Christian "in name"! ...there is and never was anything Christian about the Bahamas, maybe in times of need; Bahamians are very good at calling on the Lord, but indeed not in the day-to-day lives of Bahamians.

I don't have to own my "own food store" to know where there are weaknesses; any business with "smart" business practices would know that buildings and equipment should be on a long-term maintenance plan and placed on a life cycle schedule. (but the procedure, we all know, work "unmaintained systems" into the ground, as long as its working) then complain about equipment upkeep.

For example, all buildings occupying food stores (Except a few new buildings) are past 40 - 50 years of useful life and would fail the simplest "energy efficiency" assessment. None of the stores uses "energy-efficient" windows or doors, which would reduce the cost of energy by 10 - 15 per cent. (savings that can build new modern, eco-friendly, efficient buildings over time)

By now, vehicles used by the company should be powered by a rechargeable battery. Furthermore, the Food Industry should take the lead in renewable energy and energy efficiency (all food stores vehicle conversion should have been completed three years ago) as an example of good management and having an energy plan. Then we can talk of benefits, benefits with the community attachment where employees are active participants and stewards in an efficiency drive.

Spoilage, again, is a sign that somewhere in your management, there are weaknesses; or equipment inefficiencies. High theft to the point that it's affecting your decision to pass the cost on to the public is a severe security weakness or criminality to the point that this should be a police matter and not an issue that is passed on to the public.

All the points given for the increase are unwarranted and could be a simple case of bad, poorly trained management.

*Now, if it were my business (if you would like to know), I would have a serious professional assessment of my operation, including all the tax, shipping, and other issues, then determine if I am doing this bad in business, maybe I should not be in this line of business.*

Bahamians are very creative, and as it were with the automobile industry, Bahamians will, in short order, find a way around high priced food stores.

We want your customer to pay your expenses as a separate line of income on your books; what is the name of this income area?

- Salaries, Payroll, NIB, Insurance and pension plan costs. are all normal basic business expenses that should be an upfront business consideration at the outset and not a reason for the level of increase that the Bahamians are experiencing.

Benefits? Why should the public see an increase in the cost of goods for your company's "Benefits" I suspect the public is also paying for family vacations and weekend fishing trips to the keys.

Repairs and renewals to buildings, vehicles, computer systems, again are upfront business considerations and should be seen as illegal that you are publicly saying you are passing these costs on to the public.

Inventory losses, theft are also seen as weaknesses in your business strategy is in no other environment would you be so bold to publicly say these costs are justifiable reasons for this level of increase.

You may want to look into the weaknesses in your management before passing poor practices onto the customers.

What The Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president says may be because he is not keeping up with his industry, by design or not. The Americans are now clumping down on IUU fish that occur in Bahamian waters (activities that the ABM and its members) call "boating/yachting traffic" but most of it is illegal by the American's Standards and its cause damage to fish stocks that are threatened.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on its web site are advising fishers to abide by US and Bahamian Fishing and Boating Laws (or face some harsh penalties) What is overlooked in the Bahamas by dollar hungry ABM Members is illegal in the US and the careless marina owners must start to follow industries practises and follow sustainable guideline set out by organization like International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) has set catch sizes and catch limits that member countries agree to annually (The Bahamas is the only country in the region) that is not a member, yet, ABM Members allow "boating/yachting traffic" to illegally fish (IUU) of managed and threatened fish species in Bahamian Waters.

It is reported that the Bahamas may be responsible for decades of miss tuna catch reporting data resulting in stock miscalculations, that may have damaged rehabilitation efforts. The Bahamas is the nursery for many marina animals but the lack of a Fishing Management Plan for visiting boaters leaves undersize catches to the mercy of the weekend "boating/yachting traffic."

**(NOAA) site continues to advise fishers: If you fail to follow the requirements you can be prosecuted for violations of both Bahamian and U.S. law. In The Bahamas, you can be fined up to $100,000, sent to prison for three years, or both. Under the U.S. Lacey Act, you can be fined up to $250,000, sent to prison for five years, or both.**

To avoid these penalties, it is important that you understand and follow all relevant Bahamian, U.S. federal and state laws and regulations. Know before you go!

The unknown is an "unknown" by design, Mr Maillis.

Recently through research, I am conducting highlighted [that unreported catches by recreational tuna fishers operating from foreign pleasure boats in The Bahamas, where owners on weekend fishing trips or (and sometimes month-long visits) were using a "$10" fishing permit to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars, from a "by design" IUU fishing and docking business operated by Bahamians and Forengers from the proliferation of unregulated marinas that quietly popped up throughout the Bahamas over the years.

It was revealed that the last time the Bahamas reported any catch data was in 2009, particularly data on tune catches. This absence in data, which should be recorded and used by international organisations such as ICCAT in determining tuna stocks assessments, created an effect that resulted in inaccurate stock assessments for decades.

Di Natale et al.(2013), the data from this huge Atlantic area have been poor for many years, some catch data were reported to ICCAT up to 2008, and then they entirely disappeared when ICCAT Rec.

To understand why this is happening, we must understand what is being caught by the "by design" IUU fishing business in the Bahamas by the so-called" Foreign Recreational Visitor. It's a 3-5-year-old under 63kg tuna; the size agreed internationally should not be caught and should be allowed to grow to an age where the tuna can reach spawning age. But here is the catch-22 for the blistering sportfishing business in the Bahamas, a 69kg and over is a tuna in the 100s of pounds, far beyond the size a typical weekend, a line and reel can handle, so the industry will not support or allow any management of the industry - as the report by Nicola Smith exposed:

The True Extent of Fishing in the Bahamas

https://youtu.be/hJSMpCQ9I0g

The "By Design" IUU Fishing Operation in The Bahamas Valued In The Area of Six (6) Billion Dollars over the years - Sun SentinelSun-Sentinel 2003

PLP in power, anything possible "touch and go" operations, this was common during the 80s, there are two famous "touch and go" operations that most of you should remember, the south beach "touch and go" drop, which ended badly for the pilot and the Stapleton Gardens "touch and go" drop where there was the report of millions of dollars falling from the night sky.

"We back", New Day! Brave run things ;)

There is no one on the FNM run right now, and barking at car tyres will not build back supporters to a party that has lost at a minimum 75% of its supporters and most who have supported the party for over 40 years, key people, community leaders who are still heartbroken and would never return to community activism in support of the FNM.

The Minnis administration has done such a good job of destroying brand FNM that there may be a need to change its name moving forward or place in permanent hiding "ALL" names and faces associated with the failed Minnis Administration banish.

I never in my life could I think I would agree with you, Fred, when you say FNM 'Couldn't See Forest For The Trees' and may I add "all the smoke". Most of them didn't know the fight that went into getting the FNM where it was by so many that they ignored, laughed at, and outright insulted, so it was easy for the idiot crew to *** fu'ked up*** so badly.

PTI Bahamas

It hurts me to say this, but the former Minnis Administration should be banished from politics in our country, never to ever again present themselves for any form of leadership in The Bahamas again.

The FNM, sadly, is back, Lost in the wilderness of multiple political tragedies. Still not accepting responsibility for all of its failures and still not understanding that it's your core support base that is the bridge that will build the rescue plan from a life of wandering lost in the pitiful wilderness of political failures and shame.

The Brave/Chester team will do its best to lock the gates of any FNM return; in what I can estimate, the gate will remain closed until the FNM rebrand with new faces and faces that didn't remind supporters of the disastrous failures and missed opportunities of the Minnis Administration.

As the Bahamas turns its direction to its 50th anniversary and as the world continues to evolve, the Bahamas will be placed in the limelight, attracting investment, creating jobs and innovations. The Brave/Chester team will move our country to a realm that makes the sad complaint from voices lost deep in a wilderness of political tragedies; silent thumps in the darkness of night that no one hears.

**

> "A Strong and very long time FNM
> supporter."