Do you know who now controls every single bank on the planet? And this includes the US Federal Reserve. Google it. So they have the power to manipulate and control every single economy on earth. And if you’re not in their favor you may get the Zika virus or Ebola or tainted corned beef.

Police just shot someone in Garden Hills..is it related

This country needs more job growth NOT job cuts. Country needs more self sufficiency and reductions on imports. Country (government) needs more efficiency in the use of tax dollars. The government’s continued efforts to stamp out corruption, abuse of public office and efficient use of government resources can easily result in $350 Millon spending reductions. BUT remember every time the National Debt increases by a filler, that is one dollar less the government has to spend. And if the National Debt continues to increase, especially at the rate it is currently increasing most of government’s revenue will go to service the debt. Are you willing to have cook outs to keep the government running?

Tribune’s favorite type of headline.

Two things that have led to a successful decline in crime, especially murders, in this country are 1, when the government came to office and several high profile politicians were arrested, processed and charged with serious crimes. This sent a hard hitting message to Bahamians that this (Minnis led FNM) Government was not tolerant to crime on any level and no one was above the law. Since then the charges brought most of these politicians have been drastically reduced o that many Bahamians consider them frivolous and expect none to be effectively prosecuted. And, in any event, the ending result will be nothing more than a slap on the wrist . And so now the Bahamian public no longer considers Minnis and his team a gang of big, bad wolves who are coming to get you. Then in Marvin Dames and his team of crime fighting police favor, the lull in murders allowed the police not only to focus on and detect many other crimes but to raise the detection rate for murders to st least up to 90 percent. So it sent a clear message that killers were no longer getting away with murder in the country and so the near 50 percent drop in the murder rate has been sustained for the longest period in over a decade. Of course other factors are involved as in the majority of recent murders the killers and victims were known to each other. And most victims in recent murders were stabbed and not shot to death as was the case in at least 95% of murders prior to 2018. So the point is that Minnis was leading a government team that was not tolerant to crime at any level and he was backed by Marv Dames and his team of crime busters. And the recent lock down and search of the prison reinforced this. Now to even have suggestions that the government itself may be operating outside the law must be effectively quashed. Especially in light of the recent crimes where criminals are launching attacks on businesses and individuals in violent attempts of robbery .

This Post Office problem has dragged on for too long period. The revenue lost to having to pay workers for half days and full days off over such a long drawn out period of time can probably pay for alternative accommodations for the post office for at least a year. Not to mention the inconvenience to the business community and the general public st large. Then there may be costs associated with contracts for alternative accommodations for The Post Office that the government reneged on plus costs for making the new location ready. Cheaper they had kept politics and emotions out of it, and moved into the site selected by the former government. This would have cut down of lost work time, improved their service to the public and allowed the use of rental space they may have to pay for anyway and the resolution for a permanent location would have been that much further ahead.

The introduction of VAT may have saved the government (temporarily) but it stagnated the economy and killed many businesses. VAT was never intended to be collected along with customs duties. It was an alternative form of taxation and customs duties were supposed to be eliminated. And remember that government is now collecting taxes on services and this added to government’s revenue but also drove up the cost of living. And while government calculates the VAT on the total landed cost of goods (cost plus freight plus insurance plus other costs plus customs duties). The VAT collected in the first instance is much more than 7.5 %. But businesses were told they only need add 7.5% to their price after they add profit to calculate VAT they must now give to the government after deducting the VAT paid at the port, any businesses ended up short changing themselves i, especially if they were calculating their prices based on first costs. And also be reminded that government increased minimum wage by 40% at basically the same time The VAT was introduced. This also resulted in a corresponding i40% increase in National Insurance contributions for many workers and many businesses still cannot figure out why they cannot turn a profit since both the VAT was introduced and minimum wage was increased. These increases takes a ledge chunk of cash out of circulation every time businesses pay their VAT returns and NIB. And if businesses tried to increase prices to compensate for these costs increases their sales would have plunged. So many operated ‘in the negative ‘ and the result is what you are now seeing on Wulff Road, on Mackey Street on parts of East Street and Carmichael Road and even now in Marathon Mall . Since their cash flow is negative, it will eventually dry up and businesses will have to borrow more cash for working capital or close down. And then there are ever increasing costs to businesses by banks. Some banks have effectively raised their lending rate to over 12% by requiring cash collateral on overdrafts, on which they pay no interest and their add on monthly fees that must be added to their basic loan rate. Then some businesses have seen increases in their rent, utilities and general supplies and others had to hire accountants to keep their book in order for the Department of Internal Revenue (IRS) and so it will always be impossible for them to make a profit under current conditions. AND if THE Government does not make the necessary adjustments and get the economy moving, the national debt can surpass $11 billion before the current government’s five year term in office ends.i

And don't forget BoB has turned a profit for a third consecutive quarter, despite the naysayers. RBC profits have declined because its service sucks. BiG time.

It is Organizations like the IMF, The WTO, The World Bank that tell you to jump off the bridge, watch you jump and then tell you what is the only way to stop drowning (in debt) and how to get rescued. There are things the government can do, without making more drastic cuts to the civil services and sending more shockwaves through the economy. Fewer persons working means less economic activity and less government revenue. Government firings reduce consumer confidence and hence consumer spending and so business must then cut back. So the government must look at growing revenue. The tourist product needs polishing and needs more aggressive marketing. The food import bill can be cut dramatically by expanding Bamsi and helping private farmers get their produce to market and sold. This can be done by opening markets where food assistance recipients from Social Services are required to get a portion of their assistance if local produce and fish. And despite all the chatter, nothing yet has been done to reduce the enormous fuel import bill for BPL. There needs to be at least one energy efficient generator operating by years end and the implementation of renewable energy and solar power. And too much of the workforce is idle. Workers generate revenue. Unemployed people require government assistance.

OK, Let's follow the argument if favor that an already cash strapped country to stock up on antivenom: When was the last time someone in the Bahamas got bitten by a poisonous snake? OK step two: Have you known of anyone in The Bahamas being bitten by a poisonous snake?
OK stage Three: Did your grandparents know..OK got the point. So even if the snake bite treatment was stored here, what do you think will happen to it if and when it is needed. It will either not be found or it will be years out-of-date. And yes, creatures like scorpions have been discovered in shipments, even in boxes of sweet peppers and other produce. That's why most are required to be chilled before they are shipped. But usually they are discovered and killed. or since they don't have a mating partner they(or it) die(s) off.