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BTC slammed with $1.581m fine over network outage

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) was last night hit with a $1.581 million fine for last March’s network outage, the sector regulator finding it did not take action to maintain a “functioning” communications system.

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Union chief seeks 100-133% increase in minimum wage

The Trade Union Congress’s (TUC) president yesterday backed a 100-133 per cent increase in the Bahamas’ minimum wage, describing this as “reasonable”.

IDB: Baha Mar to up jobless rate 2%

The Bahamas’ unemployment rate will jump by as much as two percentage points due to the 2,000 Baha Mar lay-offs, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is predicting, virtually eliminating the May 2015 decrease.

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Gov’t braces for tax breaks legal battle

The Government was last night bracing for an outspoken QC’s latest Judicial Review salvo, after it missed his deadline to provide “an undertaking” that no decisions will be taken on Freeport’s tax and economic regime.

Governor: ‘Credible’ growth plan key to satisfying Moody’s

The Central Bank’s governor yesterday said it was “within the Government’s reach” to lay out an economic growth strategy that convinces Moody’s not to further slash the Bahamas’ credit rating.

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Bran: 'Very dodgy' to interfere with business pricing

The Government will be "in very dodgy territory" should it seek to interfere with how Bahamian businesses price their goods and services, the DNA leader has warned.

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Provider: We can support asset ‘doubling’ to $900m

A Bahamian financial services provider yesterday said it has the infrastructure to support a “doubling” in size to over $900 million in assets under administration, as it seeks to avoid being “pigeon-holed” in the corporate market.

IDB brands price controls ‘poorly targeted subsidy’

The Government’s price controls are a poorly-targeted mechanism to counter soaring 16 percent food inflation as they benefit the rich as much as low income and vulnerable families, a multilateral lender is arguing.

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Baha Mar 'close' to $150m spend on Bahamians

BAHA Mar is "close" to investing $150 million with Bahamian contractors for its Cable Beach redevelopment, as it prepares to today launch the $2.6 billion project's 300 luxury Residences to high net-worth buyers from across the world in London.

'SERIOUS' CUSTOMS WOES UNDERMINING FDI, TRADE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Customs Department's "serious institutional and operational limitations", particularly an information management system more than 20 years-old, are undermining the Bahamas' trade competitiveness and ability "t

'SERIOUS' CUSTOMS WOES UNDERMINING FDI, TRADE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Customs Department's "serious institutional and operational limitations", particularly an information management system more than 20 years-old, are undermining the Bahamas' trade competitiveness and ability "t

Gov’t narrows inner city taxation breaks

The Government yesterday appeared to narrow its planned VAT and inner-city ‘tax breaks’, while seeking to deliver on campaign promises of accountability, transparency and good governance.

QC slams ‘free lunch’ for Port and Hutchison

A well-known QC has slammed the Government’s Freeport incentive legislation for “giving a free lunch” to those who can most afford it - Hutchison Whampoa and the Grand Bahama Port Authority’s (GBPA) two family shareholders.

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BIFF ‘taken for ride’ over Dingman deal

The Bahamas International Film Festival’s (BIFF) founder yesterday said she was left “embarrassed”, and felt “taken for a ride”, after Jamie Dingman failed to deliver on his promised acquisition of the organisation.

CHAMBER CHIEF TO TACKLE FREEPORT'S BOND 'HEAD ON'

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce's newly-elected president yesterday called for the ongoing controversy surrounding Freeport's 'bonded goods' regime to be "resolved once and for all", as licensee complaints ov

'NAIL IN COFFIN' OF FREEPORT'S $70-$120M BOND ECONOMY

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Bahamas Customs was yesterday accused of "putting another nail in the coffin of Freeport's" $70-$120 million bonded goods economy, a leading attorney describing the terms it was setting as a "bureaucratic perversi

'NAIL IN COFFIN' OF FREEPORT'S $70-$120M BOND ECONOMY

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Bahamas Customs was yesterday accused of "putting another nail in the coffin of Freeport's" $70-$120 million bonded goods economy, a leading attorney describing the terms it was setting as a "bureaucratic perversi

'NAIL IN COFFIN' OF FREEPORT'S $70-$120M BOND ECONOMY

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Bahamas Customs was yesterday accused of "putting another nail in the coffin of Freeport's" $70-$120 million bonded goods economy, a leading attorney describing the terms it was setting as a "bureaucratic perversi

'NAIL IN COFFIN' OF FREEPORT'S $70-$120M BOND ECONOMY

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Bahamas Customs was yesterday accused of "putting another nail in the coffin of Freeport's" $70-$120 million bonded goods economy, a leading attorney describing the terms it was setting as a "bureaucratic perversi

Rival Bahamian bidders in fight for last Gov’t hotel

Rival Bahamian-led bids with strong Andros connections are battling to acquire the last government-owned hotel, Tribune Business can reveal, with at least one proposal focusing on eco-tourism. Prescott Smith, owner of Stafford Creek Lodge, confirmed to Tribune Business that he was heading one group seeking to buy the Fresh Creek-based Lighthouse Club from the Government-owned Hotel Corporation of the Bahamas.