‘Everything is on table’ over VAT health claims
The Ministry of Finance’s top official says “everything is on the table” with VAT-related reforms, which could have raised medical costs for thousands of insured Bahamians, now not proceeding prior to the Budget at end-May.
‘Up the ante’ on cruise line deals
A former Bahamas National Trust (BNT) chief yesterday said this nation must “up the ante” and leverage its “natural capital” to obtain better deals from the cruise industry, adding: “We give up too easily.”
SBF’s trading arm gave Pointe owner $3.4m ‘gift’
The China Construction America (CCA) owned entity that developed The Pointe in downtown Nassau purportedly received $3.362m in “gifts or charitable contributions” from Sam Bankman-Fried’s private trading arm.
Oban’s investors hit by $5m ‘fraud’
The principal behind the controversial $5.5bn Oban Energies oil refinery deal has agreed to be sanctioned and pay fines after being accused of defrauding investors in the project of some $5.2m.
Bahamian small businesses told: Embrace e-commerce
BAHAMIAN small and medium-sized businesses must embrace digital payments and transactions if they are to properly participate in the tourism industry and wider global economy, a provider says.
Flashbacks of 2008
ActivTrades
The past two weeks have produced flashbacks to the 2008 financial crisis following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB).
Bay Street merchants ‘overcharging’ tourists
BAY Street merchants have been accused by The Bahamas’ consumer protection watchdog of overcharging cruise ship passengers and other tourists on their credit card purchases
GB to Abaco power cable ‘doable’ but more needed
THE Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president says supplying power from the island to Abaco via an undersea electricity cable is “doable” but more details are required on the initiative.
FINCO chief: 95% of local transactions done digitally
RBC FINCO’s top executive says Bahamians are beginning to embrace a digital future with 95 percent now conducting their financial transactions electronically.
DPM: ‘Three credible offers’ for Lucayan
Three “credible offers” to acquire the Grand Lucayan resort are presently being studied, the deputy prime minister said yesterday, as he and others touted $1bn worth of investments being “in the pipeline” for Grand Bahama.
‘Air cargo hub’ ambition for GB’s $200m airport
The deputy prime minister yesterday unveiled a $200m Grand Bahama International Airport redevelopment that aims to ultimately transform the facility into an international “air cargo hub” for the Caribbean and Latin America.
Property value boost drives insurer’s 39% profit increase
A $3.2m gain from revaluing its property assets enabled Bahamas First to shrug off a decline in its core insurance underwriting business and post a 39 percent total comprehensive income increase for the 2022 full-year.
Port chief eyeing Abaco power cable connection
The Grand Bahama Port Authority’s (GBPA) president yesterday suggested running an electricity cable between his island and Abaco as a way to “stabilise” electricity costs and bring rates down.
$200m airport deal means GB ‘not dead in the water’
A prominent Freeport attorney yesterday hailed the “lifeline” provided by Grand Bahama airport’s imminent $200m redevelopment, saying: “We’d be doubly dead in the water without it.”
IAN FERGUSON: Navigating through five life cycle stages
Every new micro and small business that grows into a medium-sized enterprise goes through five stages of evolution. These phases include existence, survival, success, take-off and resource maturity. All stages of small business growth come with challenges that every company has to overcome.


