Tax breaks renewal ‘definition of insanity’
An ex-deputy prime minister yesterday likened the blanket five-year renewal of all tax breaks under the City of Nassau Revitalisation Act as akin to “the definition of insanity”.
EX-DPM: Collect all taxes ‘without fear or favour’
An ex-deputy prime minister yesterday urged the government to develop a US Internal Revenue Service-style mindset to collect taxes “without fear or favour” while slamming proposed new compliance measures.
Port’s Freeport revival ‘all take and no give’
The Grand Bahama Port Authority-commissioned report on Freeport’s revival is “all take and no give” and is “highly unlikely” to be supported by the government, an attorney blasted yesterday.
Housing Act reforms ‘invite legal challenge’
An ex-deputy prime minister yesterday warned that legal reforms to facilitate Dr Hubert Minnis’ “young professionals” real estate developments are “discriminatory” and “invite legal challenge”.
AG’s Office in ‘inexcusable’ blunder on $1.5m freeze
An “inexcusable” blunder by the Attorney General’s Office and its US counterparts has resulted in the Court of Appeal refusing to refreeze the alleged $1.5m proceeds from an international fraud.
Cruise port chief eyes health visa efficiency gains
Nassau Cruise Port’s top executive says “there is an opportunity to create greater efficiencies” with the COVID-19 related health questionnaires and documents that cruise passengers must complete.
$2bn pension liability ‘blows everything up’
An ex-Cabinet minister yesterday warned “we blow everything up” if an estimated $2bn in unfunded civil service pension liabilities is added to the national debt, adding: “We never thought judgment day would come.”
Bahamas ‘can’t lose sight’ of real G7 goal
The Bahamas “cannot lose sight of the fact” that G-7 members and other high-tax European states want “to wipe out” international financial centres (IFC) such as this nation, a prominent accountant warned yesterday.
Airline pricing causes tourist ‘deterrent’ fear
The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) president yesterday voiced concerns that high airline ticket prices, especially at peak weekends and holidays, “could be a deterrent” for travel to this nation.
Salvage reforms to public procurement
In my last article I neglected to define what public procurement is. Public procurement refers to the purchase by governments and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) of goods, services and works. As public procurement accounts for a substantial portion of taxpayer monies, governments are expected to carry it out efficiently and using best international practices. This is critical for ensuring high quality service delivery and safeguarding the public interest.
Spanish Wells chief hails ‘great day for democracy’
Spanish Wells’ chief councillor yesterday said it was a “great day for democracy” after a Cabinet minister said Crystal Cruises would look for an alternative port-of-call on its upcoming seven-night Bahamas cruises.
Cascarilla ‘game changer’: Project receives 100 acres
An Acklins co-operative is to receive more than 100 crown land acres to facilitate a $1.4m “game changer” in developing a cascarilla industry in The Bahamas.
‘Win for common sense and sanity’
The Grand Lucayan’s chairman yesterday hailed a Supreme Court verdict dismissing wrongful/unfair dismissal claims by 36 current and former managers as “a victory for common sense and sanity”.
Bahamas must ‘get even better’ on CDC rankings
The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) president yesterday urged this nation to strive “to get even better” in US health travel advisories in the hope it will lead to further COVID-19 restriction easing.
Out Island hotels to miss 65% recovery projection
Family Island hotels will “likely fall short” of projections they will collectively recover 65 percent of pre-COVID business levels during the 2021 first half due to airlift cutbacks from Nassau.
