Economic news coming out the US is not too good as three major retail store chains plan to close over 500 stores in 2017. Macy's, K-Mart and Sears all will be closing stores across the nation because of a drastic reduction in foot traffic to these stores. Large Department stores depend on foot traffic to drive sales by getting customers in the store with door busters and other bargains then get them to engage in compulsive shopping. This strategy has not been working lately as many traditional customer s are opting for internet shopping and beyond that the interest in consumer goods continues to drop. Here in the Bahamas, consumer confidence is down because of political uncertainty, job insecurity, high unemployment and crime, and rising prices, especially on food items. Many local businesses have not finished adjusting their prices to accommodate for VAT. While government told businesses that there was no need to adjust prices for VAT except to add it on at the cash register, businesses are finding things to be different. Because VAT at the boarder is calculated on all costs associated with the import of goods, businesses are finding that the vat psid is closer to 12% on many goods and not the government's published 7.5%. So not only are taxes at the boarder or the cost of acquiring goods from local suppliers consuming more cash and creating cash flow problems for some retailers but the carrying cost of inventory has also increased. This also means the value of inventory shrinkages and obsolescence has also increased. All of this affects the companie's bottom line. For example importing domestics goods before VAT was introduced would require an importer to pay just under 50% freight , insurance and customs duty. Today with VAT being added and calculated on all associated costs, a retailer can shell out up to 65% for these costs before he gets the goods in his store. Compare that to a US retailer who only pays 5% freight and up to 7 % import tax. The Bahamian retailer can be paying up to six times more. So he cannot compete. So as he adjusts his prices the customers are driven away because they feel they are being ripped off. So the governmen's insatiable appetite for tax revenue is leading to a stagnant economy and to the demise of hundreds of businesses

The fact is even the average school boy on the street can tell you who the gang leaders are. Statics will confirm (especially for the months of October, November and December, 2016, that at least half the murders in this country are gang related. Yet, despite laws being on the books, no significant action has been taken against gang leaders. So the 'foot soldiers' of gangs continue to kill each other. They follow the wishes and commands of their leaders and wreak havoc on this country. And as for the other killings and major crime: international statistics show that 20% of criminals are responsible for 80% of crime. The city of New York had a similar problem where prolific offenders were being dragged before the courts, only to be released on bail or receive light sentences by judges and end up back on the streets. So NY law enforcement turned the tables on them. They targeted the top 20% of know career criminals. They gave them charges from anything from traffic violations to littering. Anything that would get them off the streets. Within a matter of months the city saw significant reduction s in crime. Within a year major crime was down by 40% and murder was down by 55%. OK Mr. Commissioner of Police and Mr. Minister of National Security, now you know.

The government is busy trying to legalize same sex marriage but yet a Bahamian cannot gamble in his own town. A case of Kalik that is made here costs $44.oo compared to $24 in Miami, Heineken's cost $46 and guineas $55.00 twice the price in Miami. Bahamians still does not still have the same beach access as foreigners, and foreign businesses are given concessions, tax breaks and crown land.. I don't gamble but it took a while feeling comfortable in Hard Rock Casino in Florida when Bahamian friend s go there to play the slots. That being said someone who is aspiring to become a law maker should not be s law breaker.

Not race discrimination dummy. Discrimination based on nationality.

Well knowledge is still powerful. Recently documents were unsealed in the US showing where 90 million Americans were given tainted polio vaccines in the 1950's and 1960's. The vaccines were given in the form of injections and the cube of sugar orally with the medication on it. The tainted vaccines had monkey tissue in it that caused the growth of tumors in humans. It is what is known today as cancer. Many Bahamians were given this polio vaccines also. Before then cancer was an unknown in this country. Today it is endemic. The fact is the 'gene' f created by the vaccine can be passed on from mother to baby. So doctors tell you "cancer runs in your family." The documents have been ordered resealed because of the huge implications. And parents who have been skeptical about having their children take vaccinations have reason to be. Even adults for flu shots. A family member got a 'shot ' his doctor claimed would help control his smoking. But not only did he start smoking more but one day he didn't come home as usual. Later that night his wife heard some strange sounds at the door. When she looked out her husband was on the ground trying to knock on the door. He said on his way walking home his entire body cramped up and he couldn't move. He just lay side the road and slowly he managed to crawl home on his belly. When the doctor was contacted he said the cramping was a side effect of the medication.

A story recently appeared where children in impoverished areas of Africa were given numerous vaccines all at once. Many of the children became sick and some died. The mothers had little powers to stop their children from being vaccinated and didn't even know what some of the vaccines were for. Many vaccines are made from the cells of other animals they will interact if too much are in the body at the same time.

Toogie and BoBo? Henfield is treading on dangerous ground both by offering to march with the PLP and by suggesting that he is associating with gang leaders. Remember how that backfired on Pindling and the PLP more than a decade and a half ago. If Henfield mixes and mingles his march with the PLP, they will draw him like a powerful magnet. Like a flay into a spiderweb. His goals and purpose will be lost, his mission unaccomplished and his reputation tarnished. Then Bradley Roberts will tell him "you is one of us now so you may as well stay", or they will toss him close to the nearest garbage like a used condom.

Whoever wins the next election will have lots of dirty nasty work to clean up. They will have to do lots of heavy lifting. In fact during their first 3 years in office they will look lost and appear to be making matters worse. That's how deep the pile is. But of course if the PLP wins they will continue to pile sh!t on top of the heap. You know what happens to sh!t when it is piled too high?

If the government wasn't in bed with the gang leaders goons and thugs then crime wouldn't be s problem. If you don't believe me ask Toogie and BoBo

Speaking of crime do you see how they are manipulating the gas ⛽️ and electricity prices? Even though oil is still one third the price it was a few years ago gas is almost up to $4.50. Electricity prices are through the roof. Some consumers whose power was off for most of October got bills that were much higher than the regular bill. And BPL is printing on the bills boldly: your usage increased by 1,600 % over last year. (Yes, One Thousand,Six Hundred percent). So how could a house that has no power for three weeks out the month go from $85.00 to almost $1.000? And the gas prices are not only going up here but places like Mexico that produces oil are complaining. Even parts of the US are seeing sharp price increases. And while Mexico says their problems is due to corruption and politicians 'teifin' all the money and not building new refineries causing that country to have to import gas, the gas companies are claiming the cost of refining have gone up since the price of oil dropped from $156.00 to less than 1/3 the price and hence the increase in gas prices. There was a plot afoot years ago to push the price of gas up to $12.00 a gallon in the US and up to $15.00 in Canada and around the world. This is while gas remains below $1.00 in Saudi Arabia and other oil producing nations. Oil is in plenty supply, a glut. The Bunker C used to power BEC is actually sludge left over from refining oil. Despite it being banned in many countries we continue to pay a premium price for it. Hence the outrageous light bills. Who's hands getting grease? Who pockets getting stuffed while the average Bahamian cannot afford gas or electricity?