The Bahamas Investor

...f China. The signing ceremony took place February 21, 2019 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is a commitment from China to provide funds for development projects in the country. Minister of Foreign Affairs Darren Henfield said that the funds would be used for upgrades to the National Stadium and other Bahamian development projects. “It is important to note that this agreement is the second such offer to The Bahamas in recent years, and, in t......

...ise the standards of local and imported goods. “It will also provide a platform of increased opportunities to export Bahamian agricultural, fisheries and forestry products,” he said. The series of workshops have been designed to inform Bahamian decision-makers of the issues associated with WTO accession. Delegates include representatives from the Ministry of Financial Services whose portfolio include international trade, the Department of Agricult......

...issues,”?says the chamber president. “We are going to be a working board.” For Rolle, the board members aren’t just industry leaders. More importantly, they have demonstrated the capacity to deliver. Case in point, Michele Rassin. “I know what the struggles are for small businesses–having owned a restaurant in Palm Beach, prior to moving back to The Bahamas in 2000,” says Rassin. “When these businesses thrive the economy does well. But many busine......

...nternational Business Forum in Freeport. The initiative gained the backing of Minister of State for Investments Khaalis Rolle and Joy Jibrilu, director of the Bahamas Investment Authority (BIA), when they visited London shortly after The Bahamas’ general election in May last year. “We were impressed by their determination to step up the economic dynamic of The Bahamas and their openness to new ideas and approaches,” says Peter Longworth, director......

...on (BCCEC) seminar held yesterday at the British Colonial Hilton, Minister of State for Investments Khaalis Rolle (left) praised the measures and urged business owners to take advantage of the concessions offered, saying: “The Bahamas does not have the luxury of just chugging along as we have been doing. In a difficult economy you need investor confidence and consumer confidence. I am quite sure there is money out there to be invested.” “I want to......

...Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA), at The Sheraton, Cable Beach, Nassau Bahamas. (Photo ©Dupuch/Harry Cutting) Accountants’ Week was held at the Sheraton Nassau resort and welcomed speakers such as Minister of State for Investments Khaalis Rolle, Minister of Financial Services Ryan Pinder and chief executive officer and managing director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board Aliya Allen . cmorris@dupuch.com......

...ery. Presenters included high-profile government figures, such as Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis, who kicked off the conference with an opening address that examined fiscal policy and reform(1), and Minister of Financial Services Ryan Pinder, who praised the role of accountants in an increasingly regulated global environment(2). Speaking on the last day of the BICA conference, Minister of State for Investment Khaalis Rolle said the......

...ting business comfortable with the process.” Wayne Lovell, senior director of tax for KPMG Barbados , also spoke at the event, which took place in the British Colonial Hilton . He warned businesses to ensure their staff were adequately trained and advised them to invest in consultancy services if necessary. “Make sure you have at least two people that are familiar with the filling of the VAT returns,” he said. “Some companies may have to hire acco......

...erms of his academic background, Mr. Rolle is an Alumnus of the University of The Bahamas (formerly the College of The Bahamas). He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Economics from the College of William and Mary (USA) and an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Quantitative Methods from the University of Georgia (USA). He is also an Associate of the Bahamas Institute of Bankers. Mr. Rolle has also served as a part-time lecturer in cours......

...res two years to become licensed, but in The Bahamas it is five. The level of professionalism we have here in this country is very high.” Seymour agrees: “Our greatest asset is our people. We do have some of the most promising and skillful people within the profession and we just need to bring that to bear now on the marketplace.” The PwC advisor also believes that an important part of developing this local talent is giving trainees the chance to......

...60 members of the Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) at the Ministry of Finance for an open discussion on the proposed value added tax (VAT) government is recommending to raise revenue and better manage the national budget. For senior lawyers, bankers, asset and wealth managers and others, the two-hour face-to-face meeting with Financial Secretary John Rolle was an opportunity to seek answers to highly specific questions. Rolle answered audi......

...up obstacles and barriers but having the right framework in place.” Noting that greater use of technology leads to concerns over data protection, the governor said the Central Bank was very focused on cybersecurity. “We have to manage these threats, the alternative of staying offline is not an option.” Another area of importance for the bank is raising public awareness and ensuring that all consumers have access to Fintech innovation. “We need to......

...other jurisdictions, including Ireland and the United States. According to Rolle, the chamber foresees a structure partially managed by the government, but with significant input from the private sector and offering some fee-based services, which would make it easier for SMEs to approach lending institutions. “This organization is not going to be directly lending money,” explained Rolle. “When somebody comes to this organization it works with them......

...He rejected other means of taxation, such as payroll, property, corporate and income taxes, saying they would not generate the kind of funds the government needs and could negatively affect the real estate market and the level of foreign direct investment into The Bahamas. Additional speakers at the 16th annual Grand Bahama Business Outlook included Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe and Minister for Grand Bahama Michael Darville. cmorris@dupuch.......

...Inter-American Development Bank senior specialist Wayne Beecher has urged Bahamians to invest in low carbon, environment friendly technology.......