Mid-Year budget
debate concludes
The
2015/2016 mid-year budget debate concluded late
Wednesday night after much
controversy unrelated to the fiscal affairs of the country.
In
his wrap up Prime Minister Christie again defended his reputation in telling House
colleagues that Diane Philips and Joseph Darville of Save the Bays were wrong
for being a part of a campaign that held the office of the Prime Minister up to
ridicule on allegations not based in facts. He also reasoned that the Supreme Court
injunction against Mr. Nygard’s application should have been lifted to make way
for a public hearing on the particulars of Clifton Bay where the contents of an
environmental assessment and an environmental management plan he commissioned could
be fully scrutinized and conclusions drawn based purely on facts.
On
the critical issue of jobs, the Prime Minister announced that the $20 million allocated
in the current budget for jobs training and placement will now be used under an
apprenticeship template currently in practice at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.
Prime Minister Christie said he expects this template to be utilized at Baker’s
Bay in Abaco, on projects in Exuma, Eleuthera and throughout the family islands
as the jobs created must be tied to training and must empower young Bahamians.
“We
want a training program that is an empowering program where people will go to
work – they will be making a stipend or minimum wage as the case might be – and
they will be empowered to fill vacancies as they come on stream. It will be
based on the needs assessment as it exists out there so I expect the Minister
of Labour to be very busy to be identifying those areas where these people will
go to work. I want to begin to employ people on the basis wherever they are
that they will be trained.
“They
(the Grand Bahama Shipyard) have brought about now where the twelve they have
become forty. They will train forty a year over four years but in addition to
which they recognize that they have 600 to 700 work permits. They have agreed they
would replace all of those semi skilled people by initiating 200 – a training
program for 200 people a year starting in April. (This is a) template that we
have created - that we support and we had a meeting with Baker’s Bay where we
indicated we want to do the same thing with Baker’s Bay; we will do the same
thing in Eleuthera; the same thing in Exuma; we want to be able to get directly
involved” said the Prime Minister.
Mr.
Christie also told the House that the IMF has warned during their Article IV
Consultations that tampering with the structure of VAT will create difficulties
and increased costs for the business community as they would have to create a
separate accounting system to track VAT-exempt items at greater operating expenses
to their business. This was in direct response to opposition leader that if the
FNM wins the next general election, they would eliminate VAT on a number of
items in various categories.
On
the issue of jobs, Labour Minister the Hon. D. Shane Gibson presented data from
the Department of Statistics to support the fact that 20,170 jobs were created
between
May 2012 and November 2015. This was in response to charges by
opposition members that unemployment was high and worsening.
Both
Mitchell and Nottage confirmed to the House that bombing suspect, Khakid
el-Bakraoui was listed by INTERPOLE as a Bahamian in error and that he was in
fact a Belgian.
Mitchell
also responded to Mrs. Sharon Adderely a second time on the death of her son, Christopher
Adderley, who died in a Haitian prison and the handling of funds the family submitted
to the embassy to defray Mr. Adderley’s legal fees. He reiterated that the
funds were turned over to Mr. Adderley’s lawyers who signed for the checks but he
and embassy staff do not know of any bribes paid to Haitian officials. He
presented copies of receipts signed by the Haitian lawyers who collected the checks.
Mitchell was responding to a letter purportedly written by the mother of the
deceased where she claimed that the monies paid through The Bahamas embassy in
Haiti were to facilitate bribes to Haitian officials ostensibly to secure the
release of her son.
The
mid-year budget resolution was unanimously passed in the House late Wednesday
night.
Government implementing
NHI “the right way”
Essentially
confirming a delay in the implementation of the primary health care phase of
National Health Insurance, the NHI Secretariat called a press conference on
Tuesday to update the media on the status on NHI and to say that the government
is committed to getting NHI Bahamas “right.”
“Over the last several months, the Government has been
working hard to come together with stakeholders and agree on the NHI model that
works for us. It must be the right one, not the quickest one. We are not going
to rush something so important for us and our country,” said Permanent
Secretary Peter Deveaux-Isaacs.
The Permanent Secretary announced that the Government
has been working with KPMG Advisory Bahamas and engaged the expertise of its
global network of health care experts to engage with key stakeholders, serve as
advisors on implementation and to ensure due diligence on mapping out the final
costing model for the programme. KPMG has already confirmed that the
Government’s estimation of $100 million per year for the primary care package
of NHI Bahamas is “reasonable and responsible.”
KPMG Bahamas is also advising on the creation and
administration of the public insurer, which will be set up as part of the NHI
Bahamas programme and managed by a third party to ensure accountability and
transparency. The Cabinet approved this recommendation
on Tuesday.
Other presenters were Dr. Kevin Bowe, Deputy Director at
NIB for NHI and Special Projects, KPMG Global Health Practice Chairman Dr. Mark
Britnell and Dr. Anuschka Coovadia, Head of Healthcare Markets, Africa and
Associate Director at KPMG.
Bahamas government
condemns “horrific” Brussels’ bombings.
The
Government of the Bahamas through its High Commission in London issued a press
statement
on Wednesday of this week in the wake of the horrific bombings at an
airport terminal and subway in Brussels, Belgium that claimed the lives of thirty-one
people and injuring more than two hundred and seventy others.
The
Bahamas High Commission in London said it was “closely monitoring the situation
and extends its deep condolences and regret to the Belgian Government and All
those who have fallen victim today (
Wednesday).”
The
Bahamas High Commission further stated that they were in touch with the country’s
Honorary Consul in Brussels and recommended all Bahamian Nationals in Brussels
to take shelter in secured locations and avoid all public transportation.
“Bahamian
citizens are urged to be aware of local events, follow local authority
instructions and to monitor local media for further developments” said the Commission.
“The
Commonwealth of The Bahamas stands with the people of Belgium in this morning's
(
Wednesday morning) horrific attacks” concluded the statement.
Jet Blue makes
emergency landing at Nassau Airport
The
Bahamas Department of Civil Aviation issued the following statement on the
emergency landing of a Jet Blue 29 Embraer 190 at Nassau’s Lynden Pindling
International Airport (LPIA)
on Friday, 25
th
March 2016:
“The
Civil Aviation Department advises that at
3:25 pm today, a Jet Blue 29 Embraer
190, inbound to LPIA from Washington Dulles Airport (KIAD), with 97 souls on
board, declared an emergency to Nassau Approach control, due to a landing gear
problem.
“It
was initially determined by CAD and LPIA officials that only the right main
gear was extended, and that both the left main gear and the nose gear were not.
The pilot in command made a decision to attempt a landing at LPIA , and after
burning some fuel, executed a safe landing at
4:36pm, with the use of both the
left and right main gear only. The nose gear was not extended. All passengers
and crew were determined to be uninjured.
“As
a result of the incident, the main runway at LPIA, 14 / 32 is temporarily closed,
until the aircraft can be removed. Aircraft operations continue on runway 09 /
27 with minimal delays
“The
Department of Civil Aviation commends the pilot, the Air Traffic Control staff,
the Airport Authority, the Nassau Airport Development Company, the Airport Crash,
Fire and Rescue officers at LPIA, and the Royal Bahamas Police Force
firefighters, for a job well done.
“The
public is informed that the Accident and Investigations Unit of the Flight
Standards Inspectorate will immediately conduct an investigation into this incident,
with a view to determining the circumstances which led to its occurrence.”
Komolafe resigns as
Managing Director of Bahamas Development Bank
The
Bahamas Development Bank’s Managing Director Mrs. Arinthia S. Komolafe
announced her resignation this week after a short tenure at the helm of the
public bank.
In her letter
to Prime Minister Christie, Mrs. Komolafe expressed hope for a seamless
leadership transition at the bank and that her successor continues the “good
work” of policy reforms, the strategic plan and a more effective framework for corporate
governance that she and her staff advanced, sometimes under difficult
circumstances and with limited resources.
"I am hopeful
that the good work that we began by seeking to create a culture of
professionalism, implementing appropriate internal controls, putting in place a
robust provisioning policy, devising a strategic plan, proposing an effective
corporate governance framework, spearheading a focused initiative to clean up
the loan portfolio, pursuing legal action against chronic defaulters and
enacting a "no sacred cow" policy for the recovery of funds owed to
the Bank will be built upon by my successor" said Komolafe.
The effective date
of her resignation is
31st March, 2016. It is believed in some circles that
Mrs. Komolafe, an attorney by profession, will seek public office in the future.
In Passing…
Young Donovan Butler bested 19
other elite spellers to win the 2016 Bahamas National Spelling Bee held last
Sunday at the Atlantis’ Crown Ballroom. The eighth grader at Saint Augustine College
won the competition with the word “PHARMACY.”
Pastor,
sportsman and local activist Dr. Philip McPhee told the media this week that
ministers of the gospel need to be represented in the House of Assembly and is
therefore “one half of an inch from announcing my candidacy in the next general
election.”
Referring to 42
years of diplomatic relations and cooperation between Cuba and The Bahamas,
Cuban Ambassador to The Bahamas HE Ismara Vargas Walter told the media this
week that both countries will complement each other on a joint program
involving tourism. These discussions on tourism are intensifying as Cuba slowly
and deliberately opens its borders and embraces a market driven economy. The
Association of Caribbean States (ACS) summit will be held in Cuba in June of
this year and as a council member, the Cuban Ambassador said that cooperation
on tourism will figure prominently on the agenda.
The official
hiring of Canadian based real estate giant Colliers International by Baha Mar receivers
with the approval of the Bahamas Supreme Court signaled the beginning of the sales
process of the Baha Mar property. According to Prime Minister Christie, there
is no shortage of interested investors in the mega resort property but there
were media reports indicating that receiving a dollar-for-dollar offer for the
property would be a challenge for the China EXIM Bank. The China Construction Company
has agreed to wholly complete the construction phase of the property with the
understanding that Bahamian contractors will be fully paid the major sums owed to
them at the time the property entered bankruptcy in June 2015.
The Bahamas’ 36
member strong CARIFTA swim team is in Martinique on the final day of competition
in the 2016 CARITA swimming championships. The Bahamas team started
Friday 20
points behind leader Guadeloupe but in the end, a three-peat was not to be as
The Bahamas finished second to Guadeloupe. The Bahamas was the 2014 and 2015
CARIFTA swimming champions
Chinese
Ambassador to The Bahamas HE Yuan Guisen spent the week making farewell courtesy
calls on government ministers and other leaders before demitting office and returning
to China. A farewell reception was held in his honour by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs
on Wednesday evening at Luciano’s of Chicago restaurant. The reception
allowed the consulate community to pay tribute and say their goodbyes. The
Ambassador met with Prime Minister Christie
on Thursday and Deputy Prime
Minister Davis to round out his farewell tour.
The Executive Committee
of the Free National Movement approved the appointment of former FNM Member of
Parliament for Garden Hills and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of
Housing Brensil Rolle to the post of Acting National Chairman after Michael
Pintard resigned as chairman and senator
on Monday. Mr. Pintard was accused of
participating in a plot to destabilize the government of The Bahamas and a
murder for hire plot involving billionaires Peter Nygard and Louis Bacon. He
admitted no guilt but said he resigned because it was the responsible course of
action to take and as a demonstration of political maturity.
Bahamian Buddy
Hield, the guard from the University of Oklahoma Sooners basketball team made
it to the cover of the latest edition of Sports Illustrated. Hield was voted
the Big 12 player of the year and his Sooners have advanced to the elite eight
in the NCAA Division 1 basketball championship tournament. Oklahoma is scheduled
to play the Oregon Ducks
on Saturday at
6pm. The tournament began with
sixty-four teams. Hield is also a strong contender for the Naismith National
Player of the Year Award.
HAVE A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE EASTER WEEKEND.
About the author: Elcott Coleby is a Deputy Director at the
Bahamas Information Services. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in
Chemistry (B.Sc) and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA). He provides
frequent commentary on public policy and communicates the works of the
government. Address all comments to the following email:
egcoleby44@gmail.com
