Govt's $61m surplus for quarter to March
The Government ran its third consecutive monthly fiscal surplus in March as the calendar year's traditionally revenue-rich first quarter saw revenues exceed spending by more than $60m.
NIB rate increase called 'absolute balancing act'
A senior hotelier yesterday urged the Government to be "judicious" with the size of future National Insurance Board (NIB) contribution rate increases as he described the situation as "an absolute balancing act".
First Mortgage Corp financials for decade
A Cabinet minister yesterday pledged to reveal the first Bahamas Mortgage Corporation audited financial statements for a decade by this September after the agency issued more than $5m worth of mortgages during the past two years.
Post Office can ‘fill gap’ over Out Island banking
A Cabinet minister yesterday suggested the Post Office Savings Bank can “fill the gap” and represent a viable solution to the financial inclusion crisis afflicting many Family Islands due to the commercial bank exodus.
Minister confirms 10% increase for taxi fares
A TEN percent increase in taxi fares was announced yesterday by Minister of Transport and Housing JoBeth Coleby-Davis.
Pintard: Cruise lines will bear cost of tax increase
Opposition leader Michael Pintard yesterday argued that new passenger taxes could cause cruise ships to seek cheaper destinations.
Gov't backed off 10-day VAT filing for large firms
The Bahamian private sector yesterday said cutting the VAT filing deadline for firms with annual turnover exceeding $5m has been "wholly rejected as unworkable" despite the Government backing off its original 10-day target.
Abaco energy woe 'worst that I can ever remember'
A prominent Abaco official says yesterday was the first day in two weeks to largely pass without a power outage as he revealed that the island's energy woes are "the worst that I can ever remember" apart from Dorian's immediate aftermath.
Cruise lines 'should do more': Departure tax hikes backed
Bahamian environmental advocates have backed the increased taxes and new levies imposed on the cruise industry as "a significant step in the right direction" to ensuring it does more to protect the very assets critical to its product.
NIB rate hikes every two years
A Cabinet minister last night warned employers and workers to brace for a series of rolling National Insurance Board (NIB) contribution rate increases every two years with the first hike to be split equally between the two.
CLICO victims urge: 'We need a new day'
The Government was yesterday urged to "make it a new day" for long-suffering CLICO (Bahamas) policyholders amid concerns that zero of the $3.8m compensation allocated in the 2022-2023 Budget has been paid out.
NHI/drug plan merger to curb health waste
A Cabinet minister yesterday asserted that combining National Health Insurance (NHI) with the National Prescription Drug Plan will help to curb healthcare waste and inefficiency in the public sector.
Battery storage to save BPL some $3m monthly
A Cabinet minister yesterday said Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) has commissioned a 25 Mega Watt (MW) battery storage system at Clifton Pier that will save the utility $3m a month.
Bahamas can build ‘extraordinary blueprint’ for nature-based tourism
The Bahamas has the opportunity to “develop a truly extraordinary blueprint” that can make inroads into the global $600bn annual nature-based tourism market, an international advocate is arguing.
Gov't targets $9m grant for BPL ocean energy
A Cabinet minister yesterday said the Government is negotiating a $9m grant from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to help Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) develop an ocean thermal energy initiative.


