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BTC profits slump 26.4%
The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) suffered a 26.4 per cent profits slump for the year to end-March 2015, as its revenues and staffing levels came under pressure in the run-up to mobile liberalisation.
'Mixed bag': Auto sales 50% off peak
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor A leading auto dealer believes the industry will "eventually" recover to levels comparable to its 2007 peak, despite 2011's new car sales being almost 50 per cent down on that banner period in what was described a
WATER CORP DISCONNECTS 5,400 IN '11
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor A net 5,435 customers were disconnected by the Water & Sewerage Corporation for non-payment in 2011, data supplied to Tribune Business reveals, even though reconnections reached their highest level for five years.
FEEDBACK FROM THE FIRM'S KING
By Ian Ferguson We agree that a stronger focus on our customers enhances our ability to grow and expand our businesses, and to deepen our ability to maximise customer satisfaction. We say often that the customer is 'KING', and that they are the driving f
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,
S&P: Baha Mar to prevent any outlook upgrade
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) says the delayed Baha Mar opening has eliminated any chance that it will raise its ‘negative’ outlook on the Bahamas, as it prepares to “revise downwards” growth estimates for this nation.
AG’s Office: We bungled Blackbeard’s Cay appeal
The Attorney General’s Office has admitted that the Government’s appeal over the $8 million Blackbeard’s Cay project was thrown out because it was asleep on the job.
‘Past desperation’ on vehicle title system
Bahamian auto dealers yesterday expressed hope that proposed Road Traffic Department reforms will ultimately result in a vehicle titling system, one telling Tribune Business its creation was “past desperation point”.
BOB two years from profitability
Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday revealed it will take a further two years for Bank of the Bahamas to return to profitability, as he confirmed plans to recapitalise the troubled institution.
DPM: Bahamas must ‘prove’ itself to S&P
* ‘Not at all’ upset nation still ‘junk’ * Blames former Govt’s failure to deliver * Nation has 12-24 months to execute
The Government must “prove” it can deliver on its fiscal and economic turnaround strategy, the Deputy Prime Minister admitted yesterday, after Standard & Poor’s (S&P) kept the Bahamas at ‘junk’ status. K P Turnquest told Tribune Business he was “not at all” disappointed at the outcome of S&P’s annual review of the Bahamas’ sovereign creditworthiness, despite having previously expressed optimism that the Government could make the case to be upgraded to ‘investment grade’ status.
QC ‘awaits orders’ on Blackbeard’s Cay enforcement
A well-known QC is awaiting instructions from his environmental activist clients over how to enforce the judgment they obtained against the $8 million Blackbeard’s Cay project.
Air freight operators in Bahamas boycott threat
Florida-based air cargo companies are threatening to boycott the Bahamas over the new Customs fees and fines set to be introduced tomorrow, with this newspaper told: “It’s D-Day time.”
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.
RoyalFidelity predicts ‘double digit millions’ for new fund
RoyalFidelity believes its latest mutual fund will attract “double digit millions” from Bahamian investors through its promise to pay them a 4 per cent annual dividend.
Atlantis’s 4.5% Xmas rate rise beats hotel norm
Atlantis has seen a “quite substantial” 4.5 per cent year-over-year increase in average daily room rates (ADRs) for the upcoming peak Christmas/New Year season, a growth rate exceeding industry norms.
Broker blames SEC battle on regulator’s ‘inaction’
A Bahamian broker/dealer has blamed the Securities Commission’s “inaction” for creating its dispute with US regulators over their document production demands.
VAT guidance notes undermine core financial sector policy
The Government’s “inconsistent” Value-Added Tax (VAT) positions are threatening to undermine core financial services policy objectives, a top QC warned yesterday, threatening a loss of competitiveness and high-value business.
Don’t wreck reputation with missing deadlines
Are you a ‘train wreck’ when faced with tight deadlines? If you are employed in marketing, design, web development or any other deadline-driven field, no doubt you have experienced snappy demands, postponements, obstacles, delays, distractions and all manner of commotions that can interfere with that very important project you have finally landed.
PM says: ‘Make best of bad situation’ on VAT
A “very conciliatory” Prime Minister Perry Christie has urged the private sector to “make the most of a bad situation” on Value-Added Tax (VAT) and its implementation, Tribune Business can reveal.
CIBC:‘No plans’ for further terminations
CIBC’s top Caribbean executive yesterday said the bank had “no plans” for any further major outsourcing of jobs from the Bahamas, emphasising it was targeting the retail and private wealth management segments for growth.
