Well, that's some good news. Pertaining to Grand Bahama: the fuel used by the Power Company is already supposedly duty free, yet the fees assessed us every three weeks is astronomical, a blatant assault on one's wallet and livelihood. This in turn has sunk many business, and has made life absolutely miserable for many here. How will The Ministry of Grand Bahama use this to our advantage, and can we have an independent review by URCA, not the GBPA, to find out how on Earth these people are allowed to get away with this atrocity? I personally am all for the duty free solar powered electronics, ANYTHING to give me relief from a monthly power bill that is more than my mortgage!

I didn't think that they would let you put solar panels on your roof over in Freeport.

Here in Abaco we have solar everywhere.

The Grand Bahama Port Authority Solar/Alt energy position is
Yes we are Solar friendly,
No, you cannot grid tie,
No you cannot use it as your primary power source.
Yes, you can use it as a standby Generating System!
Being that the Port Authority charges the power co. a "thru put/generation tax" on every KWH generated (or Sold)
(which used to be a tax per barrel of fuel used charge)
They don't want solar /Alt energy to diminish their revenue, which it would.
If the Government would simply declare Solar to be allowable, subject to accepted Global standards for Electrical operation/connection/safety inspection, Solar will take off here,
But they seem pre-occupied with how they will make money from it, and can't seem to decide which foreign company they will allow to do it (for BEC use only),
On Crown land of course!
Consultants with special interest abound.
Tis always the way......

Well then, here is a good task for Dr. Darville, the Minister for Grand Bahama. We have great infrastructure. The cost of electricity here is a direct deterrent to business success and attracting both foreign and domestic investors. We have all suffered enough, and the Port has MORE THAN made a profit (a killing, really) on their initial investment here. During your contribution to the debate, sir, please bring up the points we have mentioned here, and make a strong case for the government declaring Solar to be allowable, and as a primary source of power generation. We desperately need businesses, jobs, and a sustainable, humane lifestyle that is GREATLY threatened by monstrous electricity fees. I hold my breath every time I open my bill, this despite turning off breakers everyday and having not turned on my air condition in more than four years. We need help! I am sure Obie, Neko, Peter and Moss will back you up. How can you all just sit there and allow this to happen? You have the power. DO SOMETHING!!!

CIGARETTES will be charged a duty rate of 15 cents per stick or $3.00 a pack? Meaning the price of cigarettes willgo to about $6.00. AND the duty on cigars will only increase by 50 cents per stick. So while the price of backwoods and black and milds, the cheaper brands (that poor people smoke) will increase by almost 50%,while the duty on a $20.00 Cuban cigar will only increase by less than $1.00. ANd the persons who smoke bedes that now sell for $2.00 for a pack of 20 will have a $3.00 tax added, so bedes will now cost at least $4.50 to $5.50 a pack. ANd for those who drink imported booze, the price will also go up as there will be a 33% increase in the tax. why drink and drive when you can smoke...what..and fly? wow the cost of living!

Where's the new equipment for the Met Office?

Hospitals in Eleuthrea and Cat Island..$10 million for sporting facilities in the family islands.. Plus an Agriculture school and other spending..good gesture..invest inthe Family Islands..but this cannot be a one-time spend. Bring the major family islands up to par with New Providence and Grand Bahamas and reduce the crowding in New Providence. With the advent of technology, many government filing and document processing offices can be located on a Family Island. So can call processing for btc and some of Cable Bahamas' operations. Offer lower industrial electricity costs on selected family islands and/or allow companies that move significant operations to operate 90% on solar or renewable energy.

Wow. So now we will see an influx of yet more poorly maintained, old, damaged cars as people go for the cheapest option? While people wanting to purchase clean, green hybrids get screwed?

This government is utterly clueless!

It seems you're utterly clueless as well!
Duty on hybrids or electric vehicles is 25%!!

http://www.bahamas.gov.bs/wps/wcm/conne…

Scroll to Vehicles (Hybrids or Electric )-> 25%

I'm sure to defend ignorance you will not concede or wiggle some other excuse or equation!

Still no duty on pampers and baby food? An economic growth rate of less than 2% in reality (and 2.5% they wished for) is WAY LESS than the population growth rate.

The economy cannot keep up with the delivery room at PMH.

Increase the duty, and improve our quality of life. Or do we just want quantity and not quality?

I believe that would be $3.00 ON TOP OF the current 200%+ duty/tax on Cigarettes,
making a pack around $9!

of course, the rubber hits the road when all of this kicks in, as his "lapses" into the local vernacular and the generalities of his statements leave much to be questioned.

I believe Dr. Darville has already been wined and dined/neutralized by the Port Authority, and will not do a damn thing except accept their invites and goobersmooch.
The insidious nature of the Port coupled with weak Governance of the country make any change highly unlikely.
As to the Budget Communication,
a simple game of cups.