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Hotel industry 'holds its own'

The Bahamas' hotel industry generated a 6.2 per cent increase in room occupancy for the year to end-October 2011, something the Bahamas Hotel Association's (BHA) president said showed the sector was "holding its own". Stuart Bowe, senior vice-president at

Ansbacher in $2myacht lien battle

Ansbacher (Bahamas) is seeking to recover more than $2 million owed by a delinquent borrower by foreclosing on, and selling, his multi-million dollar yacht.

Ex-Hard Rock franchisee queries transfer to ex-MP

Hard Rock Cafe's former Nassau franchisee has questioned why the business was so readily handed to its Bahamian landlord, when a decade earlier he had been "forced" to pay $1 million to end their partnership.

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$600m Sarkis claims branded 'hogwash'

An ex-Baha Mar director has slammed as "hogwash" claims that Sarkis Izmirlian lacked the $600 million financing needed to complete the project, accusing the Government of "playing the blame game".

Port's 25% growth hides missed trade potential

Freeport is failing to attract “a wider range” of businesses and become a true logistics/distribution hub, despite the Container Port outstripping all Caribbean rivals with 25 per cent cargo throughput growth.

PHA: 20% local spend rise rebuts ‘wipe out’ fears

The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) yesterday said the 20 per cent increase in spending with Bahamian pharmaceutical wholesalers over a two-year period proves that fears it is intent on “wiping out” the industry are groundless.

$20M FIRE LOSSES 'UNPRECEDENTED'

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor A leading Bahamian general insurer yesterday said the pre-recession 60/40 split in its auto book had been reversed in favour of third party coverage, with 2011 an "unprecedented" year for large fire-related claims

CREDIT BUREAU TARGET FOR END 2012/START 2013

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor A Bahamian credit bureau should be established by "the latter part of this year or early 2013", the Central Bank's governor has told Tribune Business, with its activation designed to prevent the almost-20 per cent

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Gov't pushes deficit elimination forecast back three years

The Government has pushed back its original projections for eliminating the fiscal deficit by three full years, and is now pinning its hopes on a $449 million, four-year 'swing' into surplus.

Revived Mortgage Plan may assist ‘over 1,000’

The Government yesterday unveiled a revised Mortgage Relief Plan it believes could assist “upwards of 1,000 delinquent borrowers”, via a 20-25 per cent cut to monthly loan payments.

The bigger picture on local buying

Use Chamber voice logo. Byline 'By Ian Ferguson', and use Pic of him The expression 'Buy Bahamian' was uttered many years ago in a desperate plea to encourage locals to support, and buy goods and services, produced in the Bahamas. I believe it was Clevel

Customs: Gov't targeting 'best practices' goal

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Government is targeting a Customs regime that meets "international best practices", a minister yesterday saying there was "no evidence" that the agency's operational/institutional weaknesses had deterred forei

Customs: Gov't targeting 'best practices' goal

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Government is targeting a Customs regime that meets "international best practices", a minister yesterday saying there was "no evidence" that the agency's operational/institutional weaknesses had deterred forei

Customs: Gov't targeting 'best practices' goal

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Government is targeting a Customs regime that meets "international best practices", a minister yesterday saying there was "no evidence" that the agency's operational/institutional weaknesses had deterred forei

Customs: Gov't targeting 'best practices' goal

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Government is targeting a Customs regime that meets "international best practices", a minister yesterday saying there was "no evidence" that the agency's operational/institutional weaknesses had deterred forei

Customs: Gov't targeting 'best practices' goal

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Government is targeting a Customs regime that meets "international best practices", a minister yesterday saying there was "no evidence" that the agency's operational/institutional weaknesses had deterred forei

JUST 17% OF POOR GETTING BENEFITS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Less than 17 per cent of poor Bahamian households are receiving social security benefits, an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report highlighting a dysfunctional welfare system that is failing to reach those

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‘Get out of dark ages’, Gov’t and unions told

* Reformer urges end to worker benefits focus * Calls for more productivity ‘to lift GDP growth’ * And wants wages ‘held’ at current levels

The Department of Labour must “get out of the dark ages” and focus on improved worker productivity if the Bahamas is to enjoy higher GDP growth, a governance reformer urged yesterday. Robert Myers, a principal with the Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG), told Tribune Business that the Labour Department and trade unions needed to stop pushing for increased worker benefits “if we are to lift ourselves out of this socio-economic recession”. Arguing that both were still “singing the same old song”, Mr Myers called for wages and benefits to be “held” at present levels until the Bahamian economy generated improved GDP growth rates.

Governor: Data, privacy regimes may need reform

The Bahamas may have to reform its data and confidentiality regimes to mitigate the threat posed by the loss of correspondent banking relationships to the financial sector and wider economy, the Central Bank’s governor has warned.

KFC forces unions to put 'house in order'

KFC forces unions to put 'house in order' By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) franchise's decision to cancel voluntary recognition of the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) will have "far reac