These guys are smart enough to know that the only thing that counts is a positive revenue statement from Baha Mar. The greatest bellwether of success is to examine the advance bookings now with travel agencies and online GDS systems. The first time it was announced that BahaMar was opening, folks booked rooms by the thousands for weddings and holidays. That well has been poisoned. I'd love to see the advance booking numbers. Somehow, I don't think that they are impressive.

1. Baha Mar really isn't opened yet so let's wait for that before we run to S&P for a review.
2. Our VAT money paid for this so called 'opening' so any stimulus to the economy was through government funding and since government has no cash it was done through debt, which doesn't result in an economic stimulus.

HA HA ha ha. Bravo.

( Even though it was Perry who factored it in too broadly )

0% GDP growth for 4 years straight, 12% unemployment, massive budget deficits, GDP to debt ratio of over 75%...and these guys want an upgrade? Pigs will fly first.

This would presume that the only reason we were downgraded was the failure to open Bahamar. I don't believe so. I personally believe the agencies have zero confidence in the Christie administration. Why would they? Especially after blowing 1 billion in new revenue. . Were the PLP to win, I'm betting we're downgraded again within two months

As if BahaMar has anything to do with the rampant theft, lack of corporate governance, lack of accountability, extensive conflict of interest issues, the destruction of investor faith in The Bahamas due specifically to BahaMar proceedings, and on and on.
This, according to Bowe and Sumner, are good for our country so that we can continue to borrow at a lower rate.
Hey, all of your credit cards are maxed out. But, here is one at a 16% interest rate.
Go for it.
The whole nest of these so-called financial gurus are living in la-la land.
BahaMar only exemplifies how low this country can crawl.

The reason BahaMar would have factored in any downgrade in the first place was because of the sovereign/country risk posed not only by it's delay in opening but more importantly by the imprudent and obviously bias intervention of government in what was essentially a commercial contractual market based dispute. I find these comments from the Chamber particularly disturbing and misguided especially in light of the obvious what appears to be systemic corruption and conflict of interest charges being lobbied at Cabinet Ministers with respect to this BahaMar project. An environment of systemic corruption and conflict of interest by top ranking government officials alone is sufficient grounds to downgrade an economy because in such an environment self-enrichment of the political players is the most important incentive in decision making and not GDP growth, high employment or efficient use of VAT revenue.

Co-sign

Spot on! You can add to this the fact that most Bahamians are known to be be stupid enough to continue voting along party lines in which case Christie or Minnis will likely be the next PM. And the ratings agencies know full well what this means for the Bahamas, especially if the voters are so fool as to allow the greedy power hungry dimwitted Minnis to become PM! That would assuredly be a fate worse than death for all of us!!

As I've repeatedly said, Minnis has failed to passionately commit to the undertaking of the following eight (8) vital actions and measures that are absolutely necessary to turn things around for the Bahamas:

1) Hold a Royal Commission of Enquiry to investigate the more egregious instances of corruption, fraud and outright theft that have occurred under the Christie administration during the last five years:

2) Pass meaningful and enforceable freedom of information legislation with few exceptions or loop holes for the government and politicians of the day;

3) Introduce new enforceable financial disclosure requirements for MPs and senators alike, free of the existing loop holes and with stiff penalties of substance for non-compliance within the specified timeframe.

4) Establish a formal Office for a truly Independent Director of Prosecutions in order to once and for all end the government's ability to wrongfully interfere with the judiciary through its de facto executive (PM) control of the Office of the Attorney General;

5) The wholesale repeal of the gaming web shop legislation;

6) New legislation to establish a National Lottery, the profits from which would be earmarked solely for the purpose of contributing to the financial needs of our public education system;

7) Tighten legislation to give the Office of the Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee the biting teeth they need to discharge their important duties in the way intended and expected; and

8) Introduce campaign finance reform legislation to avoid the will of Bahamian voters being thwarted by large amounts of 'tainted' money directed at politicians by the likes of Sebas Bastian, Craig Flowers, Peter Nygard, Christie's Red China friends, and so on.

A couple of these vital initiatives are lightly touched on in the FNM manifesto. The DNA manifesto addresses even more of them. But a passionate stance by Minnis and the FNM on implementing just these eight major actions and measures alone would go a long ways towards putting the Bahamas on the right road for its future and the betterment of the Bahamian people. You would think those registered voters who might be inclined to support the FNM would be insisting the FNM candidate in their constituency emphatically endorse each of these eight critically needed initiatives. It is indeed surprising that Minnis himself has made no meaningful or passionate commitment to registered voters to undertake these most important matters as a matter of priority should he become PM. Minnis instead prefers to ramble on and on ad nauseum about how the Christie-led PLP government has failed the Bahamian people. It's as if Minnis and the FNM believe they need not commit to anything on our behalf. That just can't be right and should give each of us voters serious pause for thought!