Small loans provider extends limits 50%
A Bahamian small loans provider yesterday said it has expanded its lending facility by 50 percent to help consumers rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shoppers’ grocery buys change little
Super Value’s president yesterday said consumer habits have changed little despite the rising cost of food as they opt for their “national brands”.
Mixed verdict over Independence sales
Merchants yesterday gave a mixed assessment of Independence Day sales with one claiming there was a lot of “enthusiasm” while another blamed low consumer turnout on COVID-19’s lingering impact.
Cabinet minister in panel on more resilient food systems
A Bahamian Cabinet minister will next Monday participate in a panel discussion on building more resilient food systems in the Caribbean.
Tourism to re-establish its BASE
The Tourism Development Corporation (TDC) yesterday said it was moving to establish an association that will represent the interests of tourist-related businesses throughout The Bahamas.
Crystal offering ‘resident special’ on local cruises
Crystal Cruises says it is introducing a Bahamas Resident Special for locals wanting to join its seven-night, week-long home porting voyages around the archipelago.
ART OF GRAPHIX: Video marketing makes for much better viewing
Some marketing executives are caught in the conundrum of trying to decide whether to embark on a video advertising campaign or wondering why they are not already doing it.
Union chief: Workers not feeling tourism’s rebound
The hotel union’s president yesterday said industry workers were yet to feel the benefits from tourism’s post-COVID resurgence with “no higher than 40 percent” of his members recalled to work to-date.
Carnival’s GB port to double arrivals to 1m
Carnival’s Grand Bahama port will double the passengers it brings to the island to one million within three years of completion, economic forecasters have predicted, while boosting annual visitor spend by $68m.
Cruise port eyes 1m visitors by end-2021
Nassau Cruise Port’s top executive yesterday said it could welcome one million visitors over the five months to year-end 2021 even if vessels call with just 60 percent average occupancy.
Baha Mar builder seeks Bahamian judicial assistance
Baha Mar’s main contractor has launched its own bid to secure Bahamian judicial assistance in a bid to unearth evidence that will support its counter-claims against former owner Sarkis Izmirlian.
‘Full accounting’ demanded by oil opponents
Oil exploration opponents yesterday submitted their third Freedom of Information Act request in a bid to obtain greater transparency over the Government’s dealings with the ex-Bahamas Petroleum Company.
PI resort ends tests for fully vaccinated guests
A Paradise Island resort says fully vaccinated guests will no longer have to produce negative COVID test results as it extends its ‘fourth night free’ promotion through until August 31.
DEREK SMITH: Don’t simply ‘check box’ for passports over KYC
The fraud industry is booming. A few months before COVID-19 appeared, the Financial Cost of Fraud Report 2019 stated: “Fraud is costing businesses and individuals across the world $5.127tr each year.” Moreover, the results of a survey completed by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) noted that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, experts have observed an increase in multiple types of fraud. Both historically ,and recently, financial institutions and designated non-financial business and professions (“DNFBPs) are targets of fraudsters.
Gov’t seizes on leading small island FDI status
The Government yesterday seized on The Bahamas’ status as 2020’s top small island state for foreign direct investment (FDI) as “perhaps the strongest indicator of confidence” in this nation. The Ministry of Finance, in a statement, said this nation had bucked the trend of declining FDI inflows at the COVID-19 pandemic’s height via a 47 percent or $286m year-over-year increase in such receipts compared to 2019.
