The conversation is always about increasing taxes and never about cutting expenses. NIB contributions increase so that the government can borrow more money from NIB. Also, why is the latest publicly available NIB financial report from 2017? Disgusting and crooked all around.

Yep, get the books right, then let us see them. How can we say Amen to NIB secrets??

An actuary could comment on NIB latest records, but nothing is posted for the public to see??

Old fashioned FNM & PLP smoke & mirrors. Come clean Brave

Rather than the government stop using NIB as a slush fund, they continue to pillage the Bahamians people by now increasing NIB taxes amount to pay. It is like putting water in an empty bucket and expecting it to fill up if they don't stop giving our money to government to build buildings they never get a return on.

Wonder now what Chester will say about this increase. Wonder if he will open his mouth and call this reckless, as he did when in opposition.

Why not just come out and say this upfront. Stop the tricky lead up to increasing of taxes. The bottom line will be the same.....all of our governments squeeze more money out of people to pay all those board members, gussiemae cabinet, shady contracts, gas money for government officials, luxury car maintenance, sweetheart maintenance, and on and on ...........so stop trying to manipulate the minds of citizens....this money you're squeezing out of people is for yourselves, not Bahamian citizens.

I sense we're witnessing **rear not seen since a Milo B. Butler** in crown minister Comrade Myles Laroda, ― Yes?

Of the $1.6 billion how much of that is in non-performing loans i.e. investment in BoB, government buildings? A big chunk of that money may not be valued at market value and be worthless.

You raise an excellent point. I would not be surprised if the accounting is less than the acceptable standard in NIB's case.

To repeat the obvious, as of 2017 NIB had $1,083,112,000 (over one billion) in "Loans and Receivables" on their balance sheet. How can anyone say NIB is broke? Because most people either don't care or are just plain ignorant of the facts.

There is a special circle of Hell reserved for Bahamian politicians.

God save us from these pirates!

Fricking thieves!

First and foremost Government needs to stop borrowing the damn money to build grossly over priced government Buildings/pet projects, and pay the money back. Oh, thats right, they can't cover their own civil service pension liability so they'll bankrupt ours.

How about making civil servants pay contributions like everyone else. And stop "bortowing" from NIB to finance even more public hirings, government contracts,and any other way you have found to waste the money of the people.

A simply stunt simply due to the union negotiating, don't let the smoke blind you.

Many of us knew a long time ago this annoucement was coming, and at the worst possible time for so many Bahamians nearing retirement age.

This corrupt, incompetent and most cruel Davis and Cooper led PLP administration are now going to make us pay more for National Insurance while outrightly refusing to give us a Gas Tax Holiday for at least the rest of 2022 to help ease the extreme financial distress many of us are experiencing day in and day out.

Only a fool would continue making contributions to the National Insurance Fund. This Fund was long ago bankrupted by our corrupt elitist politicians (both PLP and FNM alike) and is now nothing but a struggling Ponzi scheme doomed to leave many Bahamians without the benefits they paid for and were hoping to receive upon their retirement.

The government is doing itself and the people a disservice by constantly sending out these shockwaves about increases in taxes and other financial burdens. People are trying to keep their heads above water and catch a breath of fresh air. Yes, many things need to be fixed but give the people a lil break.

Just put NIB to 100% of salaries now and get it over with. That would solve the problem.