Just another of these fata morganas. Even smaller projects such as Crab Cay, February Point, even Norman's Cay are not financially sustainable over time. There are no buyers out there or at least not in the numbers required to make these projects work.

I agree, other than specialty products and services the Bahamas will not be able to offer anything going forward. Global Custody, ease of doing business, regulated environment, efficient court system, transparency are key for the new banking client. What Lombard Odier's management recently said about the Bahamas should be translated as follows: "We can not keep tax dodgers from South America on our books in Switzerland any longer, that is why we want to expand the operations in the Bahamas and ship out these client accounts to Nassau." That hide and seek game will be done and over in the next round of regulations from the OECD. The Bahamas as missed various opportunities to secure its financial market. Time to switch off the light and close the door.

Vitol is just another commodity grabbing player out there. Violated Fuel for Food program rules with Iraq, illegally traded Iranian oil under the embargo, is in the business of buying oil from Libyan rebels, is not paying taxes in the UK and only little in Switzerland. Probably a good match for our current government.

I find all this interesting. Why in the world would they pick a Natural Gas concept other than being part of the U.S.A.? First off, Natural Gas is not a renewable energy source and the U.S. terminology of "clean energy" is just a smoke screen. The distribution of Natural Gas to other islands for local combustion is not that easy as it requires large and expensive infrastructure. I still don't understand that wave energy and other locally available resources are not being explored, the technology is available, the investors as well. World Bank, OECD and whoever is out there in their reports and recommendations are thinking very globally and are in the pockets of big corporations. Why in the world would you want to replace a bad system (burning oil) with a system that is only slightly better?

the picture looks like right out the West Side Story.... who's on the other side?

I wonder whether jail services are subject to VAT too. So watch it, going to jail may result in a VAT invoice sent to your loved ones.

Islandgirl you are in the wrong business. Consider a career change to the numbers boys' (n girlz) or as you point out, run for office.

I like policing. Police naturalized Bahamians if they open their mouth, police VAT, police supermarkets, that is what we are good at. So who is policing the criminals, the tax cheaters, the corrupt public servants, the police?

This example shows the economic realities in this country. Anti-entrepreneurial, overreaching and corrupt government suffocating any private business initiative, lack of risk capital, commercial lending and uneducated work force.

99% of the political and economical elite lives very comfortably in this country, so what is your point? I find it quite generous if one of them dedicates his time and talents to a greater cause than his own bank account. Whether this is in line with your own view of the world or not is hereby totally irrelevant. Ever got your hands dirty helping (Bahamian) people in need?