Baha Mar teases Melia plan as volumes up 20%
Baha Mar’s president yesterday hailed an “extraordinary first quarter” and “record March”, with 2023 business volumes up 20 percent year-over-year, as he revealed plans to redevelop the still-closed Melia resort will be unveiled imminently.
Nassau/PI hotels see 35% ‘business on books’ jump
Nassau/Paradise Island hotels are eyeing a 35 percent year-over-year increase in “business on the books” for 2023, it was disclosed yesterday, with “loaded” airline seats through June also up on 2022.
MSC joins Freeport deal targeting October close
The Grand Bahama Port Authority’s (GBPA) president yesterday said October is being targeted for completion of a $70m Freeport Harbour deal in which Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has teamed with Royal Caribbean.
Authorities target taxi inspection crackdown
The “completely antiquated” Road Traffic Act is set for a major overhaul, it was revealed yesterday, as the authorities also prepare to crack down on taxis “circumventing and bypassing” the vehicle inspection process.
Taxi drivers face ‘code of conduct’
Traffic authorities are planning a shake-up of the taxi industry’s regulatory regime that will require drivers to sign-up to, and abide by, a “code of conduct” with an announcement on fare changes due as early as next week.
IAN FERGUSON: Ways to grow without losing peace of mind
Every business, small or large, has growth on their agenda. The type of growth varies from revenue generation, store location, physical space and number of employees to any other metric that the specific company views as critical.
SBDC: Poultry producer received ‘all funds due’
The Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) says “all funds due” to an Abaco-based poultry producer for a solar energy project have been paid over while denying that any sums remain outstanding.
Food retailers ‘not too good’ over price control flexibility
Food retailers “don’t feel too good” that the Government could reintroduce an expanded price control regime in the future as they yesterday questioned the extent of the initiative’s success.
Minister urges UN take over of global tax woes
A Cabinet minister yesterday called for the creation of an independent multilateral body to review all tax-related blacklistings of The Bahamas and other small jurisdictions over what he described as “technical deficiencies”.
Minister: ‘Goalposts keep moving’ with EU, OECD
The Bahamas is now being blacklisted for implementation deficiencies rather than weaknesses in its financial laws, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.
Aquapure ‘dam bursts’ over price increases
A Bahamian bottled water supplier yesterday said it had been forced to implement its first product-wide price increase for 15 years as “a last resort” with costs having increased “no less than 30 percent” since COVID hit.
$20m developer seeking ‘wasteful’ restrictions end
A Bahamian developer yesterday voiced optimism that the planning authorities will eliminate “wasteful” restrictions to allow his proposed $20m project to proceed and create over 100 construction and full-time jobs combined.
Show not spooked by FTX through DARE-ing reforms
Reforms to The Bahamas’ digital assets regulatory regime must send a “strong message” that this nation remains open to innovation and has not been spooked by FTX’s collapse, an industry entrepreneur urged yesterday.
PI entrepreneur hits back over ‘damn lie’
The Bahamian entrepreneur seeking to restore Paradise Island’s lighthouse yesterday blasted that it was “a damn lie” for Royal Caribbean to assert his project will have a higher guest density than its own.
Minister urges end to construction ‘fronting’
A Cabinet minister yesterday lamented the failure to fully implement legislation to regulate the Bahamian construction industry as he called for an end to ‘fronting’ arrangements that enable foreign ownership in a sector reserved for locals.
