Opposition in ‘VAT-free holiday’ fate challenge
The Opposition’s finance spokesman yesterday voiced concern that Bahamian merchants and families could miss out on a significant inflation offset if no Back-to-School ‘VAT-free holiday’ is held this year.
Top official rules out ‘debt restructuring’
The Ministry of Finance’s top official yesterday reiterated that the Government has “no plans for any restructuring” of the $11.8bn national debt as he confirmed the hiring of an advisory firm to aid fiscal management.
Minister pledges ‘polluter will pay’ over Exuma spill
A Cabinet minister yesterday pledged that “the polluter will pay”, with the Government “holding their breath” that last week’s Exuma oil spill does no long-lasting harm to the area’s marine life.
Chamber chief urges more Lucayan sale transparency
The Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce’s president yesterday urged the Government to be more forthcoming with the status of the $100m Grand Lucayan sale to Electra America Hospitality Group.
Gov’t hires Rothschild for $11.8bn debt help
The Government has hired Rothschild & Co, a major global financial group, to advise on what could become a “massive refinancing” of much of the country’s $11.8bn national debt, it was revealed yesterday.
Auto dealers: Sales ‘20% higher’ if we had supply
Bahamian auto dealers yesterday said industry-wide sales would be “20 percent higher” than the actual 159 year-over-year increase for 2022 to-date if vehicle supplies matched pre-COVID levels.
Fidelity chair: Global recession risk ‘high’
A BISX-listed bank’s chairman has branded 2021 “the comeback year we all hoped for” after his institution cut loan loss provisions by almost $19m due to borrowers becoming current with their obligations again post-COVID.
Attorney must pay $165k over ‘forged’ bank drafts
A Bahamian attorney has been ordered to pay Scotiabank some $165,000 after his business account became overdrawn due to two bank drafts that were discovered to be “forgeries or counterfeit”.
‘No further hiccups’ over Lucayan deal
The Opposition’s leader last night voiced concern that “there are no further hiccups” with the proposed Grand Lucayan sale with the extension to the buyer’s 60-day due diligence period set to expire this week.
Attorney General hails ‘trailblazing’ carbon Bill
The Attorney General yesterday hailed the Carbon Credit Trading Bill as “trailblazing”, asserting that The Bahamas is further ahead of the entire world in having a “specific framework” to regulate this multi-million dollar activity.
Gas dealers ‘optimistic’ despite wait over relief
Bahamian gas station operators yesterday said they remain “optimistic” about their relief negotiations with the Government despite the two sides not having met or communicated for “quite a while”.
Exuma oil spillage: ‘Polluter must pay’
An environmental activist yesterday said it was vital those responsible for last week’s Exuma oil spill pay the full clean-up cost and “meaningful penalties” to deter further pollution-related negligence.
‘Don’t take Kalik bottle’ to carbon trading fight
The Bahamas must “take a gun to a gunfight as opposed to a Kalik bottle” if it wants “to be ahead of the game” in developing carbon credits and their trading, a well-known banker is urging.
‘Patronising’ Medical Council move caused family break-up
A Supreme Court judge has slammed the Bahamas Medical Council’s “dismissive and patronising” approach to rejecting an expatriate doctor’s bid to be licensed as a radiology specialist - a decision that forced her family to split-up.
Bahamas ‘can’t sit on laurels’ over digital assets regulation
The Securities Commission’s top executive has warned that The Bahamas “cannot sit on our laurels” as she disclosed that further reforms to tighten digital assets regulation will be unveiled “in the next few months”.
