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Last Updated: Apr 15, 2014 - 2:46:20 PM
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Bimini Sands Bahamas joins Guy Harvey Outpost Expedition Collection - Apr 15, 2014 - 2:43:59 PM
South Bimini, Bahamas –
Bimini Sands Resort & Marina on the Bahamas Gateway Island of
Bimini is pleased to announce it has entered into a strategic marketing
agreement with Guy Harvey Outpost. By joining the exclusive Guy Harvey
Outpost Expedition Collection of independently owned and operated
resorts, Bimini Sands can take advantage of the Outpost’s marketing,
outfitting and online reservation system. In addition, Guy Harvey
Outpost will have the opportunity to co-host fishing tournaments with
Bimini Sands from its full-service marina, which offers the fastest
access to world-class fishing waters of any marina on the island, along
with oceanfront condos, two of Bimini’s most popular restaurants, a new
infinity pool, Bimini’s top-rated dive operation and many other exciting
activities.
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PM, Minister, Financial Secretary Agree: Payroll Tax Not a Viable Option - Apr 14, 2014 - 1:48:32 PM
 Nassau, Bahamas - Bahamian workers would
face grave reductions in take-home pay if a payroll tax were implemented
instead of a Value Added Tax (VAT), the three leading government voices
in financial affairs, including the Prime Minister, agreed.
“You would need a payroll tax of 20-25% to equal what a VAT of 15% would generate,” said Prime Minister Perry Christie.
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Suze Orman Seminar Coming to The Bahamas - Apr 13, 2014 - 1:01:24 PM
Seventy-Seven Percent Of Bahamians Don’t Have Pension Plans
It’s
a “frightening” statistic and one that financial experts at Colonial
Pension Services (Bahamas) are hoping will not only lead to the
enactment of pension legislation, but lure Bahamians to their upcoming
seminar featuring personal finance guru, Suze Orman. The two-time Emmy
Award winning television host, motivational speaker and New York Times
bestselling author will be in The Bahamas to discuss retirement
financing.
“It
doesn’t matter where you are, at some point if you’re working you will
retire and when you retire you’re still living, you still need money and
if you don’t put that aside while you’re working you’re going to wind
up in trouble...”
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CHEC Americas Engages Bahamian Engineering Firm on North Abaco Port Project - Apr 11, 2014 - 7:25:34 AM
ABACO, Bahamas —
Chinese Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) has engaged the expertise of
local Engineering firm Caribbean Coastal Services Ltd. (CCS) as the $39
million North Abaco Port project moves one step closer to ground
breaking.
The Bahamian Engineering firm will review, comment,
stamp and seal CHEC’s designs for the Abaco port to make sure all the
drawings that are handed into the Ministry of Public Works will comply
with all the local and relevant laws and codes.
Principal of CHEC
Bahamas Felix Chang said support from CCS will enhance the
award-winning international engineering firm’s ability to fulfill all
the country requirements for this port development.
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Treasure Cay Environmental Damage ‘Irreparable, Heartbreaking,’ Abaco Chief Councilor Says - Apr 9, 2014 - 4:03:11 PM
Abaco’s Chief
Councilor today labelled as “heartbreaking” the destruction of acres of
wetlands, slashed by heavy equipment on a site being developed under
expansion plans by a resort known as Treasure Sands despite a cease and
desist order by government.
“I don’t blame the developer,” says
North Abaco Chief Councilor Gary Smith. “Nor do I blame the government
in Nassau. The Minister of Finance for Investments Khaalis Rolle did the
proper and honourable thing and we are very grateful to him for
recognizing that protecting the environment and proceeding with the
right permits is important for the long-term sustainable growth and
development of any community.”
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Eleuthera Business Outlook Set For April 24 - Apr 8, 2014 - 4:19:42 PM
 The second annual
Eleuthera Business Outlook, the newest of the multi-island series, has
been set for April 24 at Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina, South
Eleuthera with Prime Minister Perry Christie as keynoter speaking to the
theme “Charting a Course for Growth in Eleuthera.”
“The
theme for all our Business Outlook forums this year has been basically
the same—a focus on stimulating economic growth after what seemed to be
an entrenched recession, which slowed or put growth on hold in a number
of areas,” said Joan Albury, President of TCL Group and chief organiser
of the Business Outlook Series.
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Bahamas police find 4 burnt bodies on remote cay - Apr 7, 2014 - 7:31:07 PM
 NASSAU, Bahamas — (AP) Police in the Bahamas
say the badly burnt bodies of four people have been found on a remote
southern cay of the sprawling archipelago.
The Royal Bahamas
Defense Force said Sunday that the charred corpses of three men and one
woman have been found on Anguilla Cay. The barren, uninhabited cay is
relatively close to Cuba.
Lt. Commander Raymond King says tires appeared to have been set alight on top of the bodies.
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‘Back on Track’ Compensation Package for BTC Customers - Apr 3, 2014 - 9:09:48 PM
 Nassau, Bahamas - A gesture of compensation from BTC
to their customers to apologize for the recent service disruption will get
underway on April 5th for prepaid customers with a $5.00 credit and on April
6th for postpaid customers with a credit of a 100 on-net minutes. Additionally BTC has announced that on April
8th, a new ‘Text to Win’ promotion will begin where all BTC mobile customers
have a chance to win a new 2014 KIA car from Sanpin Motors just by sending a
text with the word “car” to #5007, as well as thousands of dollars in prizes
including additional credit.
Jerome Sawyer Senior PR Manager said that the compensation value
represents approximately five times the average daily consumption.
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Bahamas Maritime Pilots Assoc. on member resignations - Apr 2, 2014 - 9:42:59 PM
The Bahamas Maritime Pilots Association
(BMPA) would like to make it clear that no clear resolution has been
achieved in the negotiations for all of the BMPA Members resignations
that took effect on Friday March 28, 2014 from both Buckeye Partners
LP/BORCO and Freeport Harbour Company (FHC). Here is a layout of the
situation at present:
1. All Sides involved want a safe and
reasonable solution to this issue as soon as possible so that the
interests of National Security, environement, safety and commerce are
protected...
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(Video) Bahamas Marine Pilots Holds Emergency Conclave - Mar 14, 2014 - 2:11:13 AM
Nassau, Bahamas -
The Bahamas Maritime Pilots Association (BMPA) invited All Maritime Industry Stakeholders to join to
engage in a discussion in an
Emergency Conclave: State of Pilotage & Safety in Freeport
.
The Bahamas Maritime Pilots Association (BMPA) addressed the issue of clarity on Marine Pilots in
Freeport. Invited were some of their partners from Pilot Associations worldwide with an intent to discuss
Best Practices, International Maritime Organization (IMO) Standards, Insurance Requirements, and Safety and
Training guidelines.
The conclave took place on March 10, 2014 at the Pelican Bay Hotel Convention Centre. S
pecial Guests included Nick Cutmore, Secretary General of the International Maritime
Pilots Association (IMPA), and Captain Kurt Duncan, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Pilots Association.
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C.O.B. Speakers’ Corner Deepens Debate on VAT - Mar 12, 2014 - 1:57:12 PM
Against
a growing movement that urges restraint in the implementation of Value
Added Tax (VAT) came a declaration from an intrepid businessman that the
wealthy – including him – should be paying even more taxes and the tax
burden should be shifted from the citizens who can least afford it to
those who can.
Former Parliamentarian and President of the Source
River Company Ltd. Tennyson Wells has called for a moderation to fears
over the proposed implementation of VAT and for the country to embrace
the change that must come instead...
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“Ideal timing for VAT”, says expert tax consultant - Mar 12, 2014 - 1:54:29 PM
A renowned tax
specialist encouraged support of value added tax in The Bahamas, saying
that this is “an opportune time to introduce a more efficient means of
collecting revenue” before more extreme measures are taken.
Pauline
Peters, head of Grenada’s VAT implementation unit, told educators,
including Bahamas Union of Teachers representatives gathered at AF
Adderley School Library recently, that VAT allows consumers to make
choices about what to buy, choosing between exempt items like bread
basket goods and non-exempt, an option that income tax does not offer.
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Protection for Consumers Will Increase Under VAT, Says Finance Official - Mar 7, 2014 - 3:29:31 PM
Nassau, Bahamas -
Along with the establishment of The Central Revenue Agency (CRA) which
will make the collection of taxes in The Bahamas more efficient, the
government will be strengthening the Consumer Protection Department to
ensure that the public will not be taken advantage of by businesses
illegally collecting VAT from their customers, Ministry of Finance
official Lucine Mingo told teachers at The Government High School
recently.
The Bahamas has more than 30 departments and agencies
collecting a variety of taxes and fees for the government. Mingo said
that this has created a culture of poor communication between agencies
resulting in the inefficient collection of government funds.
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Coalition Appointed, Oxford Economics Imminent Arrival Will Conduct Economic Forecasting, Modeling for Tax Recommendations - Mar 6, 2014 - 3:59:47 PM
Nassau, Bahamas - In response to Prime Minister Perry Christie’s
invitation to submit recommendations on viable alternatives to VAT, The Bahamas
Chamber of Commerce & Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) ‘Coalition for
Responsible Taxation’ has commissioned Oxford Economics, one of the world’s
foremost independent global advisory firms, to conduct economic forecasting and
modeling. They arrive next week and
following meetings with the Prime Minister and his finance team, will commence
their studies for a final recommendation for government review and
consideration.
Prime Minister Christie had stipulated
that the Coalition's research must be conducted by persons with internationally
acceptable credentials for the recommendations to have credibility and value.
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Ryan Pinder: “Development of Tax Policy in General and in the Bahamas” - Mar 5, 2014 - 12:29:58 PM
On Thursday February
27th 2014, Hon. Ryan Pinder, Minister of Financial Services presented to
the Revenue Law Class of University of West Indies LLB Program and
Eugene Dupuch Law School “Development of Tax Policy in General and in
the Bahamas."
Minister Pinder discussed with the students and
faculty present the general principles of taxation, development of tax
policy and the need for tax reform in The Bahamas. Sharing with the
students his insight as a cabinet minister and a tax lawyer Minister
Pinder addressed the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) and the
proposed benefits.
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Domestic Travel to be Exempt From VAT - Mar 5, 2014 - 12:26:55 PM
Value Added Tax (VAT)
will not be charged on any form of domestic travel, State Finance
Minister Michael Halkitis told residents of Killarney March 3.
Responding
to questions during a Progressive Liberal Party branch association
meeting at Casuarinas Hotel, Halkitis confirmed that travel by air, land
and sea between islands will be totally exempt when the new tax regime
comes into effect.
"The government has considered the domestic
tourism market and understands how Bahamians love travelling to family
islands," he said...
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ScubaNation visits Deep Water Cay, Bahamas - Mar 1, 2014 - 9:41:02 PM
Deep Water Cay, Grand Bahama
– Willing
to go to the deepest depths to make their guests happy, Deep Water Cay has
added yet another dimension to their inventory of activities. Not only can guests enjoy world renowned bone
fishing, deep sea fishing and water sports fun but now they can dive to their
hearts content in some of GB’s lesser known dive sites.
Not one to dive into things lightly the
marketing experts of DWC have gone head first into their newest attraction and
have launched an aggressive campaign to promote their diving division. Last weekend both ScubaNation, a syndicated Florida
based show and nationally syndicated Scuba Radio, spent time conducting
interviews and filming on the cay with the island’s local expert, Philip
Russell, and management and staff.
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Bahamas Gov't responds to United States 2013 Human Rights Report - Feb 28, 2014 - 3:06:38 PM
 Nassau, Bahamas - The report for 2013 is being reviewed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From what has been seen so far, there is no need for any alarm or undue concern.
In
a free and open society like ours, anyone is free to comment and
investigate the human rights record of our country and we do not fear
such an examination.
We will take note of any errors or
overreaches in the report and it will have to be determined to what
extent we address those issues.
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VAT Announces Next Round of Community Presentations - Feb 28, 2014 - 2:57:55 PM
The Government of the
Bahamas is continuing its public education efforts on the impending
Value Added Tax (VAT) implementation with a full month of community
presentations.
Eight meetings are scheduled for late February and
the month of March beginning on Friday, February 28, in conjunction
with the Exuma Chamber of Commerce and ending on March 13 at the Church
of God of Prophecy, East Street, Nassau.
Presentations will also be made at the following locations...
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Clearing Banks’ Association statement on disclosure of confidental information - Feb 26, 2014 - 5:46:18 PM
Nassau, Bahamas - The following is a press statement from the Clearing Banks' Association:
The Clearing Banks’
Association notes with concern recent articles in the press purporting
to disclose a member of the Association’s confidential customer
information.
The unauthorized release of client information may represent a breach of the laws of The Bahamas.
In order to protect the
integrity of the Banking Industry...
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