You don't need the Chinese, you only need their money. Plenty of talent around in the Bahamas to build a Bahamian infused downtown. No need for this place to look like 100 other places on the planet, if you want Nassau downtown to become another soulless Disneyland style place, go ahead and hire the Chinese.

true, maybe we can retire then. I guess having a Chinese passport may be more interesting in the long term than a Bahamian passport. At least the wealthy Bahamians can hire as many Chinese slaves as they may please. From suppressees to suppressors.

yes, if they can stomach to take more than one we should give them more.

really? how about building schools? I wonder who can read and write enough to work in the stores that are supposed to be built by the Chinese.

My dear Bahamianites,

I sincerely and thoroughly thank you for your contribution of $30 towards my wealth.

I promise, I will make good use of it.

Your sincerely,

Mr. Leading Snake Businessman.
(hey Leslie, beam me over your bank account number for your share and keep shedding).

As usual, this government is hiding behind big words and committees and meetings. Non-communication and lack of informing the general public leads to fears. The facts: 1. the governmental infrastructure can not be supported unless there is an increase in revenue. So yes, suck it up, you and I will have less money to spend at the end of the month. We need to make a choice whether we want to have an (even worse) public service (without VAT) or what we have now (I doubt it will get better with VAT). 2. the government needs to slim down. This is only possible by creating structures that allow private businesses to create new jobs. 3 There is a lot of money on the island and a lot of venture capital being invested by residents/Bahamians in other countries. Get a round table with investors to look at Bahamian inventions, patents, businesses etc. 4. Fight corruption. Corruption is the real cancer strongholding our ecomony. Get legislation through, if needed do an amnesty and move on. Stop putting weed smokers into jail. 5. Get an independent judiciary. Get foreign prosecutors and key police that is rotated out after two years. 6. Build golden statutes for all the politicians currently and past and send them to retirement.

well they are afraid of black spots in their accounts, and they should. I suggest we do a little double accounting here and match the black spots with the white spots in the politicians bank accounts.

you can apply for a credit line with BEC and the government - if you are important enough for them. The reality is, that this is the price to pay for lack of maintenance. Whoever has been passing by the Clifton Pier plant during the past 6 years, must have thought, that this thing is blowing up any minute. The real wonder here is that it hasn't so far.

I don't know Mr. Rollins and the fact that he is member of the political class makes me naturally suspicious. However and having this said - he is spot on. Corruption is one issue, money laundering another one. This piece of legislation will massively damage the reputation of Bahamas as an IFC. Where is Ryan Pinder? Where is BFSB? Where are the other professional organization of the financial sector? Where is BACO (compliance officers)? All part of the net?

surprised he had only two children, very un-Bahamian.