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‘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.

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.

Florida court blocks $7.59m Bahamas ruling

A contractor’s bid to enforce a $7.59 million Bahamas Supreme Court judgment against a major global hotel chain has been blocked by a Florida appeals court, which ruled the latter was not involved in a $1 billion Bahamian joint venture.

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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.

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.

Tax crackdown: Govt hits 6,000 businesses, 5,000 property owners

The Government last night unveiled its promised crackdown on tax defaulters, promising to first pursue the largest, wealthiest delinquents - some 6,000 businesses and 5,000 high-end property owners.

IDB to combat 'stodgy' image

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Inter-American Development Bank's (IDB) country representative yesterday pledged to reach out more effectively to the Bahamian private sector, admitting that the institution was perceived as "too stodgy and bu

'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

'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

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

AML chief: ‘Size of pie yet to be seen’

* Uncertainties over Xmas spending * Hopes December ‘uptick’ will persist  * All retailers see October/November fall-off

BISX-listed AML Foods has warned that “the size of the pie” remains unknown when it comes to Bahamian consumer spending this Christmas. Gavin Watchorn, the group’s president and chief executive, told Tribune Business that while it was “very confident” of gaining its due share, the extent of holiday expenditure was difficult to predict given continued economic uncertainty and fragile confidence.

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,

PRIVATE SECTOR LOAN DEFAULTS HIT $301M

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Almost one-third of commercial bank loans to Bahamian businesses are in arrears, something the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation's (BCCEC) chairman described as a sign that economic recovery

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.

CHAMBER CHIEF 'VERY CONCERNED' AT $300M BAD BUSINESS LOANS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation's (BCCEC) chairman yesterday described as "very concerning" the almost-$300 million worth of 'bad loans' to the private sector, with January's $10.6 mill

CHAMBER CHIEF 'VERY CONCERNED' AT $300M BAD BUSINESS LOANS

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation's (BCCEC) chairman yesterday described as "very concerning" the almost-$300 million worth of 'bad loans' to the private sector, with January's $10.6 mill

2,000 homeowners 'non-performing'

2,000 homeowners 'non-performing' By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor An estimated 1,500-2,000 Bahamian homes have mortgage loans that are more than 90 days past due, the Clearing Banks Association (CBA) told Tribune Business yesterday, with the se

MSC cruise port: No lease agreement yet

No agreement has yet been reached to transfer the lease of Ocean Cay to Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) for its private cruise port, with the current holder saying of the project: "It won't be done overnight."