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'Aggressive' insurer targets the Bahamas

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor An "aggressive" St Maarten-headquartered underwriter has caused a stir in the Bahamian general insurance market after obtaining regulatory approval to write business in this nation, Tribune Business can reveal, a

De-risk 'client migration' to benefit larger banks

Correspondent bank 'de-risking' could drive another wave of Bahamian financial services consolidation by sparking "client migration" to larger institutions, a former finance minister has warned.

IDB: $13M 'RETROACTIVE' TO STOP ROADWORKS SHUTDOWN

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor An alarmed Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is providing $13 million in retroactive financing to prevent a "cash flow shortfall" from bringing the New Providence Road Improvement Project to a temporary halt,

Trade deficit narrows 9.7%

The Bahamas experienced a 9.7 per cent drop in its trade deficit to $2.554 billion in 2013, largely due to an almost-$300 million fall in its import bill.

'CATASTROPHE' WARNING OVER INDUSTRIAL UNREST

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Widespread labour-related disruption "could be catastrophic" for an already-weak Bahamian economy, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation's (BCCEC) chairman yesterday warning that this was "po

Banks to ‘double’ VAT recovery.... to just 10%

The Bahamian banking industry is hopeful it might be able to recover ‘double’ the amount of Value-Added Tax (VAT) inputs than previously thought, as one institution yesterday revealed its total tax burden will increase by $6-$7 million in two years.

FIRSTCARIB MARKET CAP SHRINKS 44% DURING RECESSION

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) has seen its market capitalisation plummet by 44.4 per cent since the recession started, its 2011 annual report disclosing that return on equity (RoE) had also drop

FIRSTCARIB MARKET CAP SHRINKS 44% DURING RECESSION

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) has seen its market capitalisation plummet by 44.4 per cent since the recession started, its 2011 annual report disclosing that return on equity (RoE) had also drop

FIRSTCARIB MARKET CAP SHRINKS 44% DURING RECESSION

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) has seen its market capitalisation plummet by 44.4 per cent since the recession started, its 2011 annual report disclosing that return on equity (RoE) had also drop

Skills transfer woe still a ‘sad reality’

The Bahamas must change “the sad reality” that key skills and knowledge are not being passed on to local workers by expatriate work permit holders, a prominent contractor argued yesterday.

BTC TAKES 4G TO GRAND BAHAMA

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has introduced its fourth generation (4G) network on Grand Bahama via a soft launch. Coming almost a month ahead of schedule, it follows the official launch of the same technology in New Providence one week ea

‘Breath of fresh air’: 150k cruise arrivals over Xmas

The Downtown Nassau Partnership’s (DNP) co-chair yesterday hailed the increase in cruise ship traffic as a “breath of fresh air” for business with close to 150,000 passenger arrivals forecast for Christmas week.

FIELDS NAMED AS TOP INSURANCE REGULATOR

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Former ColinaImperial executive Michele Fields has been appointed as the Bahamas' chief insurance regulator, Tribune Business can reveal, the Government believing her industry background will allow enhanced superv

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Car Show 'bounce' in 83-100% sales growth

BAHAMIAN new car dealers yesterday revealed that the Car Show "bounce" appeared to have returned in 2012, with April's sales up between 83-100 per cent month-over-month compared to March.

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FUND 'BELOW PAR' AFTER 50% VACANCY CUT FAILURE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Bahamas Property Fund's failure to cut the 20 per cent vacancy rate at its flagship Bahamas Financial Centre by half meant its 2011 performance fell "slightly below expectations", although last May's Bahamian

MONTAQUE LIQUIDATORS 'FULL FORCE' IN CANADA

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Liquidators for Owen Bethel's Montaque Capital Partners have been recognised by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice through a ruling given "full force and effect" throughout Canada, a move critical to enabling t

Bermuda learns from Arawak Port project

Arawak Port Development Company (APD) executives recently hosted Bermuda government officials on a tour of the $83 million Nassau Container Port and Gladstone Freight Terminal. Marc A.R. Bean, Bermuda's minister of environment, planning and infrastruct

FAMILIES EARNING UNDER $5K YEARLY INCREASE BY 83%

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The number of Bahamian households surviving on less than $5,000 per year has increased by an "alarming" 83 per cent in the past four years, Department of Statistics data shows, indicating the recession has most im

$10M SOCIAL SECURITY REFORMS 'FIRST OF THEIR KIND' IN CARIBBEAN

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Bahamas' proposed $10 million social security reform initiative is a 'first-of-its-kind' in the Caribbean, as it will tie welfare payments to "improving human capital" through better educational achievement fo

INSURANCE BROKERS: OVER 25% TO 'FALL OFF'

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor More than 25 per cent of all existing Bahamian insurance brokers and agents are unlikely to be licensed under the new Act governing the sector, the Insurance Commission told Tribune Business yesterday. Arvind Bagh