Government take note. You're driving long standing middle class business owners out of Business.
Many are considering throwing in the towel. The relentless Government changes/demands/regulations and taxes are killing the productive back bone of this country.

The issue is hurting average Bahamians in the hope some foreigners will say "I won't pay $30K in Vat and Duty, but I will if it is registration!
What idiot would register here and lose their U.S. pleasure craft registration?
Their Coast Guard Documentation?
Their ability to provide charters into The Bahamas From the U.S.?
By comparison U.S. Fuel, food, provisions are cheap.
If the Government wants to Give the Port Dept's in the Islands patrol craft, fuel, that's one thing, but this money is going into the Consolidated fund Black hole, never to be seen again.
Also the renewal fees are annual, a few years will outstrip the one shot duty and Vat cost.
Way to kill the Maritime industry and enjoyment in an island nation!

Whose nephew? Sorry but, it's what we expect.
Seriously they seem determined to kill the maritime industry. Registration renewal fees increased 100 fold and more, first time fees are insane.
Supposedly to encourage foreign owned private and charter vessels to register as Bahamian vessels? Maybe, but you just killed your local fishermen and Bahamian boating.
Thanks new friggin day. Keep squeezing the Mango, hope you could eat dry seed.

Acknowledging they owe is quite different than actually paying it. Government hypocrisy at its best.

First the P.M. started the public fight by casting dispersions on the second city. Second, the Government won't go to the table to discuss, they rather issue public ultimatums.
third, the penultimate failure in Grand Bahama is owned by the Government.
Forth, you just shot a hole in your own credibility with this position.
Lastly, I am surprised that this administration is attacking instead of doing the typical government back room deal done by all prior administrations.
Maybe the government asked for too much?

When all else fails, revert to the 70's forced exodus of economic contributors.
Strip your industries of working assets, put them under tenuous circumstances, and they'll not come.
Hard enough for an expat to wait 6 months for the promise of a job while immigration ponders if they will or won't issue a permit.
The local company needs the position filled but has to wait and wonder if ever.
Are there abuses? sure. Is rule by fiat the answer? Never.

Government was unhappy a national port of entry (Airport) was in Private hands, so they acquired it, wrecked as it was by Dorian.
They have no $$ to develop it.
They acquired the Grand Lucayan Hotel, also closed due to Hurricanes Matthew and Dorian, again, with no plan or capability of refurbishing and operating it.
Yet they sink millions trying to keep it bubbling along.
Two announcements for a new hospital, two ground breaking, and yet, no dirt moved.
Sounds largely like Government is the G.B. failure.
Government touts PPP's, yet undermines themselves and everyone else with them.
What Idiot would PPP with these erratic clowns with their misfeasance at every turn?

All former Governments have colluded with and benefitted from relationships with Port Ownership. It is interesting that this administration has some other plan, which appears to be replacing one set of private owners for another.
The P.M. needs to realize the GBPA does not stand alone, but has thousands of licensed companies operating under the H.C.A, a statute Law.
Freddy would do well to shut up and sit small as his chip is showing larger than ever.
In any case, the difference between Brave and foolhardy is negligible, differentiated only by outcome. And declare what happened to the Government 7% shares while your auditing
Freeport tax Income vs. expenditure..........

Change may be needed, but not this kind of change: insofar as the Port is far from perfect, it
has contended with 5 hurricanes, Covid, global economic downturns, repeated government attacks since inception.
Look no further than Eight Mile Rock and West End to see complete Government failure.
Or any other Out Island for that matter.
The Nationalistic overtones from Fred are disappointing and detrimental to national investor confidence and residents alike. Need a muzzle on that one.

Nassau centricity is the control and power. How many projects have the Government pulled from G.B. to Nassau? government has always feared G.B. and always will, until they reduce it to Squalid out island status.