Tour boat operators: No oil drilling worries
Tour boat charter operators yesterday said they have “no concerns” about oil exploration in Bahamian waters impacting the tourism industry provided regulators ensure the strictest safety protocols.
Gov't urged GB Power to delay new charge
The Government urged the Grand Bahama Power Company and its regulator not to proceed with imposing an additional charge on electricity bills, a minister has confirmed.
Gov't invests $20m in Nassau sidewalks
A Cabinet minister yesterday said the Government has allocated $20m to the construction of New Providence sidewalks in an initiative that has provided work for some "200 contractors".
Almost $150m spent on unemployment benefits
The Government and National Insurance Board (NIB) have to-date collectively spent almost $150m on supporting jobless Bahamians through COVID-19, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.
Sands Beer comeback a 'survival difference-maker'
A Bahamian brewery yesterday hailed the return of its own-brand beers as the difference between "being in business or out of business" after surviving for a year on just 35 percent of normal revenues.
Fisherman: 'Risk outweighs rewards' over oil exploration
A prominent fisherman yesterday voiced his opposition to oil exploration near "some of the most critical dive and trap areas on the Bahama Bank", adding: "The risks far outweigh the rewards."
COVID 'reality' hits banks: Loan defaults spike $83m
Bahamian commercial banks saw loan defaults spike by $83m in August as the sector started to feel the COVID-19 chill, with one senior executive saying: "The accounting is catching up with reality."
Sands: COVID infection 'knock out' for tourism
Dr Duane Sands yesterday warned that current COVID-19 infection rates would "knock us out of the tourism market" as he called for a "radical change" in The Bahamas' approach to fighting the virus.
Tourism operators back quarantine replacement
Hotel and marina operators yesterday urged that more rapid COVID-19 testing and health cards replace the mandatory 14-day quarantine that is “hampering business” for the tourism industry.
Gov't 'front loading' aid for reserves
The Central Bank yesterday said the Government's "front loaded" foreign currency borrowing meant the expected decline in The Bahamas' external reserves will be "delayed" until 2021.
Online delivery providers see business flatten out
Online delivery service providers yesterday said they have experienced no major uptick in demand since COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed on restaurants and other sectors over the past month.
Gov't seeks 'more robust' e-procurement response
The Government yesterday said it is seeking a "more robust" private sector response after just 30.6 percent of VAT registrants signed up to an electronic procurement initiative that is set to "ramp up".
BFSB chief shortlisted for international awards
The Bahamas Financial Services Board's (BFSB) chief executive has been shortlisted for honours in two categories at the 21st International Investment Awards.
Dollarisation must 'be on the table'
An ex-attorney general says full dollarisation of the Bahamian economy must "be on the table" as the country faces "a tipping point" due to the devastation inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Increased testing eyed as tourism's quarantine answer
A Cabinet minister yesterday signalled that post-arrival COVID-19 testing for tourists may be part of the solution to "easing" the mandatory 14-day quarantine impediment to the industry's revival.
