No it is not selling or privatizing it. This deal simply concerns the generation side of power, the distribution will still be in govt’s hands, still dealing with this terroristic union that constantly threatens to place the Bahamas in darkness whenever there is a dispute. These BEC union leaders are criminals who threaten to sabotage and in the past have sabotaged and turned off power to meet their own ends. Bahamians are tired of this shit, you seem to love the status quo. We need BEC totally privatized to crush this union and remove this threat to the Bahamian people. Even if this FNM govt reduces staff size which we will be paying another $20 million to do, which we will BORROW, then subsequent govts will simply dole out jobs again and we are right back where we started. Only way to fix this is to privatize BEC totally, forever.

Actually there are many entities that would like to buy BEC and Even Bahamasair. It all depends on how the sale is structured. We would have to assume the pension liabilities and other outstanding debt ( which we have to pay anyway) and practically give them away but at least they will not be a drain on the treasury for infinity and might actually be run profitably in the private sector. But that means losing political patronage ( dishing out jobs to supporters) and taking on the unions and no govt even this one has the guts to do that.

This is the big issue I have with the budget. I hate taxes and loathe vat increasing to 12% but I appreciate we are in a dire fiscal situation, primarily because of corrupt and wasteful PLP administrations. Just look at Barbados which suspended foreign debts payments and have gone cap in hand to the IMF and see where we can be in a few short years. My problem is that we should have cut back on government expenditures, it can not simply be increasing govt revenues through higher taxes. We need to sell even at a loss, these govt ministries that perennially lose money. Bahamasair has lost half a billion dollars since independence and the minister just announced plans to expand routes and buy more planes? It is madness, every dumbass politician comes into power and thinks they can run these corporations efficiently and profitably. No one ever has! Can not name a single govt Corp that is profitable. We need to divest ourselves from these sinking ships now and forever. Sell them off to prevent further administrations from continuing to run them in the ground. Then NHI, we are BROKE so why the hell are we budgeting 40 mill to continue something we can not afford. It is a wonderful hope but we need to cut back on services and the size of govt. we can not simply tax our way to a balanced budget.

We have a very simple problem, since independence we have been living beyond our means and it is better to address this debt sooner rather than later. We have more government than we can afford and this budget has done little to cut expenditures. Yes, we need to increase tax revenue but our bloated inefficient civil service needs to be cut and we need to sell even at a loss these govt corporations that year after year bleed the treasury dry. Can not simply be every budget increasing taxes, there is a limit to what the country can bear.

Should have taken the $7,000 and paid the lunch vendors.

There would have been a much better acceptance by the public if there were meaningful reductions in government spending, particularly in the size of the civil service. Yes, our debt is high and revenue had to be increased but expenditures could have been reduced. It is ridiculous that the cost of the civil service increased 40% in 6 years. Yes it is very hard to reduce the public service but the cold reality is we have more government than we can afford. The government should have announced plans to sell some Loss making govt corporations if only to stop the drain on taxpayers in subsequent years, even if we had to give them away. Then the private sector could right size the number of employees and run these corporations efficiently as oonly the private sector can. These unions have a stranglehold on the government and basically hold the entire country hostage. So rather than make tough, needed cuts this FNM government took the easy, lazy way out and just increased taxes. Very disappointing and a betrayal of the voters who voted for real change.

I agree with you completely. Almost all govt schools operate tuck shops where with the exception of water nothing but junk food is sold to our children. Many children buy a chocolate bar and a soda for lunch. Wow, imagine the impact on our children. And what message does it send our children that our schools are peddling and profiting of of selling such crap. It is setting them up for obesity and preventable chronic diseases and subsequently an early death. Sodas and all junk food need to be banned from being sold on campuses..period. And yes Dr. Sands is a terrible disappointment. He seems incapable of making even the most basic good health decisions for our people. All vegetables and fruits and nuts should be vat free immediately.

Yes, please close these webshops down and let us institute a national lottery where the Bahamian people benefit from 100% of the profits.

When will we finally get healthier options in the breadbasket items? How many years to make a decision? This is really pathetic for a doctor to be the minister in charge and take so long to implement obvious healthy changes. Meanwhile of over 190 countries in the world the Bahamas is in the top ten for obesity for both men and women. Everywhere you look hulking masses of fat Bahamians who can barely walk. Even primary school children. Just lumbering masses of redundant protoplasm. Ambling fire hazards due to incendiary thighs constantly rubbing together. They must use a lot of talcum powder to ease the friction.

Because of our unhealthy diet diabetes is an epidemic and getting worse. Our life expectancy will soon begin to decline because of preventable chronic diseases. Fix the DAMN breadbasket and include all vegetables, nuts and fish like Tomorrow!

You are so right. This FNM Administration is squandering away all the goodwill and mandate they had from the people to make hard, meaningful changes for the betterment of this country. Nothing in this budget reflects that, it is lazy, simply raising taxes and no cuts. Why is there no date for the sale of these unprofitable govt corporations? Not one, not bahamasair, BEC, water and sewerage. Just a never ending horizon of bleeding the treasury and the Bahamian people dry. Why is there not a commitment to reduce the bloated civil service by at least 5%. Nothing, just the easy way out raise taxes, which regardless of what they say will increase the burden on the poor. Vat is a regressive tax, the rich will not feel this but the poor will. Very disappointing so far in this government and yes because of their cowardice to make hard cuts in expenditure we will vote them out and put in the even worse, corrupt criminal PLP. We have suffered from an unmitigated succession of incompetent, cowardly leadership.