BTC is set to introduce a raft of new products in 2013, and vows to focus on its business customers—offering them better connectivity and more efficient service.

“A big thrust you can expect to see from BTC this year is to get closer to our business customers and develop new products for that side of the market,” said BTC chief executive officer Geoff Houston. “In the business community it is all about data. We have invested significantly and positioned the company very well to start taking advantage of that data explosion.”

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The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) presented its prestigious Shining Star award to Sydney Tamiia Poitier. BIFF presents this award to the actor or actress whose noteworthy performances have put them on the path for elite and lasting stardom in the industry.

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Packed with insightful commentary and exclusive interviews, The Bahamas Investor is a vital publication for promoting The Bahamas as a key international financial centre. Building on the reputation of the prestigious Bahamas Handbook, the supplementary magazine is a valuable aid for investment, estate and tax planning professionals around the world.

Like many nations in the wake of the global financial meltdown, The Bahamas is facing economic challenges and the January-July issue of the magazine features the core team of policy makers that is charged with steering the economy to greater prosperity.

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The Ministry of Tourism is spending around $15 million on a multi-media advertising campaign targeting niche markets. Watch an interview with Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe.
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Minister of Financial Services Ryan Pinder views the “A” rating for the Securities Commission of the Bahamas as monumental, as it follows the recent passage of the Securities Industries Act. He adds that The Bahamas is the first country in the region with such a rating.
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The Bahamas announced Thursday last week that it achieved Status A in a global benchmark document signalling the jurisdiction’s commitment to fighting cross-border fraud and securities violations.

In June 2009, The Bahamas was granted Status B signatory to the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU).

Status B signals a jurisdiction’s voluntary commitment to implement the legal framework necessary to be in compliance with the global standard-setting body’s MMoU, which concerns the consultation, cooperation and the exchange of information between securities regulators around the world.

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A “game-changing development” set to get off the ground in the next few months could help propel Grand Bahama into a profitable year, according to chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) Ian Fair.

A new water park, which will include marine attractions, is in the works for Grand Bahama with the Port Authority on the brink of finalizing negotiations with the developers and hoping construction can begin on the site within the first quarter of 2013.

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The head of The Bahamas’ biggest employer in the tourism sector has urged the industry to become more creative and innovative to draw passengers off cruise ships and bring more business to the country.

President of Atlantis International Bahamas George Markantonis told the Bahamas Business Outlook conference last week that the sector needs to be more diverse and offer visitors something they cannot find anywhere else in the region, saying: “We need more creative ideas. We need bigger diversity in our product. You cannot have the same retailers everywhere nor the same restaurants.”

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A British couple are touring the world renewing their wedding vows in each country to raise money for charity. On December 12, 2012, they had a ceremony in Exuma. Watch a video of the wedding here.

The coming year will be a busy one for the Ministry of Finance, according to Prime Minister Perry Christie who said yesterday that a decision on tax reform had been reached and that his government is “focused on stimulating economic growth.”

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