The Bahamas Investor

...Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis says that proposed draft value added tax (VAT) legislation is expected to be completed this week, with the government pledging to introduce the new tax by January 2014.......

...aking ground in 2011, developers had said they would require works permits for up to 8,000 foreigners, mostly Chinese workers, at the project’s peak. To finance construction, Baha Mar obtained a $2.5-billion concessionary loan from China Export and Import Bank (EXIM) , in addition to a $150 million investment from China State Construction America Inc , the project’s general contractor. At the press conference, Sands said the company has 1,700 work......

...norable Attorney-General, Senator Allyson Maynard-Gibson, and the Minister of State for Legal Affairs, Damien Gomez MP; and the other distinguished guests gathered here this afternoon. I would also like to extend greetings to the Chairperson of the Bar Council and President of the Bahamas Bar Association, Mrs. Ruth Bowe-Darville, and her colleagues on the Council. I extend these collegial salutations not only in my capacity as Prime Minister but a......

...the company will start exports to Florida within two months. At the event, State Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis congratulated the Sands family on its continued success. “This investment that you see here being unveiled today is a manifestation of not only the pioneering spirit, courage, belief, vision of Jimmy Sands, but also a belief in the Bahamian economy, belief in Bahamians, and belief in what we can do.” Click here for the current new......

.... World class sport and fitness? Tick. Beautiful private residences? Tick. State-of-the-art superyacht marina? Tick. Fine dining? Tick. And the list goes on. We sat down with Christopher Anand, Managing Partner at The Albany Resort to ask him more about one of the finest luxury resorts in the region. “I think Albany is pretty unique,” he said. “It hasn’t been done before in The Bahamas. The idea is to cater to people of all ages and all kinds of l......

...rom homecomings, regattas, annual festivals, concerts, sporting events and official state ceremonies. Carter said the committee will hold press conferences every Monday at the Ministry of Youth to update the public on the events or to announce changes in the itinerary. He noted that events for the 40th Anniversary started in November 2012, with the naming of the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge and will continue to Boxing Day Junkanoo December 2013. “Thi......

...against tax evasion and avoidance, the Commission today set up the new Platform for Tax Good Governance. The Platform will monitor Member States’ progress in tackling aggressive tax planning and clamping down on tax havens, in line with the Recommendations presented by the Commission last year. The aim is to ensure that real and effective action is taken by Member States to address these problems, within a coordinated EU framework. The Platform wi......

...e increase safety, performance, reliability, fuel economy and passenger comfort. Of the amenities found aboard this Key West Seaplanes’ custom aircraft is the Wipaire-installed co-pilot door which adds an immense amount of safety and convenience for the front seat passengers of Key West Seaplanes. This co-pilot door allows a third way of entering or exiting the seaplane. Other modifications include the “Wip Tip” wingtip extenders that extend the w......

...yan Pinder, who today urged members of the profession to be in a “constant state of education and keep appraised of the international landscape.” Speaking on the second day of Accountants’ Week 2012, Minister Pinder discussed the concept of mitigating risk and how enhanced compliance regulations would impact the industry. “As more and more requirements are imposed on private industry, best practices evolve,” he said. “There are a lot of risks to b......

...National EPA Implementation Plan is slated to be submitted to the Government of the Bahamas next month, and the expectation is that it will be given effect thereafter. The Bahamas national implementation plan draws from the draft EPA Regional Implementation Road Map document for the CARIFORUM States, which indentifies the broad actions (chronologically) to be taken regarding EPA implementation at the national and regional levels. The EPA is a comp......

...sightseeing of The Dry Tortugas via seaplane. Of course, this is the home of Fort Jefferson, Garden Key, and Loggerhead Key. The company's focus is on the aerial sightseeing of these remote destinations which is ideal for those desiring to see the amazing Dry Tortugas and Ft. Jefferson but who do not wish to spend time on the ground at the fort. The company's seaplanes take passengers direct from Key West with ample opportunity to see wil......

...is role, he oversaw the negotiation of leases and the acquisition of real estate for the construction and rebuilding of new McDonald’s restaurants across the U.S. He also served as primary counsel to regional leadership for all legal matters relating to franchising, operations, real estate development, compliance, contracts and many other areas that impact the McDonald’s business. His career with McDonald’s Corporation spanned nearly a decade and......

...bout this project, and what has made it really one of the best experiences of my professional life, was that it was very design led. Often developers aren’t design minded, but at Baha Mar the design has been very much part of the strategy for success.” Logistics and construction There was still the little matter of making all these plans a reality. The task fell to China State Construction and Engineering Corp, which shipped in workers from China......

...erage; effectiveness of Member States in dealing with third States, groups of States and entities of any description; and the enhanced coordination of Member States’ foreign and foreign economic policies and enhanced functional cooperation. And next week Mr. Speaker, we convene in Nassau at the Melia Resorts to continue our mandate. As for The Bahamas, I have placed on the agenda of the upcoming meetings for general discussion, the need to leverag......

...d its related sectors. Political stability, economic buoyancy and a wealth of spin-off opportunities linked to tourism make the islands of The Bahamas a great place to invest. Over the course of the short, medium and long term, these islands are poised to generate a substantial return for investors who make the commitment now. The government of The Bahamas and the Ministry of Tourism will continue to embrace potential investors wishing to explore......