Maybe you're right K4C. However there are persons who are educated, have gone abroad to the US, Canada, England or qualified themselves at our local University of the Bahamas and are just as qualified or in a number of cases more qualified, but yet well paying jobs are going out to foreigners. There are many, many, many, examples of this right there in Nassau.

Only problem Ms. Carey, while I am with you that these private cays really bring no lasting benefits to the Bahamas itself except to "say" its in the Bahamas, I am equally disturbed that such a good job is being done directing cruise ships and its visitors to Nassau. Today for example there were at least 5 ships in port in Nassau. That's today. But how many were here for the week so far? Then, how many would you say have been to Freeport for the week?

Like I say I disagree with these private cays , but I also disagree with the "Nassau centric mentality"....Spread the wealth!

Exactly Baha10!!! Having an oil refinery in Grand Bahama is absolutely nothing new! As mentioned Grand Bahama not only has one but two major oil operations, Pharmaceutical company, polystyrene production, had a chemical company, ...and for YEARS and still boast far more better fishing grounds than Nassau. In fact at a number of points and rocks in Grand Bahama you can still stand on the rock and catch fish!

Most of the arguments that I have seen or heard are from people who have never lived in Grand Bahama, know nothing about Grand Bahama. Cant be or they'd be happy for the prospects. Grand Bahama is an industrial mecca! Lets now invite some car manufactures like Ford, Toyota, Nissan ,Dodge etc. to open assembly lines in Grand Bahama and create more jobs.

Soooo interesting...not too long ago the country wanted to know the details pertaining to the sale of a certain hotel and they refused to budge on the details of the deal.....

Agreed!!

And even after the taxes depending on where you decide to go, you still take home more than you would here.

Might as well be a state. Then we'd all be able to move as we like.

Part of the issue- UB/COB

Now that the RN program is a bachelors degree program according to nursing students its taking them 5 years to graduate. Couple that with the registration process being disorganized at times and documents being misplaced by the school. Then there's courses being put off because of not having someone to teach a particular course needed to graduate or move from the pre-requisite course to the core program, courses being discontinued and courses being added when students thinking that they're done. This adds unnecessary time to one being able to graduate. Add to the issue nurses retiring, moving to private hospitals, the US and Canada, you now have a deficit. Obviously nurses are not being produced quick enough to facilitate the needs of the country.

Possible Solution- Revert to the Associates Degree Nursing program which is about 3 years. Focus more on technical skills, bedside manners, nurturing the right attitude and compassion. I'd prefer a nurse with an associates degree highly skilled with a good attitude than a 5 year bachelors degree nurse with a poor attitude. There does exist those nurses who really care are highly skilled and know how to treat people, but not enough to ensure consistency 24 hours a day.

Think about it though. There exists those nurses who are excited about being nurses who really want to save lives,but don't want to work at a place scrapping for supplies and ill equipped. They want to work in a fully equipped state of the art facility that pays well and has room for advancement. Can you blame them? I don't! Do you?

***"Yesterday, Mr Dames underscored the importance of term limits, and flagged the government’s plan to introduce a “succession planning model” for the public service. He said senior public servants were often kept in top positions for so long that it blocks opportunity for other qualified and competent individuals to make significant contributions.
He noted past extensions given to senior public officers on the verge of retirement, and instances when retired officials were called back to serve in high-level posts.
Mr. Dames called the phenomenon a “stumbling block to advancement” and a contributing factor to the country’s brain drain."***

Minister Dames, I totally agree with you!! For far too long this has been happening especially with persons retiring from one government entity with full pension, only to be brought back to government double dipping. What is more in most cases bringing no significant skills to the table that someone wanting to move up the ladder doesn't have. Let them go home and enjoy their retirement and give some well meaning, well deserved, well qualified, person a chance.

The simple answer is this and it applies to ALL Bahamian businesses "if" you are doing it, stop gouging the people and we will buy from you!!! You kill people with your prices and then when you're stuck with your over priced product you cry!! Whose to say you're not turning the dials back? What about selling someone a car that car dealers state the car is a certain year model but when you go to get it insured you find out its actually older and cannot be put in comprehensive insurance? Why go to you and pay four times the amount when I can order my car myself for less from the same people you go to?

While we're at it, many Bahamian businesses are doing the same thing Gouging!! Want stewed fish? Stop to a side street (Wulff Rd) food take away and spend the same thing you would sitting down at Arawak cay! Go to some other restaurants owned by Bahamians and the servings are stingy! Go to a Chinese take out the food is reasonably priced and you can save some for later.

Was traveling and decided to go to Mall at Marathon to a certain shop to replace a pair of Jeans. Asked the price, a whopping $85.00!!! I politely took it off and waited until I got to Florida where I got the same pair of jeans for $19.00 plus tax...almost 4 times less!! Why so expensive?

Hotels want you to stay home and enjoy vacation.. It cost more to go to a family island for a vacation than it is to go to Florida?

Mattresses is another thing. You claim you make it here and want consumers to buy Bahamian but your mattresses are outrageously priced.

"the BMDA chief said roadside vendors were able to undercut him with ease because they paid no taxes or fees to the Government." Don't know how much you car dealers may be getting away with it, but Many businesses are and still charge 100% plus on the item. If you dodging customs why are you still charging the people 3 and 4 times more? You're getting your cake and eating it x 3.

So rather than resorting to sticking it or passing the increases on to the consumer how many of you business people are putting pressure on the government? That's what you ought to be doing? Outside of that I seriously believe yall really enjoy staring at your merchandise while they dry rot........and still after sitting in your shop for a long time you wouldn't come down off the price. When yall serious we'll see it in your prices