"administration is preparing to take “bold action” on rent control."

“Yes, I’m talking about bold action even on issues like rent control."

" Mr Rolle said rent control is a “priority” for the government "

All the information with the rent control by the government. AND then saying below

“I am excited by the potential for these financial reforms to support greater competition in the market."

Well, frankly rent controls is the opposite to competition in free market where there is equilibrium derived under supply and demand forces. Further the number of 20% is picked by the government and not determined by free market forces.

Governments should not get into private enterprise businesses geared in capitalism and healthy competition to thrive and exist in Democracy.

Govt authorities kills capitalism and private enterprises and with one sided restrictions and the inevitable bureaucracy, red tape, added litigation only deters private enterprises of getting into creation of rental properties. Naturally there will be punishments to landlords who are in the wrong for following private enterprises. Penalties, fines?, jail terms? seizing of buildings?

If governments wants to have subsidized housing then build it themselves and particularly in the area of housing for elderly.

Government added controls, receits, documentations, govt approvals, govt agencies connecting submission of rent receits leads to connection logically to landlords compliance of business licences, connection of TIN, connection to NIB payments and erodes into Bahamians' culture of democracy and peoples lives and more and more areas of governments controls by way of laws. The accelerated blueprint path and govt intervention in supply and demand of Market forces and competition reeks of Communists governments.

Absolutely without shame these fellas can't even get their fellow legislators for years to comply with the financial Disclosures for years but yet can pass Financial laws for the public private sector to comply as the ink dries and laws to apply to prosecute those landlords who are guilty of not complying.

"He highlighted that by law, landlords can only charge 20 percent of the value of the of the property as rent, must provide a receipt upon payment and cannot withhold a security deposit for normal wear and tear." comments stated by executive chairman of the Consumer Protection Commission Randy Rolle.

On one hand the Governor of the Bahamas Central Bank and a chief financial advisor to the Government had indicated that the at the time of the consumer complaints on the huge bank fees by the banks are set by the "market forces" and are determined by the banks.

Now on the rents which landlords are "only charge 20 percent of the value of the of the property as rent" is the most bizarre as the very same free enterprise operations and supply and demand forces are not allowed to play in democracy for equilibrium price level is to be obtained. (One also has to bear in mind the bed and Bath rentals which fluctuate according to season.)

Quite an eye opener to Bahamians that 'Market Forces" are for the few commercial banks on the high bank fees they consider and a legislated compliance difference on rental prices landlords must charge is being communist didatorial.

p.s. the 20% rent ceiling fee on the value of the property is not rational since the rents are also decided by the location, location, location in addition to SUPPLY and DEMAND forces. Perhaps he can view some of the quite good quality homes that stand out in urban renewal areas plagued by high incidences of crime versus some tiny pool houses or guest cottage or apt above the garage for rent next to the mansions in gated communities.

headline "Who will pay for mental health days?" Answer is clear that society will pay the price.

Increasing stresses are glaringly evident.

There are increasing numbers of homeless Bahamians sleeping on areas off the sides of the streets and pleading for help in the streets in dirt stained clothes, there is the obvious documented government having to feed thousands of children breakfast, there is the increasing suicides, there are the longer lines of hungry lining up for soup kitchens, there is the fact that persons cannot afford homes, there is the fact that regressive VAT taxes applied be the governments severely create hardships to the explosive increasing pain and hardships of Bahamians - fully known by the authorities of the increased population below poverty levels and the list goes on and on and on and on.

Increasing stress affects and erodes and destroys TRUST creates further Harm, less and less productivity, influences others in futility of better situations, destroys productivity, increses careless errors, lousy customer services where no one cannot smile or have the effort to help customers where the nation deals wid a lot of service industries, in businesses, creates harm and carelessness's, morale, illnesses increase leading to more man hours lost creating more work for existing staff.

In a small, small, small, small, small island nation any efforts to stem the adverse effects of mental health must be a priority to continue where all of us are directly connected. Right now many motorists would rather stay home to ease the increasing additional, and additional and additional stresses rather than to endure the terror on the streets by few other road users.

Lets be realistic that the Communists influences and ideas from just across the border have been slipping into our beloved Bahamaland by the greater frequency of our beloved Bahamaland interacting with the Communists.

"The country has put a lot of money into the Grand Lucayan since it was bought up by the government. The new deal is for a sale and redevelopment for a value of $827m. After paying to keep it going for years, it was revealed that we will be getting back $120m as a sale price, according to a government statement. "

Investigations needed to be done from the FNM buying the hotel at the price of $65 million dollars. Full investigations needed as it seems that it is likely that the injections by government of taxpayers money could have been more than the present price and that funds were for social services assistance from govt accounting designated social services budget, rather that from competition of the hotel under business conditions with other hotels.

As time rolled on additional sums of taxpayers money was added to keep on paying bills attached to the $65 million sale price and the additional sums just kept on being added to this hotel. along the line the authorities might as well have said that they bought the hotel fot $10. million but later on the costs attached to this sale price added to $120. million

Under business market competition the hotel should have competed in accordance to its economic profitability as the other private owned hotels do so and in fair competition, instead of being used as a function vehicle of social services and assistance to the employees. Agreeing that the Freeport economic situation was really bad, it was fully acceptable to have assisted all of the needy under the accounting section that provides help in disastrous times under the social services agency.

Pumping all the necessary taxpayers funds distorts the economic data that is used for national and international purposes that influences the ratings. The hotel is a business failure as it was used to distort true free market forces and competition and profitability or extent of losses. The employment rates were distorted directly and indirectly and help for the Freeport should have been by means and reflecting of the past failures of past governments to regularize shortfalls under the Port Authority.

Bey, all a sudden this transparency come up. Well mudda tek sic!

The transparency needs to go to the beginning of the sale of the hotel which the FNM government bought for $65 million dollars. Soon after the happiness of the taxpaying population began to fade on the added costs of a bad deal, the population became aware of the seller did not pay the expected Stamp Taxes in the sale which was not informed upfront by the FNM government as prerequisite of the sale price to the final price. the smaller sale price is more appealing but the govt had to pay all the stamp taxes.

Then there is an financing arrangement with the seller to give financing and with interest applied. Next it came out that the seller did not do the legal expectations of paying off the contractual arrangements of the workers as the legal company changed hands and the govt was responsible for paying off those workers who wasted their monies. Next the population later discovered that the sellers came and wanted to collect the golf carts and computers as it seems there was some doubts in the sales contract on whether the golf carts and some items were removable.etcetcetcetcetc

Frankly, transparency of the ongoing movement of the intended sale under the FNM prior and now continuing under the present government needs to begin with the same hotel beginning with the FNM and all the egregious financial willfully and cleverly hidden $65 million dollar Sale that hugely ballooned to over $100 million dollars at the taxpayers expense.

Investigations and transparency needed into the hotel transactions beginning with the FNM initial sale with $65 million dollars of the taxpayers money.

After all dese years of the park being in constant use by walkers and lots of employees of stalls and customers ----- after all these thousands and thousands of days with all dese people in the park ----- so where do they do the No.#1 and the No.#2....?......And where do they wash their hands?----- Are they authorized to sell food and drinks in the park?

Shameful that these best learned Legislators have been as babies borne by mothers for months at great pains, sacrifices, back pains eating plenty sardines and to have delivered these wonderful sons, raising dem with the best broughupsy with highest morals and respects for females ----- to have these Legislators first pass laws to protect conchs protection laws ----- mulluscs----- lobster protection laws ----- and our beloved Bahamalans mothers, still needs laws of RIGHTS and equality for our women, the same as the Bahamian men.

One (1) investor and one (1) Bahamas Government in contract.

Three (3) countries involved The Bahamas, China and the US involved.

Two (2) Law Courts involved The Bahamas and the US

The Bahamian peoples land, the peoples birthright involved MUST involve a full independent investigation of this matter ----- instead of discussions and the opinioned views back and forth between the former Prime Minister Mr. Christie, the former Opposition leader and later Mr. Minnis and Mr. Sarkis and the Chinese officials.

Full independent investigation is needed as sweeping the matter under the carpet leaves a ridiculous large $3 + Billion dollar bump under the carpet that will be forever raising negative views that the population will not be prepared to keep bucking their toes on the bump in the carpet.