Minister eyes Disney jobs boost for his constituents
A Cabinet minister yesterday said Disney Cruise Line plans to stage another job fair in his South Eleuthera constituency so that residents have first chance to secure the extra 180 construction jobs at its Lighthouse Point project.
Gov’t to decide on Baker’s Bay’s ‘global workforce’
A Cabinet minister yesterday said the Mexican workers hired to rebuild Abaco’s Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Club may be re-engaged while reaffirming the long-standing policy that qualified and available Bahamians get first preference.
$1BN BLACK HOLE OF UNPAID TAXES: Inland Revenue reveals scale of outstanding arrears by Bahamians
The Government’s top revenue agency yesterday revealed that “unacceptable non-compliance” by Bahamian taxpayers had resulted in the build-up of $1bn in outstanding tax arrears that it was now aggressively pursuing.
‘We buried hatchet’ over retail closure
Super Value’s principal has revealed he and his family “bit the bullet” in closing their loss-making Harbour Bay housewares retailer, adding: “We were fighting a losing battle so we buried the hatchet.”
New NAD fees hailed as ‘lot less onerous’
The private aviation industry yesterday hailed the Nassau Development Company’s (NAD) alterations to the new fees imposed on it as “a lot less onerous” compared to what was originally proposed.
‘Entrenched reduction?’: Bad loans down $22m
The Central Bank is “holding off” in determining whether COVID-related loan delinquencies have peaked despite a $22.4m reduction in non-performing credit during the 2022 first quarter, its governor revealed yesterday.
NIB losing ‘tens of millions’ over delinquent employers
A Cabinet minister yesterday warned that the National Insurance Board (NIB) plans to intensify its pursuit of delinquent employers and self-employed persons who owe “tens of millions” in unpaid social security contributions.
One thousand Gov’t staff to be permanent
A Cabinet minister yesterday said the Government is aiming to make 1,000 public sector workers permanent and pensionable, having set aside $2m to cover back pay owed to civil servants.
Company accused of role in baby’s death
An ex-Family Guardian executive, who is alleging that the insurer’s actions helped cause her unborn baby’s death, has lost the battle to have a covert recording of her meeting with the firm’s president admitted as evidence.
Sands: Poor sacrificed ‘on tax efficiency altar’
The FNM’s chairman yesterday accused the Government of driving more Bahamian families into poverty, and sacrificing them “on the altar of tax efficiency”, by refusing to eliminate VAT on medicines and breadbasket foods.
Governor raises reserves forecast as $3bn beaten
The Central Bank yesterday raised its year-end forecast for The Bahamas’ external reserves holdings after they started May above $3bn following a $523m expansion during the first three months of 2022.
Debt consolidation still leads consumer lending
Almost one-quarter of consumer loan requests received by Bahamian commercial banks during the 2021 second half were for “debt consolidation”, it was revealed yesterday, again exposing the elevated strain COVID placed on borrowers.
$700m optimism Bahamas can ‘take oil price pressure’
A “$700m-plus” increase in US dollar purchases from the commercial banks during the 2022 first quarter has given the Central Bank’s governor optimism The Bahamas “can absorb” much of the pressure from high global prices.
Governor warns economy ‘overpowered’ after 2023
The Central Bank’s governor yesterday warned that surging global inflation and other external risks “could overpower” the Bahamian economy once the return to pre-COVID output levels is completed in 2023.
Planning Appeals Board will be ‘no rubber stamp’
A Cabinet minister yesterday pledged that the newly-appointed planning appeals Board will not serve as “a rubber stamp” for any government or Town Planning Committee decisions.
