Registrar General’s digital ‘pilot’ in early 2023 launch
THE ATTORNEY General yesterday said the Registrar General’s Department will launch a “pilot” digital platform by the 2023 first quarter with the agency possibly being split into two separate sections.
Bahamas’ growth could drop-off to 2% by ‘24
THE CENTRAL Bank’s governor yesterday warned the Bahamian economy could return to its traditional annual growth rate of 2 percent or less as early as 2024.
Governor targets 1m Sand Dollar issuance
THE CENTRAL Bank’s governor yesterday said “steps” are being taken to draft legislation for the creation of the proposed movable collateral asset registry.
Gov’t hit over VAT assistance delays
The Government should “naturally expect the criticism” over its failure to introduce a key social support initiative in time to protect “persons on the margins” from a broad-based VAT, a banker argued yesterday.
No overnight flight crews in Freeport for 7-8 years
A Grand Bahama hotelier yesterday exposed the depths of the island’s tourism decline by revealing that no regular commercial airline flight crew has stayed overnight at his resort for around seven to eight years.
AML: $17m will create ‘real power destination’
AML Foods yesterday pledged to “create a real power destination” through a total $17m investment that will place its Solomon’s and Cost Right brands side-by-side at the former’s Nassau SuperCentre location.
City Markets retirees in fresh pension blow
Hundreds of City Markets pensioners were yesterday dealt a new blow after efforts to solve the legal quagmire blocking AML Foods’ $3.36m purchase of its former head office failed despite the latter “giving it a real go”.
TRAVEL BUDGET SOARS FOR GOVT: $11.8m spend exceeds allocation by 11%.
The Government’s travel spending yesterday ignited further Opposition attacks after it was revealed that the total $11.8m outlay for the 2021-2022 fiscal year exceeded Budget allocations by 11.1 percent.
Port sets July record on container volumes
Nassau’s commercial shipping port set a July record after container imports increased by more than 20 percent with its top executive yesterday confirming business volumes have rebounded to pre-COVID levels.
Gov’t: Inflation did not drive VAT revenue rise
Record inflation generated less than $10m of the VAT revenue increase in the first six months after the rate cut, the Ministry of Finance asserted last night, with the 2021-2022 deficit slashed by 48.4 percent year-over-year.
No Grand Lucayan sale obstacles ‘on our side’
The Grand Lucayan’s chairman says there are no obstacles or barriers to closing the resort’s $100m sale “from our side” ahead of a key deadline for the negotiations being hit in 48 hours’ time.
Taxpayer SOE subsidies surge despite $50m Bahamasair drop
Government subsidies to loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs) surged to $492m during the 2021-2022 fiscal year despite a more than $50m reduction in support for Bahamasair as it returned to the skies.
Road Traffic change ignites political battle
The Government and Opposition yesterday traded blows over assertions that a Cabinet minister’s brother has been replaced as acting Road Traffic controller due to the ongoing controversy over too many taxi plates being issued.
Gladstone businesses fear roadworks impact
Gladstone Road businesses yesterday voiced concern over whether customers will still have sufficient access to their enterprises both during and after the upcoming $29m, two-year road improvement project.
Bank to ‘double’ dividend on pre-Dorian profit return
Commonwealth Bank will this month “double” its quarterly dividend payment, and return more than 27 percent of year-to-date profits back to shareholders, as it forecasts returning to pre-Dorian annual profits of $50m-$60m for 2022.
