Government's watchdog 'robbed' of independence
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Auditor-General is being "robbed of administrative independence" because he cannot initiate prosecutions where corruption and fraud involving public monies is suspected, a Public Accounts Committee report noti
'POSSIBLE FRAUD' ON $600 -$700K OVERPAYMENTS
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor "Possible fraud" and collusion resulted in $600,000-$700,000 overpayments to contractors working on a $33.5 million landfill project part-funded by the Government, the Auditor-General disclosing that he had recomm
'ENTHUSIASTIC' FAMILY ISLAND IPO RESPONSE
The Arawak Port Development Company (APD) said the response from potential Family Island investors to its $10 million initial public offering (IPO) had been enthusiastic, after its principals undertake a nationwide roadshow to tout the offering's prospect
Public liens make IBCs 'a bit unique'
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The ability to file liens in the public registry against the shares and assets of International Business Companies (IBCs) makes these vehicles "a little bit unique and creates an advantage" for the Bahamas, a seni
HOME BUYERS LOSE $81K OVER STAMP DUTY 'LOOPHOLE'
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Some 32 first-time Bahamian home buyers have collectively lost almost $81,000 because there is nothing in statute law to allow the refund of Stamp Duty mistakenly paid on their real estate purchases, it was reveal
DON'T FEAR THE UNKNOWN ON SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
By Deidre M. Bastian So you have just discovered this dyanamic new graphic software, and are eager to install and experiment. But there is one small problem: The fear of making a mistake, as the computer just might blow up or some terrible harm may be do
EDUCATOR GAINS HOTEL HONOUR
Recognising her longstanding support for programs that bring business and education together, the Bahamas Hotel Association (BHA) has presented Sharon Ferguson, the Ministry of Education's education officer for career and technical education, with its ann
Government's watchdog 'robbed' of independence
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Auditor-General is being "robbed of administrative independence" because he cannot initiate prosecutions where corruption and fraud involving public monies is suspected, a Public Accounts Committee report noti
'POSSIBLE FRAUD' ON $600 -$700K OVERPAYMENTS
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor "Possible fraud" and collusion resulted in $600,000-$700,000 overpayments to contractors working on a $33.5 million landfill project part-funded by the Government, the Auditor-General disclosing that he had recomm
'ENTHUSIASTIC' FAMILY ISLAND IPO RESPONSE
The Arawak Port Development Company (APD) said the response from potential Family Island investors to its $10 million initial public offering (IPO) had been enthusiastic, after its principals undertake a nationwide roadshow to tout the offering's prospect
Public liens make IBCs 'a bit unique'
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The ability to file liens in the public registry against the shares and assets of International Business Companies (IBCs) makes these vehicles "a little bit unique and creates an advantage" for the Bahamas, a seni
HOME BUYERS LOSE $81K OVER STAMP DUTY 'LOOPHOLE'
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Some 32 first-time Bahamian home buyers have collectively lost almost $81,000 because there is nothing in statute law to allow the refund of Stamp Duty mistakenly paid on their real estate purchases, it was reveal
DON'T FEAR THE UNKNOWN ON SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
By Deidre M. Bastian So you have just discovered this dyanamic new graphic software, and are eager to install and experiment. But there is one small problem: The fear of making a mistake, as the computer just might blow up or some terrible harm may be do
EDUCATOR GAINS HOTEL HONOUR
Recognising her longstanding support for programs that bring business and education together, the Bahamas Hotel Association (BHA) has presented Sharon Ferguson, the Ministry of Education's education officer for career and technical education, with its ann
Government's watchdog 'robbed' of independence
Government's watchdog 'robbed' of independence By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Auditor-General is being "robbed of administrative independence" because he cannot initiate prosecutions where corruption and fraud involving public monies is su
'POSSIBLE FRAUD' ON $600 -$700K OVERPAYMENTS
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor "Possible fraud" and collusion resulted in $600,000-$700,000 overpayments to contractors working on a $33.5 million landfill project part-funded by the Government, the Auditor-General disclosing that he had recomm
'ENTHUSIASTIC' FAMILY ISLAND IPO RESPONSE
The Arawak Port Development Company (APD) said the response from potential Family Island investors to its $10 million initial public offering (IPO) had been enthusiastic, after its principals undertake a nationwide roadshow to tout the offering's prospect
Public liens make IBCs 'a bit unique'
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The ability to file liens in the public registry against the shares and assets of International Business Companies (IBCs) makes these vehicles "a little bit unique and creates an advantage" for the Bahamas, a seni
HOME BUYERS LOSE $81K OVER STAMP DUTY 'LOOPHOLE'
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Some 32 first-time Bahamian home buyers have collectively lost almost $81,000 because there is nothing in statute law to allow the refund of Stamp Duty mistakenly paid on their real estate purchases, it was reveal
DON'T FEAR THE UNKNOWN ON SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
By Deidre M. Bastian So you have just discovered this dyanamic new graphic software, and are eager to install and experiment. But there is one small problem: The fear of making a mistake, as the computer just might blow up or some terrible harm may be do
EDUCATOR GAINS HOTEL HONOUR
Recognising her longstanding support for programs that bring business and education together, the Bahamas Hotel Association (BHA) has presented Sharon Ferguson, the Ministry of Education's education officer for career and technical education, with its ann
Accountants choose Bahamian for report
Accountants choose Bahamian for report Bahamian forensic accountant, John Bain, has been selected to participate in a defining webinar hosted by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) to develop the organisation's integrated report, pa
FEEDBACK FROM THE FIRM'S KING
By Ian Ferguson We agree that a stronger focus on our customers enhances our ability to grow and expand our businesses, and to deepen our ability to maximise customer satisfaction. We say often that the customer is 'KING', and that they are the driving f
BTC unveiling changes to directory assistance
BTC unveiling changes to directory assistance The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday unveiled plans to transform its 916 directory assistance calls service from July 1, 2012, with charges after the first three free calls said to be below
BEC partner targets eco-industrial park
BEC partner targets eco-industrial park By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor BEC's ocean thermal energy partner yesterday revealed it plans to develop an eco-industrial park in the Bahamas, leveraging its project into technology and export spin-offs
AML bucks 'post-Xmas lag' via 10% same-store rise
AML bucks 'post-Xmas lag' via 10% same-store rise By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor AML Foods yesterday said fears of a top-line hit from consumers taking ever-longer to recover from Christmas had failed to materialise, with its same-store sales
CARIBBEAN FIRM TO TAKE OVER TOP TOUR DESTINATION
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor A leading New Providence tourist attraction is set to be transformed into a "first class destination" via an investment worth "millions" of dollars, Tribune Business can reveal, with its Bahamian owners set to sel
25,000-acre dispute solution 'critical to 'thousands of jobs'
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Resolving a long-running dispute that has tied up 25,000 acres of prime real estate is "critical" to potentially creating "thousands of jobs" and reversing Long Island's depopulation, a Court of Appeal ruling havi
FAMILIES EARNING UNDER $5K YEARLY INCREASE BY 83%
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The number of Bahamian households surviving on less than $5,000 per year has increased by an "alarming" 83 per cent in the past four years, Department of Statistics data shows, indicating the recession has most im
PRIVATISATION CAN 'HOLD BAHAMAS TO RANSOM'
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor A leading activist yesterday urged the Government not to privatise the energy and water industries on the grounds that foreign buyers could "hold the Bahamas to ransom", adding that this nation had "not begun to s
Finlaysons eye JV partner for City Markets
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Finlayson family is seeking a joint venture partner that would acquire a majority equity stake in the City Markets supermarket chain from it, high-level sources have told Tribune Business, with talks being hel
Commission names new top regulator
The Securities Commission has named Dave Shannon Smith as its executive director with effect from March 1, 2012. He takes over the post from Commission chairman, Philip Stubbs, who has held it since the departure of former executive director, Hillary Dev
Port IPO 'north of $32m'
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Arawak Cay Port Development (APD) initial public offering (IPO) was yesterday said to be more than three times' oversubscribed, having raised "north of $32 million" with the tallying of applications not yet co
BREAK FINANCIAL 'STATUS QUO' VIA 23% GDP GOAL
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The financial services industry's direct GDP contribution could grow to 22-23 per cent within five-seven years if the Bahamas was bold enough to break with the "status quo" position it has maintained for the past
FRAMING WEBSITES BY BETTER PLANNING
By Deidre M. Bastian This is a topic that pops up periodically, mainly because more web agencies are now incorporating a formal 'wire framing' process. Anyone who has ever built or designed a website will tell you that wire framing happens in some form o
'CATASTROPHE' WARNING OVER INDUSTRIAL UNREST
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Widespread labour-related disruption "could be catastrophic" for an already-weak Bahamian economy, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation's (BCCEC) chairman yesterday warning that this was "po
Receivables over three times' Water Corporation target
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Just how far the Water & Sewerage Corporation has to go to achieve financial viability has been highlighted by several key financial performance indicators, which show it currently enjoys a -44 per cent operating
$10M PORT IPO SETS A BAHAMIAN RECORD
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Arawak Cay Port Development (APD) offering has set a Bahamian record by becoming the "most widely subscribed for IPO in the history of the Bahamian capital markets", Tribune Business was told yesterday, one of
ENDING SACRED COWS CAN BE CONSTRUCTIVE
By Simon Cooper Res Socius There's an ebb and flow to everything in life. The tides go in and out. After harvest we return the stubble to the field. When we die our mortal remains return to earth or sea. As one business dies, the competition claims its p
BAHAMAS 'WELL BUFFERED' OVER CARRIER FALLOUT
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Bahamas is "well buffered" against any potential fallout from moves by American Eagle's parent to slash its workforce by up to 13,000, Tribune Business was told yesterday, the airline being among four-five car
BTC's 18% directory mark-up 'reasonable'
BTC's 18% directory mark-up 'reasonable' By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Bahamas Telecommunications Company's (BTC) proposed 17.65 per cent retail mark-up for directory inquiry calls has been deemed "reasonable" by the sector regulator, alt
Can Bahamas brook new Atlantis owner
Can Bahamas brook new Atlantis owner It will return. Make no mistake about it. With $2.5 billion worth of debt past due and in default, Kerzner International's seven lenders will not let the situation lie. It is a question of when, rather than if, the ow
Airline's 18% fee cost rise in three years
Airline's 18% fee cost rise in three years By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor A leading Bahamian-owned airline yesterday said its fee costs had increased by a cumulative 18 per cent over the past three years, saying the charges levied by various a
Stopping big business ideas from shrinking
Stopping big business ideas from shrinking By Deidre M. Bastian The growth of any business is dependent on the ability to reach new clients while maintaining healthy relationships with existing ones. But it takes skill and creativity to raise your bar a
'Early summer' start on $100m B Mar power plant
'Early summer' start on $100m B Mar power plant By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor Some 75 persons will be employed at peak construction on Baha Mar's $100 million Seawater District Cooling (SDC) plant, Tribune Business was told yesterday, with bu
Next two years 'great time' for capital raising
Next two years 'great time' for capital raising By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The next two years will be "a great time" for Bahamas-based companies to seek equity or debt capital, a leading investment banker yesterday urging the $35 million s
The art of leadership
The art of leadership By Ian Ferguson As we prepare ourselves as a nation to select our political leaders for another term in office, the Chamber Voice begins a series on Leadership. Leadership is probably best defined as the ability a person has to bui
Mortgage Corp loan provisions $71m off norm
Mortgage Corp loan provisions $71m off norm By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Bahamas Mortgage Corporation's (BMC) existing policy underestimates loan loss provisioning by more than $71 million, it was disclosed yesterday, its chairman unveil
'Missing link' to grow BORCO revenue $20m
'Missing link' to grow BORCO revenue $20m By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The Bahamas Oil Refining Company's (BORCO) revenues could increase by up to $20 million per annum due to its owner creating "a critical link" between its Bahamian and US
Operators 'very concerned' over URCA's budget
Operators 'very concerned' over URCA's budget By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor The two major industry players are "extremely concerned" with the communications regulator's proposed 2012 budget, warning that financing this through a licence fee i