Confusion reigns supreme, and ports of entry will be a nightmare in January.
I am led to believe the switch to FOB for duty calculations was across the board:
Is it or isn't it?
Have they so mislead the N.Z. "consultants" that they think we are ready?
They have been touring them around but they have not been to a few large business concerns that I'm aware of.
Businesses that have questions based on daily flip flopping.

How these ministers can face themselves in a mirror is beyond me,
Unless he is referring to his own fortunes reversing courtesy of Political connection and position.
His Government has the opportunity to reverse things,
but where is any effort in that direction indicated?
VAT?
They are still changing their damned minds daily on how that is going to work,
or not work.

No Government can ensure a better standard of living for its population:
The Governments job is to maintain the structures of society which enable citizens to work, produce and provide for themselves.
They will always fail at the first,
history shows they have failed at the latter.
In the context of the G.B.P.A, the Statutory agreement which was to provide an environment for prosperity for the country and ALL involved has been hijacked by the few, both in and out of Government who have appropriated it as theirs to do with as they wish.
And they have done exactly that.

However, they will need to borrow more multi-millions from the IMF to shore up current year budget shortfalls.
VAT will not provide the fiscal windfall they tout but VAT will provide the economic data the IMF need to structure income taxes in all its forms, which the Government will be further instructed to implement.
The VAT fiasco that will transpire will only add to the fiscal pressure.
Free healthcare, increased social "safety net" etc etc are all straight out deceptions.

Perfect example is the Port President touting new investment, growth, confidence
whether he believes it or not, it is the company line he is instructed to push, andhis salary depends on it.
Every business he highlighted moved out of a given property into a new property.
No growth there.
The Port owners probably do believe everything is fine, marvelous job they're doing etc.
Life is good!

Those with the power and wealth do not want change,
those who need change,
Have not the power nor capital to change anything.
Hat tip to Poverty Inc.

While it is true the Port Authority private owners are comfortable and wealthy with no vision or need to do anything, this was not the intention of the H.C.A. for Wallace Groves or the Government.
The Government buying it is not the answer either as they're broke and couldn't run it anyway.
One look at Nassau confirms that.
What should be done is a buyout by the Licensees, who have watched things go from bad to worse and would probably do a far better job if politics could be kept out of it!
Middle management simply holding whatever position the owners want them to is pathetic.
Hutchinson could care less aside needing enough manpower to run the Container port.
Even then they'd get approval to import foreign workers, who would live in shipping containers outside the gates!
Government is using VAT rules to abrogate the H.C.A. and totally ignore prior court rulings which have helped to define it, which will further depress economic prospects and with impending expiry from tax exemptions in 2015 things do not look good.
Freeport is the perfect example of squandered potential, through the inactions of a select few, who themselves have done very very well at the expense of everyone else.

And so it starts, the final stage in the decay of society in the Bahamas,
Hired thugs, no different than the Hitler youth, or as in any number of other countries where things decay only to be replaced by horrible ideology fueled by ignorance and mental poverty.
If we could learn to think for ourselves, we would have no need of Political personalities to adore and follow blindly, or outspoken personalities to hate.
We have few success stories because we shoot down our own before they rise.
Political success is no measure of decency,
it merely shows a propensity to steal and deceive.
An angry youth and xenophobia is the most telling about the lack of societal health.
We have a sick country indeed.

The fuel surcharge which should now go away with oil under $70 a barrel!

Yep, like parking meters, on power and water too!
Come outside, put $2.50 in the meter and go have a shower!
crazy.