I see NEMA firing off a number of text messages, obviously testing the Emergency information system.
BTC phones are getting them, but not Aliv phones?

The political free for all trickles down throughout the rank and file of the civil service.
How could it not?
Ethics in Government is a myth. Fixing it from the bottom down will always fail, it must be fixed from the top down.

Doesn't the Government rebate the Head tax back to the cruise lines?
Serious question by the way.
If the Government had any business sense at all they would have studied the defined revenue losses when the cruise lines shut down due to covid. Rather than speculate they would have had hard numbers. They also could have renegotiated our position to negate the complete give away instead of diving right back in.
But noooooo, stupid is as stupid does, over and over again.

If Moving to a different bank is like giving birth, then opening up a new account at any bank is worse than kidney or gall stones! They really have become pariahs on Bahamian society.

Dealing with a minimum of 7 Government departments, at least 3 inspections, and being a tourist attraction which requires Liability insurance in order to get licensed..........
Yep, I'm sure all their paperwork is straight!
There are numerous "entities" not in compliance with various laws and Govt Departments.
They thrive. Legitimate Businesses are struggling, or fail to exist from the outset.
Expulsis commercia, Restituta piratis........apparently.

Firstly, VAT is a compound tax at import, as it is levied on the duty as well as first cost.
VAT is not marked up, but duty when prepaid can be. (it is a cost of goods)
It is illegal to mark up VAT.
Aside the above, One could say why doesn't Walmart, Target, Costco etc come over and sell their stuff cheaper? Two reasons. They would be subject to our high overheads, costs of doing business, taxes, Money exchange costs. We are also a small market, which however spends over $2.11 Billion with them in Florida alone, annually (2010 numbers) We bring cash, and incur all transport costs and import taxes ourselves. Why would they establish themselves for the market share they already get?
This is by no means a simple problem with a simple fix. What government has to create is a win win win. Businesses win, customers win government wins.

So Island Warrior, how do Normal business costs get covered If not covered by the goods services provided?

A classic example of a Civil Servant with no clue as to the complexities of the subject he is speaking about.
Let me give a little breakdown in the hopes it causes him to delve a little deeper.
In order of profitability, in most businesses, the number one beneficiary is
Foreign vendors. They make their Gross without our very high costs of doing business.
We send $$, they send Goods. We incur trucking/shipping costs, insurance and clearing costs,
which leads to #2 :
Government. Thats right, bec/bpl, License fees/taxes, Clearing fees and duties, taxes, a long list of annual overheads before the first item is sold.
#3 Salaries. Payroll. NIB, Insurance and pension plan costs. Benefits.
#4 Repairs and renewals to buildings, vehicles, computer systems,
#5 Inventory losses, especially in Food wholesale / retail. Otherwise in theft.
Getting the picture? The last time I did this exercise, Ownership Net Net was #7.
It barely existed. And that is Pre Hurricane. Post hurricanes Net Net is deferred for a number of years.
Looking at one little aspect without looking at the whole picture is disingenuous or ignorant.

Just wondering what expertise Mr. Storr has to be able to walk on a dump site and be able to assess and assign a monetary value to what he saw?
Just asking........being a political appointee and all.

When created the first minister was appointed "Minister of Disaster" which I though was most appropriate. And here we are.
For 50 years the Government has entrenched the gravy train mentality, and we expect different behavior? It is completely institutionalized.
Until a government, any government, is willing to prosecute its own appointees and elected for wrong doing it will remain the glue that binds them together at the expense of the country and citizen.
If a Government administration held its own to account, there would be no need for the 2-3 years worth of witch hunting by the ensuing party. witch hunting to no apparent end.