Minister says greater flexibility needed with how NIB responds to disasters NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Labour Brensil Rolle yesterday foreshadowed several policy changes to the National Insurance Board (NIB) in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Rolle stressed the changes were necessary to ensure the social safety net of The Bahamas is more flexible in its response to […]

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Bahamas must pass and enforce ‘genuine’ competition laws, according to the country’s chief World Trade Organization negotiator. Zhivargo Laing, a former State Minister for Finance, said 80 percent of the Bahamian economy is open to foreign competition. He spoke during an Inter-American Development Bank Economic Knowledge event on “Enhancing Private Sector […]

Aviation director: $5 million plus to be spent on repairs and modernization NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis has issued a directive for the Marsh Harbour airport to be reopened to international traffic by next Friday, according to Director of Aviation Algernon Cargill. Cargill said more than $5 million will be spent to […]

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The recommended preferred bidder to take over Nassau Flight Services (NFS) is expected to be finalized by the government appointed evaluation committee within the next 14 days, according to Aviation Director Algernon Cargill. “That RFP is in its final stages. We are down to two respondents,” said Cargill, who heads the committee. The […]

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Exuma’s $44 million dollar airport expansion could see the island emerge as a mini-hub for the southern Bahamas, according to Aviation Director Algernon Cargill. With Abaco’s tourism product having been severely impacted by Hurricane Dorian, Cargill said a ‘sharper focus’ will now be placed on islands such as Exuma to continue to […]

NASSAU, BAHAMAS- The country’s chief negotiator Zhivargo Laing yesterday confirmed it is “95 per cent unlikely” the government will proceed with World Trade Organization (WTO) accession in this current term. However, Laing said if accession does not happen within this term – it won’t happen in the next decade. The former state Minister for Finance […]

Draft legislation released for consultation NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Minnis administration yesterday touted its public procurement reforms as a ‘massive step forward’ for The Bahamas towards ensuring greater transparency and accountability. More than 1,500 vendors have registered on its e-tender platform, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance. The draft Public Procurement Bill […]

Tourism Ministry adjusting marketing spend to combat Dorian fall-out NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Stop-over arrivals to The Bahamas in 2019 are projected to decrease just under 10 percent compared to last year, according to Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar. D’Aguilar said his ministry has had to adjust its marketing spend to combat the negative fall-out from Hurricane Dorian. “There has […]

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Negotiations over the purchase of the Grand Lucayan are ‘back on track’, according to Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar. D’Aguilar told reporters ahead of a Cabinet meeting, the process had been delayed four to six weeks. “I think we have been distracted by the storm and therefore the negotiation process got delayed by four to six […]

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Royal Bank of Canada said yesterday it was assessing options for an interim presence due to the damage sustained by its Marsh Harbour branch in Hurricane Dorian. LaSonya Missick, Managing Director for RBC in The Bahamas, told Eyewitness News Online the branch had been “heavily damaged”. “Right now, our teams are currently working with […]

Take-over marks official start of 25-year lease agreement for $250 million revitalization NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Construction on the new Nassau Cruise port is slated to begin by January 2020, according to operator Global Ports Holding (GPH), who underscored Nassau was primed to benefit from significant global and regional cruise tourism boom. GPH assumed management of Prince […]

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Hurricane Dorian has highlighted the need for a multi-sectoral initiative toward recovery and national development, according to a governance reformer. Matt Aubry, the Organization for Responsible Governance’s (ORG) executive director, told Eyewitness News Online the Government “can’t do it alone”. “What Dorian has done is really highlight the fact that everyone has […]

The reopening of the Grand Lucayan this week has been hailed as ‘welcomed news’ for Grand Bahama concerns remain over the reopening of the island’s main gateway to international traffic. The Grand Lucayan resort will re-open on Tuesday, with 200 staff returning to work, according to Michael Scott, chairman of Lucayan Renewal Holdings Ltd. Greg […]

Assoc. says hurricane created ‘severe dislocation’ in the northern Bahamas NASSAU, BAHAMAS- The Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) has been ‘closing ranks’ in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, according to executive director Basil Smith Basil Smith. Smith told Eyewitness News Online the deadly storm impacted at least five of its member marinas. He noted efforts […]

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Bahamas Real Estate Association’s (BREA) president yesterday lamented there was ‘only so much we can do’ as the organization seeks to aid displaced by Hurricane Dorian in securing affordable housing on New Providence. Christine Wallace-Whitfield acknowledged that with likely thousands of persons on Grand Bahama and Abaco having been displaced as […]

Abaco Chamber of Commerce director says port is unsecured NASSAU, BAHAMAS – An Abaco Chamber of Commerce representative yesterday reiterated private sector concerns over security at the island’s port in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, describing what she called a ‘mad dash’ to secure shipments. Krista Albury, an Abaco Chamber of Commerce director, underscored challenges […]

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Many businesses on Hurricane devastated Abaco and Grand Bahama were either uninsured or underinsured, private sector representatives have revealed. Greg LaRoda, the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president said GB chamber has surveyed almost 200 businesses in the aftermath of Dorian. He spoke at a press conference yesterday to announce a $10 […]

As many as 60 per cent of the coins produced over the years lost permanently NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The elimination of the Bahamian one cent coin is not expected to have any ‘noticeable’ impact on consumer prices, according to Central Bank Governor John Rolle. He spoke at a press conference yesterday to launch the kick-off […]