Cheap money era is now likely over
ActivTrades
LOOKING ahead to 2022, two narratives will be hard to avoid. One is the ongoing energy crisis, which saw oil, gas and coal prices skyrocketing over the last few months. And if inflation, which to a large degree is linked to the energy crisis, proves to be a more permanent problem than previously thought, the tightening of monetary policies by some of the world’s main central banks has also taken centre stage.
Sir Sol’s equivalent a must for Lucayan
The Grand Lucayan must be acquired by a Sir Sol Kerzner equivalent to ensure long-term success, a hotelier said yesterday, arguing: “Business model is more important than cheque book size.”
Water Corp yet to accept $320k for Treasure Cay sewage repair
The Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) has yet to accept the $320,000 raised by Treasure Cay residents to rebuild the area’s sewerage system lift station that was destroyed by Dorian.
Sale frustration leaves Treasure Cay ‘in limbo’
Uncertainty over Treasure Cay’s post-Dorian recovery and future ownership is dampening its economic prospects and resulting in “endless” streams of revenue being left untapped.
Omicron ‘pushes back’ pre-COVID for tourism
Tourism’s hoped-for return to 2019 business volumes this year has been “pushed back” several months by Omicron with Internet searches for The Bahamas now “half” of pre-COVID levels.
‘Entire economy shuts when ATMs go down’
Eleuthera Chamber of Commerce’s president yesterday urged the Government to stiffen “the backbone” of Bahamian-owned banks, adding: “When the ATMs go down the entire economy shuts.”
Abaco eyes Economic Council after tiring of Nassau’s ‘diktats’
Abaco’s private sector is seeking to create an Economic Development Council for the island, it was revealed yesterday, after becoming tired of being “dictated” to by Nassau.
Exchange controls to be ‘less of hindrance’
The Central Bank’s governor yesterday pledged to make exchange control restrictions “less and less of a hindrance” to Bahamian investors and companies seeking capital.
Pre-COVID output ‘not good enough’
The Central Bank’s governor yesterday warned that returning to pre-COVID economic output “is not enough” as he reaffirmed forecasts that GDP will expand by 8 percent in 2022.
IHOP Bahamas arrival targets up to 130 jobs
A Bahamian entrepreneur yesterday revealed plans to create up to 130 local jobs by making this nation “the anchor for the whole Caribbean” with the IHOP franchise he has just secured.
Dorian-hit islands slam VAT change as ‘short-sighted’
The Government’s assertion that reimposing VAT on construction services in Dorian-hit islands will only hurt a “minority” of wealthy homeowners was yesterday blasted as “short sighted”.
Bahamas targets ‘40 out of 40’ compliance
The Bahamas is aiming to be “40 out of 40” and achieve near-total compliance with global anti-financial crime standards this year, the attorney general said yesterday.
‘This is the time to get out’ of oil exploration
Environmental activists yesterday renewed arguments that a permanent ban on oil drilling in Bahamian waters “really makes sense now” as they urged the Davis administration to act.
‘Red flags’ over financial sector growth eliminated
The Bahamas’ removal from Europe’s blacklist “sets the stage” for financial services growth by eliminating the last “red flags” to doing business with this nation, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.
HUBERT EDWARDS: Reigniting the debate on Bahamian taxation
Commenting on public policy issues requires careful and determined effort given that these are always fluid and dynamic, while positions taken often draw scrutiny. Over this series of articles looking at the Bahamian tax regime, I am always mindful there are things I do not know, but with careful analysis there are important matters that can be explored. This, the final of four pieces, looks at developing issues that have the potential to move the needle while sharing a few cautionary points.
