Obie Wilchscome needs to explain why Freeport is still a ghost town despite all the concessions and tax breaks it is getting. Just compare it to Abaco or Exuma. Government is giving away too much and getting too little in return. They are causing Bahamians to pay dearly for living in the Bahamas rather than benefiting from living here.
Perry Christie will sell his very soul again to be re-elected prime minister. Notice how smoothly he is giving in to all the demands of the electorate. The public disclosure act, National health insurance, and now a full, but deceptive disclosure on how the VAT money is spent and lying Halkatis is right behind him foot for foot and step for step. Creditability gone forever..for ever? for ever!!!
The fact is many Bahamians have grown use to hard times. The power is off in many homes, and in others it is more off than on. Many homes stock their cupboards with noddles and tuna rather than traditional groceries and others have taken their children out of private schools and put them into government schools. In other words they learn how to make do without the government and make ends meet after years of long suffering. They are weathering the storm, economic one and Hurricane Mathew, and some cannot wait to tell their politician where to go when they knock on their doors. The older folks refer to the politicians as a bunch of crooked clowns, and "ainn none a dem no good," and the young people say 'all a dem is be jokin.' In other words 'I can do bad all by myself. And they gonna do what they wanna no matter who you put there.' Then of course those who are loyal to party and to politicians will get out and vote as well of those looking for political patronage. While they showed a united front for the election, many Republicans are still at odds with Donald Trump. Many are still trying to wrap their minds around the fact that he did win the election (by whatever means) and that he sits in the White House as president of the United States. And many republicans are among others who feel it is just a matter of time before....(u guess)
You do the math: when the vat was introduced in 2015, there was no growth in the Bahamian economy so VAT in reality took 7.5% of all the money that was flowing in the economy. The only way to replace it was either people had to take loans or the government had to make loans or persons had to dig into their savings and inject money back into the economy. There was additional shrinkage in 2016, so again there was less funds in circulation. The VAT revenue for fourth quarter 2016 was down by 6.5% meaning that economic activity was also down, at least by this amount. Unemployment figures tend to bare this out as unemployment numbers are more than when government came to office. This is despite Christie claims that his government created over 32,000 jobs. Ok so they expect Bah Mar to open (at least partially )in 2017, but look they are losing more jobs in Grand Bahama than the first phased opening of Bah Mar will create. So there may be a chance of less people working in the first half of 2017 than were working in 2016. Less employment, less economic activity, less government revenue, including VAT. So if government does not cut back on spending what happens? The facts pure and simple is that the PLP government, at the present hour, has this country in a worst state, economically, than they met in in 4 1/2 years ago. Simply because they did not control spending and reduce government wastage or lack of accounting for funds (corruption). They were not successful in driving the economy upwards and reducing unemployment.
"Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) chief regional economist yesterday accused the Bahamas of squandering the Caribbean’s “most successful Value-Added Tax” by failing to act in a fiscally prudent manner.
#Marla Dukharan, in a harsh verdict on the Christie administration’s fiscal policies and achievements, said it had failed to slash the Bahamas’ annual fiscal deficits “in the way it had planned”.
#Addressing Royal Fidelity’s Economic Business Outlook (EBO) conference, she called for the Bahamas to implement so-called ‘fiscal rules’ to cap government spending and establish a debt ceiling.
#And she warned that the Government’s fiscal profligacy could ultimately impose pressure on the Bahamian dollar, and its one:one peg with its US counterpart."
John says...
Obie Wilchscome needs to explain why Freeport is still a ghost town despite all the concessions and tax breaks it is getting. Just compare it to Abaco or Exuma. Government is giving away too much and getting too little in return. They are causing Bahamians to pay dearly for living in the Bahamas rather than benefiting from living here.
On Govt talks on resort pullout
Posted 3 February 2017, 12:45 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
Perry Christie will sell his very soul again to be re-elected prime minister. Notice how smoothly he is giving in to all the demands of the electorate. The public disclosure act, National health insurance, and now a full, but deceptive disclosure on how the VAT money is spent and lying Halkatis is right behind him foot for foot and step for step. Creditability gone forever..for ever? for ever!!!
On House uproar over VAT
Posted 2 February 2017, 9:46 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
How much of this message is relevant to Perry Christie and his government: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3DbR-f…
On Men wanted in murder probe
Posted 2 February 2017, 6:08 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
The fact is many Bahamians have grown use to hard times. The power is off in many homes, and in others it is more off than on. Many homes stock their cupboards with noddles and tuna rather than traditional groceries and others have taken their children out of private schools and put them into government schools. In other words they learn how to make do without the government and make ends meet after years of long suffering. They are weathering the storm, economic one and Hurricane Mathew, and some cannot wait to tell their politician where to go when they knock on their doors. The older folks refer to the politicians as a bunch of crooked clowns, and "ainn none a dem no good," and the young people say 'all a dem is be jokin.' In other words 'I can do bad all by myself. And they gonna do what they wanna no matter who you put there.' Then of course those who are loyal to party and to politicians will get out and vote as well of those looking for political patronage. While they showed a united front for the election, many Republicans are still at odds with Donald Trump. Many are still trying to wrap their minds around the fact that he did win the election (by whatever means) and that he sits in the White House as president of the United States. And many republicans are among others who feel it is just a matter of time before....(u guess)
On Ingraham: FNMs unite or face loss to the PLP
Posted 2 February 2017, 4:31 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
Is it not a little too late
On Ingraham: FNMs unite or face loss to the PLP
Posted 2 February 2017, 2:15 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
You do the math: when the vat was introduced in 2015, there was no growth in the Bahamian economy so VAT in reality took 7.5% of all the money that was flowing in the economy. The only way to replace it was either people had to take loans or the government had to make loans or persons had to dig into their savings and inject money back into the economy. There was additional shrinkage in 2016, so again there was less funds in circulation. The VAT revenue for fourth quarter 2016 was down by 6.5% meaning that economic activity was also down, at least by this amount. Unemployment figures tend to bare this out as unemployment numbers are more than when government came to office. This is despite Christie claims that his government created over 32,000 jobs. Ok so they expect Bah Mar to open (at least partially )in 2017, but look they are losing more jobs in Grand Bahama than the first phased opening of Bah Mar will create. So there may be a chance of less people working in the first half of 2017 than were working in 2016. Less employment, less economic activity, less government revenue, including VAT. So if government does not cut back on spending what happens? The facts pure and simple is that the PLP government, at the present hour, has this country in a worst state, economically, than they met in in 4 1/2 years ago. Simply because they did not control spending and reduce government wastage or lack of accounting for funds (corruption). They were not successful in driving the economy upwards and reducing unemployment.
On ‘Shameful that Halkitis cannot explain where VAT has gone’
Posted 1 February 2017, 8:33 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
Shall we mail or email it?
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2017…
On Ingraham: Get out and register
Posted 1 February 2017, 7:14 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
Do they still sell typewriters @truetrueBahamian. silly stuff store i bet...or maybe at a museum.
On Ingraham: Get out and register
Posted 1 February 2017, 7:11 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
"Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) chief regional economist yesterday accused the Bahamas of squandering the Caribbean’s “most successful Value-Added Tax” by failing to act in a fiscally prudent manner.
#Marla Dukharan, in a harsh verdict on the Christie administration’s fiscal policies and achievements, said it had failed to slash the Bahamas’ annual fiscal deficits “in the way it had planned”.
#Addressing Royal Fidelity’s Economic Business Outlook (EBO) conference, she called for the Bahamas to implement so-called ‘fiscal rules’ to cap government spending and establish a debt ceiling.
#And she warned that the Government’s fiscal profligacy could ultimately impose pressure on the Bahamian dollar, and its one:one peg with its US counterpart."
On ‘Shameful that Halkitis cannot explain where VAT has gone’
Posted 1 February 2017, 6:22 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
Is the murder count at 15 or 17..wasnt the shooting through Derveaux Street number 15?
On Two men shot dead in Freeport
Posted 1 February 2017, 4:40 p.m. Suggest removal