no surprises here.. like i said in a previous post, all kind of pie-in-the-sky promises.. next world peace?

on the contrary, its because countries aren't run by people who think about the numbers, that we have so many basket-case economies. people need to understand that you can't expect to live and enjoy services beyond the capacity of the country to provide and fund them.

the real test for the effectiveness of VAT collections will be once bahamians figure out how to dodge or avoid paying it.. this will come and of course all know that we don't prosecute dodgers (unless there is some other motive to do it.. look at property tax, hardly anyone paid and nobody prosecuted). if we are able to handle that, then we can start the praise..

a lot of rubbish talk will make headlines in the coming weeks.. pie-in-the-sky talk like wiping out debt, employment for all, cut all taxes, etc. we have a spending problem in this country and every promise made will require more spending, but they will tell you in the same breath they will reduce the tax burden.. figure out how that will happen..

This school has to be one of the best in the country. Students here consistently score well in national examinations, etc. Says a lot about the determination of these children, their parents and the school staff to achieve excellence. While where you attend school can be an advantage, ultimately the desire and determination of the individual is the only limitation to achievement.

Mackey and before him Miller and who can forget Ishmail Lightbourne, all the folks gifted money from Bank of the Bahamas and oh, lets go back to Pindling and a house loan later gift from the GBPA.. our politicians and would-be politicians, have a history with these things.. bill paying is just something expected from us lesser people apparently...

dont have a problem with mashing up Police cars provided it happens in the course of doing their job trying to apprehend miscreants.. at least we WILL know where the VAT money gone if they have to buy more squad cars.. after all, they gonna spend the money anyway..

we need to stop being lackadaisical about these things.. someone e.g journalist, needs to put questions to Contoller of Customs regarding how the bill went unpaid, how this citizen's business got into Roberts hand, who authorized it or was it stolen, etc. people get the gov't they deserve and if we don't insist on personal freedoms, etc., we will slowly but surely end with elected dictatorship...

One factual correction to this story.. the FAA may have been controlling the airspace since 1952, but Overflight fees only became a reality after 2000 although the FAA tried to implement in the late 90s but it got knocked down by the US Courts a few times on appeal from foreign carriers before finally standing up to legal scrutiny after 2000. So it is perhaps more accurate to suggest they have been collecting fees for maybe 15 years. Further, they were only collecting for services rendered bearing in mind its their investment in radar and communication systems and search and rescue services from US taxpayer dollars so it doesn't seem unreasonable under the circumstances that a few would be levied by non-contributors until another arranged is agreed, such as is now happening between the two governments.

how quickly the tide can change in politics... LBT and Co. miscalculated when they overthrew Minnis. that in and of itself does not make her a bad politician, simply a strategic miscalculation. There wasn't a single grumble from LI folk over the last 5 years until now, and certainly i didn't hear any after the hurricane when she was out front trying to help her constituents.. like the song says, 'they smile in your face, but all the time they want to take your place, the backstabbers'...