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.
Digital payments double to $4.5m for November
BAHAMIAN digital payments transactions doubled in value to $4.5m for November 2023, the Central Bank disclosed yesterday, with mobile wallet holders increasing by 20 percent over the year’s first 11 months.
Real estate companies honour top producers
TWO affiliated Bahamian real estate firms have honoured their top producers for 2023.
Arawak cay upgrade to battle waste oil ‘clogging’
The expansion of Arawak Cay’s sewerage system will involve installing an Industrial Bulk Container and wider pipes to enable it to cope with the volume of waste cooking oil generated by food vendors.
Boat registration fee rise ‘squeezes the small man’
LONG Island fishermen and tour operators are accusing the Government of seeking “to squeeze the small man out” over four- digit boating fee increases that have been suspended - at least for private vessels.
Insurer: 'No significant' storm cover increases
A major Bahamian insurer yesterday pledged that its regular homeowner clients will not suffer "any significant increases" in catastrophe premium rates for policy renewals from April 1 onwards.
Gov't concern as hotel union on 'work-to-rule'
The hotel union's president last night said he told the Government "to talk" to industry employers as workers went into "full work-to-rule mode" over the impasse in industrial agreement talks.
Tourism to grow 14% despite crime fears
The deputy prime minister yesterday voiced optimism that The Bahamas will overcome media coverage of its crime woes by revealing first quarter bookings are expected to outpace 2023 by 14 percent.
'Resounding no' to Business Licence filing extension call
The Government was yesterday said to have rejected calls to extend the Business Licence filing deadline despite multiple companies complaining they were unable to access its online tax payment portal.
Taxable transactions plunged by $1.26bn at COVID's peak
Taxable goods and services transactions plummeted in value by $1.264bn during the COVID pandemic's peak due to lockdowns and other economic restrictions, it has been revealed.
Hotels dealing with visitor safety concerns on crime
Hotels have been fielding concerns over whether it is safe to vacation in The Bahamas as Canada was yesterday reported to have issued a crime alert on this nation.
