The Bahamas Investor

...e a viable alternative. Additional speakers at the Nassau Conference, which is sponsored by the Ministry of Financial Services and the Association of International Banks and Trust Companies in The Bahamas , included: Minister of State for Investments Khaalis Rolle; deputy chief executive of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners George Hodgson; Bahamas Association of Compliance Officers president Shasta Treco-Moxey; and Tanya McCartney, past pr......

.... “Grand Bahama has a lot to offer in terms of location, infrastructure and logistics, as well as tax benefits and other incentives for businesses.” The event will see a keynote address by Prime Minister Perry Christie and presentations by Minister of State for Investment Khaalis Rolle , GBPA chairman Ian Fair and Joy Jibrilu, director of investments at the BIA. “We look forward to partnering with The Grand Bahama Port Authority, the Bahamas Inves......

...d the government mitigate the worst effects of the recession, according to Minister Laing. “We have improved prospects in the financial services sector due to strategic targeting in Brazil and Asia,” he said. The Minister also said that the government was forecasting growth of 2.5 to 2.8 per cent in the country’s economy this year and expects to sustain those levels with a 2.4 per cent rise in 2013. He also said that The Bahamas debt to gross dome......

...more clients, notably from emerging markets, are turning to non-financial investments, such as real estate. On the regulatory side, tax avoidance has become the focus of many governments around the world. The changes in the regulatory environment have been continuous. Each change, like most changes, triggered some concerns in the banking community and with clients, but each time the private banking industry has not only adapted, but improved. Q:......

...MEXICO CITY – When Venezuela seized billions of dollars in assets from Exxon Mobil and other foreign companies, Chinese state banks and investors didn’t blink. Over the past five years they have loaned Venezuela more than $35 billion.......

...as well as Bahamian companies that want to do business with China–holding investments and making investments. That could mushroom into something very significant.” However, Simon at the Bahamas-China Friendship Association is careful to point out that The Bahamas has to be clear on what it wants and of the benefits of doing business with a much larger and a much more powerful country. “We have to put The Bahamas first. That is not selfish, it is......

...ts main industry, tourism, to be the engine of growth,” says the country’s Minister of State for Finance, James Smith, underlining the importance of the sector to the economy. “[The] Bahamas also recognizes that, despite its natural attributes of sun, sea and sand, it is a high-cost area,” he says, since the nation has to import nearly all its food and manufactured goods from abroad. What’s needed is to bring wealthier tourists, who spend more per......

...in attendance at the ceremony were Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe and Minister of State for Trade and Investments Khallis Rolle. Prime Minister Christie said he felt “privileged” to be recognized in this way. “As I think of the change that Dr King helped to bring about in this nation, and worldwide, in his brief but powerful life, I feel privileged to be named among past recipients of this great honour; illustrious persons of iconic stature s......

...ntinued internal and external challenges to their successful implementation. This is the Executive Summary from the US Department of State’s 2015 Investment Climate Statement. For the complete statement and tables, download or view the PDF here. Download/View the PDF >......

...ts January 1 launch, the officers of BCCEC were named as: chairman Khaalis Rolle; vice chairman Gershan Major; treasurer Yvette Sands; secretary Chester Cooper; and chief executive officer Winston Rolle. BCCEC consists of twelve divisions. Each division will be chaired by a director, except for the CEO division, which will be chaired by the chief executive officer. The BCCEC divisions are as follows: • Education & Training Division, which includes......

...as Economic Recovery Strategy Meeting September 27. Minister of Investment Khaalis Rolle said that he saw the talks as crucial to the nation’s economic recovery and to help secure much needed jobs. “For too long we’ve done things in a way that wasn’t consistent with true private/public sector partnership and today we’re going to begin that dialogue,” he said. In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Perry Christie echoed similar sentiments saying th......

...Campbell, Minister of Transportation and Local Government; Kwasi Thompson, Minister of State for Grand Bahama; president of the senate, K. Forbes-Smith; Member of Parliament for Central Grand Bahama and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Works Iram Lewis; and Senator Jasmin Dareus. Minister Thompson noted that the visit to the shipyard was the first step in the government’s goal in understanding the business opportunities available for Bah......

...met with Heads of Government Agencies, September 11, at the Ministry for Grand Bahama. At the podium addressing the Government agencies are Kijana Rolle and Financial Secretary John Rolle. (BIS Photos/Vandyke Hepburn)......

...e Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC), Winston Rolle, has spoken out about the need to promote entrepreneurship in the educational system. “Education on entrepreneurship comes from the school level,” he said. “Life long learning is something we need to instill in people. They need to know how to develop a business plan, understand the market, deal with customers and employees. All these things have to be focused on when......

...o make sure the sector does not end up in an uncompetitive position,” said Rolle. “It is going to be very important to find the right formula.” The introduction of VAT is just one facet of the government’s tax agenda, according to the financial secretary who said: “VAT is just one element in a broader tax reform initiative. There are efforts underway to modernize the customs, business licensing and property tax operations. “A central revenue agenc......