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‘Rethink’ Lucayan deal via complex break-up

A former Grand Lucayan Board member yesterday urged the Government to “rethink” its strategy for selling the resort by splitting up the complex and re-opening the largest hotel property.

Ex-Grand Lucayan director backs aggressive sale push

A former Grand Lucayan director is backing the Government’s decision to set aggressive timeline for the resort’s sale, saying it would “be great” if the deputy prime minister achieves a signed sales agreement by end-April.

‘Take all nasty decisions during first 12 months’

An ex-Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) counsel has urged the Davis administration to take all “nasty” decisions, such as selling-off loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs), during its first two years in office.

Freeport faces ‘disaster’ if 2016 Act not repealed

Freeport’s 2016 investment legislation is “an absolute disaster” that must be repealed if small and medium-sized businesses are to invest in the city, a prominent attorney warned yesterday.

Attorney: Amend laws for mandatory vaccine

A Bahamian attorney yesterday urged the government to reform health and safety at work laws to allow employers to mandate that staff get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Customs GB approach branded ‘mind boggling’

Hopes were rising in Freeport last night that Customs is close to resolving the near-two week system malfunction that has tripled the length of time required to clear goods imported to Grand Bahama.

GB airport: Govt ‘rolled over and played dead’

The government has “rolled over and played” dead by permitting Hutchison Whampoa to dump all its loss-making assets on the Bahamian taxpayer, a prominent attorney argued yesterday.

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.

Target ‘big boys’ first with corporate taxes

The Bahamas should initially only target companies generating more than $5m or $10m in annual net profits with a corporate income tax, a well-known attorney is arguing.

Govt told: Fulfill pledge on GB incentive repeal

The government has been urged to finally give Freeport’s private sector the certainty it urgently needs by fulfilling a key 2017 campaign pledge to repeal Christie-era investment legislation.

Freeport 'strangled' over Baleària wait

A prominent Freeport attorney yesterday warned the Government that it is "strangling" the city's prospects for economic revival by the protracted delay in approving Baleària Caribbean's return.

Recovery Committee: 'No sound ideas' for Freeport

The Economic Recovery Committee's report was yesterday blasted by a Freeport-based attorney for failing to propose a single idea for boosting Grand Bahama's economic growth.

Ease leaves GB with 'crippled but better' economy

The Prime Minister's decision to ease COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on Grand Bahama was yesterday said to have placed the island on "a crippled economic footing, which is much better than nothing".

Govt agency closures ‘drag commerce down’

The inability of the government’s key commercial agencies to function amid the COVID-19 lockdown is “dragging commerce down” and slowing what little activity remains, an attorney warned yesterday.

GB small businesses need $15m ‘bail-out’

The government was yesterday urged to make a $15m “bail-out” fund available immediately to prevent Grand Bahama small businesses already “on their last legs from going belly up”.

GB 'devastation' fears if COVID lockdown returns

The government was yesterday warned that any “knee jerk reaction” to place Grand Bahama back into total lockdown over the recent COVID-19 surge will be “devastating” for the island’s economy.Carey Leonard, the former Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA

Bahamas ‘obvious target’ for hackers

Attorneys yesterday warned the latest Registrar General’s Department hack shows the government “cannot get away” with any IT system deficiencies, adding: “We’re an obvious target.”

'Failure to test is crippling economy'

The failure to aggressively ramp-up COVID-19 testing “is crippling the Bahamian economy” and its recovery prospects, a former Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) attorney warned yesterday.Carey Leonard told Tribune Business that The Bahamas will “not

WTO advocate argues Bahamas to never join

A prominent World Trade Organisation (WTO) advocate yesterday said he doubts The Bahamas will ever join, adding: “You can lead a horse to water but can’t make it drink”.Carey Leonard, the former Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) in-house attorney, t

'Find fortitude' to shut Bahamasair

A member of the government’s Air Transport Advisory Board says “somebody need to finds the fortitude to shut down” Bahamasair after three of its jets were blocked from flying to the US. Carey Leonard told Tribune Business that the failure to install

Bahamas must flip approach to WTO

The Bahamas should go “full steam ahead” in pursuing World Trade Organisation (WTO) membership through a private sector-driven approach that improves competitiveness, an attorney is arguing.

Ex-GBPA attorney tells govt: Buy GB harbour and airport

An ex-Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) attorney yesterday urged the government to buy Freeport Harbour Company as well as the island’s airport to prevent “an enormous drain” on the Treasury.

WTO delay: We must get on with it

A prominent Freeport attorney says he is extremely disappointed in comments made by The Bahamas’ World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) chief negotiator, Zhivargo Laing that it is '95 percent unlikely' that the government will accede to the WTO during this current term.

Freeport 'desperately needs' govt's $10m

Several hundred Freeport businesses ravaged by Hurricane Dorian were yesterday said to “desperately need” the Government to extend its $10m financing facility to the city.Carey Leonard, the former Grand Bahama Port Authority in-house counsel, told Tr

WTO to ‘modernise 70-year-old model’

The government is “absolutely correct to modernise a 70-year-old economic model” by seeking full WTO membership, a well-known Bahamian attorney argued yesterday.

Bilateral WTO deals alternative ‘impractical’

Bilateral trade agreements are an “impractical, cost prohibitive” alternative to full WTO membership for The Bahamas, a well-known attorney argued yesterday.

NHI branded 'pouring water in leaky bucket'

The proposed two percent National Health Insurance (NHI) “tax” was yesterday likened to “pouring more water into a leaky bucket”, with an attorney arguing: “We’re not ready for it yet.” Carey Leonard, a member of the first Christie administration’s N

Freeport airlift problems 'can't hold us over barrel'

A Grand Lucayan board member yesterday called for The Bahamas to create its own airlift for Freeport, adding: “We can’t let anybody hold us over a barrel.”Carey Leonard, pictured, the former Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) in-house attorney, told

INSIGHT: Bahamians lose out as Chinese win big

Carey Leonard continues his series looking at the detrimental effects of Chinese investment in the Bahamas with an examination of the Agreement for Waiver Exclusivity . . .

INSIGHT - CHINESE INVESTMENT: All that glitters is not gold

Carey Leonard continues his series on why doing business with the Chinese is not proving beneficial to the Bahamas with a look at where the profits go . . .

INSIGHT: Chinese investment – May be detrimental to Bahamas economic health

This is the second in a series of articles being written by Mr Carey Leonard, outlining why doing business with the Chinese (Beijing) is not proving beneficial to the Bahamas. Mr Leonard, a commercial lawyer, is an associate in the law firm of Callenders & Co., Freeport.

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