my point is simply this, how does a party pursue and implement its policies if it can't even get its own members to support them, much less opposition members.. maybe we ought to become a republic then.. let the PM and his cabinet create policy and see if they can convince the other elected folks to back it.

This is all quite curious. We have a party system and many of them were elected because of their party affiliation despite what they may think. So when is a party, no longer a party? how long can you disagree on substantive policy and still be a viable group? Getting to grips with debt is not easy, but either you agree its a problem or you dont. Seems this is a key plank of FNM gov't policy and as such should be unanimously supported by all FNM members. I would say the in-house naysayers are basically showing no support in their party leadership. Where is the whip party leader?

this is straight forward. gov't passes laws, presents budgets, etc. Since these fellows don't want to pay more, go to court and see what u can do about it. they have money.. if you have a valid legal position, the court is duty-bound to find accordingly. if you don't, pay or get shut down. As for business impact, businesses have to adjust to all manner of change all the time. Deal with it.

Agree with sheeprunner. income tax is inevitable and when it comes, it will be in addition to VAT. VAT is here to stay. The 'good old days' are gone for good. Future generations are going to have to learn to live on a lot less money than in the past and i doubt prices will come down to compensate for this lost money. Bottom line, quality of life that most of us have been accustomed too and took for granted will be no more. The middle class will be drastically reduced and the poor increased. The rich never get hurt no matter what system you have.

right, wouldn't serve any purpose to increase VAT then turn around and give that additional money back to the Unions. Bahamians had it good for a long time and now that the good times are catching up with us, nobody wants to pay the bill.

don't know the number sheeprunner, but i accept there are tens of thousands. okay, my pov is maybe a bit extreme, but seriously, gov't will pump maybe $10 - $20mil minimum into Ragged for 50 people. if you're broke like us, how do you make sense of that?

its time for a policy of forced migration in the Bahamas in the interest of national security. To save us falling into financial ruin due among other reasons the great burden placed on gov't to duplicate infrastructure, we must force Ragged Island, MICAL, Cat Island and Long Island residents to one island. we could save hundreds of millions.

the only thing saving Inagua from a mass evacuation is this company. they should have a prayer meeting everyday giving everlasting thanks and asking for divine intervention to ensure Morton never packs up and leaves.

Given the current dire financial state of affairs, i dont see how we can turn away any.potential opportunities regardless of risk. Like they say, manage it.

based on past practice, we can expect that notwithstanding the stated goal of debt reduction, what will happen is more handouts, funding of dubious projects and no improvement in gov't finances. The middle class will start the slow, inevitable slide to lower class. And this is only the beginning. Expect NIB contributions to rise, introduction of a NHI levy and further increase in VAT to 15% before this term ends. Of course an increase in BPL rates is already in the works to cover upcoming borrowing/restructuring or whatever term you wish to use. Lets not forget the money gifted to loyalists from BOB either, that we also have to pay for now that it is acknowledged that most of the money is not recoverable.