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Bahamas' WTO membership is 'no fait accompli'

THE Government’s chief World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiator yesterday said The Bahamas’ accession was no “fait accompli”, telling accountants: “I’m not tied to any outcome.”Zhivargo Laing, the former Cabinet Minister, told attendees at the Baham

Laing: US budget cliff a burden to Caribbean

THE inability of American lawmakers to agree on budgetary measures threatens small Caribbean economies like the Bahamas, a former finance minister said.

FNM wanted VAT in 'two-three years'

The Free National Movement (FNM) had planned to implement a Value Added Tax (VAT) within “two to three years” if it had been re-elected in May 2012, a former Cabinet Minister yesterday saying it would “not have been fooling around with a gaming referendum”.

Laing denies NIB bias claim

FNM Senator Zhivargo Laing has dismissed claims that the former administration was biased in its prosecution of National Insurance violators.

‘No way’ Ingraham would have run $550m deficit

A former FNM Cabinet minister yesterday said there was “no way” an Ingraham administration would have run up the current government’s projected $550 million deficit, telling Tribune Business that “sobriety” was needed to restore the Bahamas to fiscal balance.

Gov't probes firsttime buyer Stampduty complaints

A key Ministry of Finance adviser yesterday said he had asked government officials to probe whether there was “any merit” in complaints that the first-time buyer Stamp Duty exemption was being misinterpreted, agreeing that the situation might need to be clarified.

Laing hits back in war of words over temporary work

OPPOSITION Senator Zhivargo Laing has hit back at Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell in the ongoing war of words over the former government’s temporary work programme.

'PLP fails to invest in Bahamians'

SHADOW Finance Minister Zhivargo Laing accused the government of leaving hundreds of Bahamians without hope as the Ingraham administration’s temporary work programme comes to an end.

Ex-minister slams BTC claims as 'utter rubbish'

A former state finance minister yesterday blasted as “utter rubbish” his predecessor’s assertion that the Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) privatisation was “flawed”, and warned that “the big prize” - communications sector liberalisation - was now under threat.