the IMF is warning.
Private cruise islands set for VAT reform hit
The Government is planning tax reforms that will hit the cruise lines’ Bahamian private islands and end their nine-year VAT-free status, it was confirmed yesterday.
Gov’t ‘disagrees’ on IMF’s ‘top 10%’ income taxation
THE Government “disagrees” with the IMF’s assertion that it must introduce a personal income tax targeting “the top 10 percent of earners” and other reforms to hit its 25 percent revenue-to-GDP goal.
Sandals insulated from Stewart family’s battle
THE Sandals resort chain’s governance and management will not be impacted if the trustee overseeing its late founder’s estate and a $334m cash pile are removed, the Chief Justice has ruled.
Bahamas cool over IMF interest rate rise nudge
THE Bahamas has reacted coolly to persistent nudging from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it should raise short-term interest rates to narrow the gap with those in the US.
Businesses wait over two months for bank account
BAHAMIAN businesses face an average wait of more than two months to open a bank account with almost 80 percent asserting that the process “took longer than expected”.
Hotel industrial deal ‘in need of a miracle’
THE Government’s labour director yesterday said “it’s becoming obvious there now needs to be a miracle” to secure an industrial agreement for the hotel industry after Friday’s talks ended in “stalemate”.
Gov’t deserves fiscal praise but should now look to IMF
The Bahamas is now three years into a recovery from the devastating effects of Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit the country only four months apart in 2019- 2020 and wreaked havoc on the economy.
Good start
ActivTrades
Strong big-tech balance sheets lifted Wall Street into positive territory at the end of last week. However, disappointment over the latest US labour market report limited gains.
Fines waiver huge relief following tax portal ‘hell’
BAHAMIAN businesses yesterday branded the Government’s pledge to waive fines for late payments and filings due to its tax portal’s woes as “a huge relief” after suffering “hell” trying to comply.
Hotel dispute parties ‘stand down’ for talks
THE two sides in the hotel sector’s industrial dispute yesterday “agreed to stand down” from taking any disruptive action before further talks set for 5pm today.
Ministers refute concerns on PharmaChem chemicals
CABINET ministers have refuted an Opposition MP’s concerns over the storage of hazardous chemicals and materials at the PharmaChem plant following its mid-January closure.
What’s the big secret on NIB rate increase?
BAHAMIAN businesses are urging the Government to reveal the magnitude of July’s impending National Insurance Board (NIB) rate increase, with one asking: “What’s the big secret?”
'US laws' hit cruise line's Bahamas ticketing policy
A cruise line popular with Bahamians yesterday disclosed that US "laws and regulations" have forced it to stop selling one-way tickets for voyages out of Freeport to West Palm Beach.
