100% correct. But you watch....all kind of "jacks" will be out drinking and carrying on. Government can do anything to Bahamians and they still ga celebrate and "thank God for life". No wonder govt dont tell us where the VAT money gone....they know they dont have to. We are a happly compliant herd of sheep. Turn on the music, and we ga dance bey. Dont tell me bout no problems.

All kinda noise from plenty people. But them same people gah be dere dancing, drinking, and giggling none the less. Boycott? For Bahamians "boycott" is a small fold-away bed that a boy sleeps on.

Why bring the to Grand Bahama? Why not take them back home to Abaco. Isn't that now under the authority of Port au Prince?

You can ignore reality if you wish, and suffer the consequences of living among a decimated population. People who cant come into your store or place of business and spend money. I know a guy who applied for a car loan and got it. During the interview was offered an additional 2 thousand in cash "if he needed it or could use it". Quote. Who couldn't "use" 2 thousand dollars?
With your argument we should not be upset with drug dealers/pushers because kids should "just say no". Why do you think they are called "pushers"? Why do you think they need to push, and why do they push? Same reason these "lenders" push loans with quotas. The quota is the push. Do you really think the quota over the head of the lending officer has no effect on his decisions? Thank God the Courts understand these things.

On the issue of crime, the idea of more searches is just dumb. Plain dumb. You are locking the barn door after the horses have gotten out.
A better answer would be for govt to look at the funds they give to Bahamas Crisis Center and multiply it by 100. Yes, one hundred. That doctor lady there is awesome and makes radios out of coconuts like McGiver. Imagine what she could do with actual transistors.
Help our people to stop falling and breaking their legs (so to speak) instead of investing more money in plaster to make casts.

I respect that.

No my friend. Bahamians in many cases are victims of what the industry terms "predatory lending".
If govt would put in place a credit rating system and also a law to allow bankruptcy just like chapter 11 & 7 in usa where a person can sell all their assets and money pays creditors and what is left is wiped off the books every 7 years THEN you would see all of this foolishness disappear quick. Banks would stop abusing the poor overnight and these fake numbers quoted here would return to the zero value they should be.
Its not about paying just debts. These debts are not just...they are not true...and if you look at the total intetest and fees you will find they exceed the lawful 20% max also....even at a time when mortgages in usa are 3%.
These banks have free tickets waiting for them at Hell's entrance gate.

Sorry bro - bad idea. Won't work with tourism. The people in the communities know exactly what they are doing. They gah have belly swell even if it means living in Hell. Don't worry about them. They love crime and violence and rough living. Some day I actually think Alfred Grey said it best when he suggested a certain set move into the caves.
No self improvement goals. Just give money to the church and pray. Those few who want to go to C.O.B. (UB) and get an education and that the government has now given scholarships to, are demonized by the community and the government is told they are wasting taxpayer money. SO???? Spending money to improve our Bahamian brothers and sisters is wasteful? That tells you all you need to know about the general mentality.
I don't see the point of having a Big Mac attack for their sake.

Well monkey eff !!! I am impressed. KP - seriously - good stuff here. I agree - no income tax should be made. ALL the people who currently work under the table and pay no NIB, guess what? They won't pay any income tax either - to draw attention to themselves.

Maybe next year's budget can reduce customs duties significantly and increase VAT to 15%. VAT is great because everybody pays (except migrants who only buy rice). Put it back on breadbasket and maybe it won't need to go up to 15%.

Overall, I am pleased you are not following the whims of the IMF. Now, try to deal with those clowns at the EU and their silly black lists. Hopefully Trump will wipe them off the face of the earth soon. I often wonder if the death of the Libyan president which allowed the influx of migrants into Europe was not simply a USA ploy to destroy Europe. So far it is working. Fires, stabbings, shootings, vans crashing into crowds, children being raped and having their lives ruined. Europe is being destroyed by a serious infection. Pretty soon they won't have time for blacklists. They will be trying to see how many cans of corned beef they can afford on their shopping list and leave us the heck alone. God willing.

You make an excellent point, however, we cannot handle any more "belt tightening" than we already have. There has been a lot. I wish they had never taken off the VAT from breadbasket items, cause I still see belly-swell-itis running around like chicken pox on every island. He is standing up to the IMF apparently (finally) and hopefully they will also stand up to those clowns in Brussels.