Seems inevitable, one factor of the more than 40,000 Work Permits in the country. The 40,000 Work Permits Labour Director figure cited just February gone. Given now that there are 40,000 Work Permit holders majority no longer working and likeky lesser, or no amount of income many are likely " marooned" in the Bahamas with rents, bills etc. Likely many of the 40,000 Work Permit holders and family with them would need to access weelky food handouts and essentials for them, children, spouse to survive. The increase in money transfers coming in from abroad, seems likely by overseas relatives, sources in position of some of the 40,000 Work Permit holders "marooned" in the Bahamas. These are tough times for everyone highest levels of Unemployment in the country with Authority Officials citing highest unemployment figures of some 40,000 persons.

I wonder how many wire transfers coming from Haiti!

It may not be from Haiti, but I know a Haitian guy living in Kentucky who sends his mother living in the Bahamas money on a regular basis.

None.

"*While we have seen a decline in overall transfers at this time, we have seen a significant increase in incoming wire transfers," he disclosed.*"

Been saying this forever. When the PM shutdown wire transfer services during the first lockdown I really wondered what he was doing. Sure you had other nationalities sending money out the country but Bahamians were looking for money to survive.

I have no idea who is advising the PM but for the past 6 months they have inflicted cruel and unnecessary punishment on their own people while they sipped on wine and crumpets... I confess I have no idea what crumpets are but they must have some in the ivory tower. Come down and see what your people need. Stop listening to these buzzards around you looking to feed off carrion.

Crumpets are not much different from english muffins.
Do you have some grey poupon?

please send me some money

u got ass and titties?

I remember so many selfish comments over the years regarding ‘Haitians only come here to work and kindly send money to a poor nation to help relatives who don’t even reside here’. Then there were comments about U.S based Haitians helping to keep Haiti afloat (we think it’s a bad thing). It’s all about us $$$$$. Selfish. Now it’s their turn and they’re happily receiving help from people who don’t even live here. Pot meet kettle.

Many billionaires are expected to help people they don’t even know but poor people can’t help other poor people? Give it to us (we have it so good during good times we gambled away $600 million a year to help make 7-10 Bahamian sons rich). I wonder how many homes those sons have purchased for their own people? They live behind the gates...

Some people are forgetting this isn’t the time to taunt a poor country. Is tourism booming right now? Haiti 2.0 may be their future. Dorian led to them doing the same thing Haitians have done (flee their ‘beloved’ country).

... you know well that the issue is **not** people coming to the Bahamas to work. The larger issue is people coming here **illegally** to compete for jobs with legal residents and citizens. Vast difference!

did they take your job? really?

i would bet that they would much prefer to do it legally if it possible and efficient. do you work at immigration?

Has there really been a surge in incoming wire transfers, or is it really just a significant decline in the outgoing transfers?

Uh ... read the second and third paragraphs of the story, maybe?

But paragraphs 5 and 6 are the total opposite. When you read the article there are different reasons. I do read before raining an issue.

I understand your point moncurcool. This is the typically poor writing of Neil Hartnell. But, when reading paragraphs 2, 3, 5 and 6, it appears that the point that is trying to be made is that there are more inflows than outflows.

Bahamians don't talk about the bahamians living aboard.There are quite a few Bahamians living and making a good living in first world countries.

I know of a bahamian lady who had some funds wired to her from aboard.She used those funds to pay bills and buy groceries.

Bahamian history is not taught in the Bahamas There was a time when bahamian workers on the contract use to send moneys home to the Bahamas.That money was used to support families here..An elderly relative told me he worked as an agricultural worker in West Virginia in the fifties.He use to send home money to his mother also every week.

Good point of history. The 40,000 Work Permit holders I mentioned above does not include the OTHER 40,000 persons whose lives with jobs being interrupted in June cited by NIB Minister Brensil Rolle. It is expected that in ADDITION to the Work Permit holders mentioned by Labour Director John Pinder, would likely be MORE ....tens of thousands of Bahamians struggling, unemployed increased levels now below POVERTY LEVEL, and known country prior Covid in top ten most expensive country to live in. The incoming money transfers would likely be from thousands of Bahamians like Doctors, nurses, school teachers, high professionals relatives living abroad ...with disposable income or ability, capable of sending back money to assist Bahamian family.

It is also a tad expensive to send money to the Bahamas, everybody has their hands in your pockets at every move!
Unfortunately *Transferwise* is not operating in the Bahamas a very fast and safe way to transfer funds internationally!
They work on having accounts in reputable banks in the countries which the transfers are being made between, you credit their account with local currency in your country they convert and transfer internationally to their account in the recipients country of residence and then transfer to the recipients account in their country of residence in the the local currency, they ttake debit as well as credit cards. Their fees are a bear minimum and there conversation rates
are just about the commercial market exchange rate.

PS. plenty of crumpet [ Go for unadulerated English ones] images on Pinterest, lovely toasted and spread with butter which melts into the perforation, not a rich man/woman's :-) food though!

one word. PORN

people gotta make a buck somehow