Bahamas News

BAHAMAS: Cabinet approves Fiscal Responsibility Bill, 2018 for public consultation

Published

6 years ago

May 15, 2018

#Bahamas, May 15, 2018 – Nassau – The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest said the Cabinet of The Bahamas last week approved the Fiscal Responsibility Bill, 2018 for public consultation.

“Today, we present that Bill to the Bahamian people. The Bill sets guiding principles and rules for the way the government spends and accounts for the people’s money,” DPM Turnquest said at a press conference at the Ministry of Finance, Monday, May 14, 2018.

“Instead of relying on government to exercise fiscal discipline by choice, the new legislation constrains spending by the force of law. It is a forward-looking bill intended to reshape the culture of public accountability. Doing so with legislation means it will commit all future governments and not just this administration. This is a built-in safeguard to ensure continuity, sustainability, and commitment to fiscal discipline.”

DPM Turnquest said he could not emphasize enough the importance of the legislation.

“Once passed, it will subject this Government and all successive governments to new standards of public accountability and public sector financial management. And perhaps, more importantly, from the public’s point of view, it will empower civil society and the Parliament to participate in the system of accountability in a robust and comprehensive way.

“To give you an idea of how this works in the new law, it will establish an independent five-member Fiscal Responsibility Council comprised of civil society professionals with specific areas of expertise in law, business, economics, accounting, and finance.”

He said the Government does not nominate these professionals. In each respective category, they will be nominated independently by the Bahamas Bar Association, The Chamber of Commerce, the University of The Bahamas, the Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Certified Financial Analysis’ Society of The Bahamas.

The DPM said the Fiscal Responsibility Council is mandated to conduct periodic and on-going assessments of the Government’s finances and to make its assessments public. The Government is also mandated to provide its fiscal strategy reports to the Fiscal Responsibility Council and to also to the Parliament. He said the new law will require the Government to submit a Fiscal Adjustment Plan to explain any proposed deviations from its Fiscal Strategy Report.

The law will require the Government to present a Fiscal Impact Analysis along with any new spending proposal that falls outside of the approved budget.

“The proposed legislation is very specific and clear: All of these documents are to be made public on specific dates or time periods, and; the contents of each document must conform to the guidelines in the law. Simply put, the proposed Fiscal Responsibility Legislation reinforces transparency and responsibility in the management of the fiscal finances and strategically enjoins the participation of Parliament and the people in holding the Government accountable for achieving its fiscal targets and objectives.”

DPM Turnquest explained that since the new fiscal and debt targets will require a significant adjustment from the current fiscal position, the Bill contemplates a three-year transition period to ensure this is done in an orderly manner. He said this time frame will also allow the Ministry of Finance to align its internal resources to deliver on the more rigorous reporting requirements necessary for the public’s assessment of the Government’s fiscal strategy and performance.

The DPM said while all aspects of the Bill are essential to the fiscal responsibility principles, the overarching strategic goals pivot on the fiscal objectives, which are to:

Lower the deficit and maintain a sustainable fiscal balance
Lower debt to sustainable long-term levels
Maintain current expenditure growth in line with growth in nominal GDP

“We believe that this combination of fiscal objectives will achieve sustainability in the Government’s finances and ensure the long-run stability and viability of the Bahamian economy.”

The public can find information on the Bill at the Ministry of Finance’s Facebook Page, on the Government’s website – www.bahamas.gov.bs – and through traditional media outlets.

The draft Bill is available for download starting today, and the public can submit comments to fiscalresponsibility@bahamas.gov.bs.

By: Llonella Gilbert (BIS)

Photo Caption: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest announces that Cabinet of The Bahamas last week approved the Fiscal Responsibility Bill, 2018 for public consultation at a press conference at the Ministry of Finance, Monday, May 14, 2018.

(BIS Photo/Derek Smith)

Bahamas News

Get your laugh on, March On show coming to Turks and Caicos with box office at IGA Friday and Saturday

Published

3 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

After resounding success in the Bahamas, hit play ‘March On, The Story of Us’ has been inundated with requests to take their show on the road, and the first location they’ll be hitting is Providenciales Turks and Caicos with tickets on sale this weekend from May 3 to 5.

Magnetic Media spoke to Gea Pierre, playwright, who told us the TCI was a natural first choice for the cast and crew.

“We started ‘March On’ in November 2023 and it was really an opportunity for us to tell a story, the story of the Bahamas and to encompass the nations that we have an amazing relationship with like the Turks and Caicos,” she continued “We really got a lot of people calling [for the play] from [the TCI], so much so we really had to pay attention.”

The response to ‘March On’ at home and abroad was overwhelming.

“To say it went well is an understatement, even before we opened we got calls from Canada, from all over the US with people wanting us to come and perform.”

And take the show on the road they did! Gea and her team have launched “March On: The Tour” and will be in Providenciales to perform on May 10th and 11th. It’s the first of a number of stops which include Nassau and several US locations.

A ticket booth will be set up from today, Friday May 3 in the foyer of IGA grocery store beginning at 1 p.m. Friday and then again all day on Saturday, allowing residents to purchase with cash.

Online tickets are available for purchase with credit cards. Then the full team returns on Friday, May 11 for the actual showing at 8 pm and their two showings on Saturday at 4pm and 8 pm. The venue is Brayton Hall, Providenciales under the patronage of Washington Misick, TCI Premier and First Lady Delthia Misick.

Describing the close familial relationships between the TCI and the Bahamas, for many on the crew it will be like coming home Gea told us, for others it will be a treat to visit for the first time, the places that their grandparents described.

Tickets are only $60 for general seating and $75 for VIP seating.

Gea maintained that the team wanted to keep the show as accessible to residents as possible.

As for why you should come out and see the play, other than the great price point:

“The way that people have responded to it is non stoplaughter, people have been moved to tears because there’s some emotion. It does not only lend to Bahamians. It’s a family drama, and anyone who’s ever been a part of a family is going to get something out of it, and something moving.”

Bahamas News

CIBC Caribbean announces the closure of Bay Street Branch

Published

1 day ago

May 2, 2024

Shanieka

CIBC Caribbean today announced that its Bay Street branch will close permanently on 31st May 2024.

CIBC Caribbean’s Managing Director, Dr. Jacqui Bend, in making the announcement said: “We regret this development; however, our bank recognizes that our clients’ needs are changing, and we remain committed to meeting these evolving needs. We are even more focused within the climate of evolving technology advancements on creating product options that focus on security, convenience, and ease of doing business.”

Dr. Bend noted that there will be no job losses as a result of this closure and employees will be redeployed to other branches.

She observed, “Additionally, the closure of the Bay Street branch represents a continuation of the work previously started to repurpose our branch network to serve our clients more efficiently across the region.”

Dr. Bend said the decision to end operations at Bay Street was made with the knowledge that clients will continue to be adequately serviced by a strong branch presence that already exists in The Bahamas. She said the bank has written to its Bay Street clients informing them of the closure and has outlined their future banking options.

“We understand that the closure of Bay Street may be inconvenient to our some of our clients, but we hope that this will be tempered by the knowledge that they have many more avenues available to conduct their banking that are also convenient, safe and practical, using our mobile or online banking platforms or our other branch locations.”

Bahamas News

Freeport Business Expo to connect Grand Bahama businesses and entrepreneurs to expert resources

Published

7 days ago

April 27, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited

April 29, 2024 – Freeport, The Bahamas – In line with its mission to create a stronger, more connected Freeport economy, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) is pleased to share details of the upcoming Freeport Business Expo: Tourism Edition, taking place on Thursday, May 2, 2024 at the Grand Lucayan Convention Center in Grand Bahama.

“As the GBPA continues its work to attract investors to Freeport, we offer this showcase of local and international businesses offering services and opportunities to potential and existing licensees,” stated Ian Rolle, GBPA President. “This Expo will not only connect unique international service providers with Bahamian entrepreneurs aiming to introduce new tourist attractions, but also bring together financing institutions to support Bahamian-owned start-ups and existing businesses in the industry.”

The emphasis on tourism at the 2024 Expo ensures that those in tourism-focused businesses are certain to benefit. The event will offer opportunities to meet potential business partners, gain insight on financial opportunities, engage with leaders in workshops and one-on-one sessions, and get answers on starting a Freeport business and obtaining a GBPA license.

“We regularly host community business expos,” said Glendia Sweeting, Manager of Quality Assurance and Special Projects. “But we recognize the significant benefit of an expo focused on enhancing tourism business offerings through connecting international service providers and Bahamian entrepreneurs. We have more than thirty local and national exhibitors taking part on May 2^nd, along with several international service providers.”

Multiple investment projects currently in progress and planned in the city of Freeport is creating anticipation for existing and potential entrepreneurs and this expo is geared towards preparing them for these opportunities. “Grand Bahama is going to experience a significant growth spurt in the next one to three years. I would strongly encourage everybody who wants to get involved in business to look at Grand Bahama as one of the top choices, especially over the next three years,” said Mr. Rolle.

The Expo opens on Wednesday, May 1^st with a welcome reception from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A full day of learning and networking opportunities follows on Thursday, May 2^nd. GBPA’s partners in the Freeport Business Expo include:

Grand Bahama Island Promotion Board
Ministry for Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce
Ministry of Tourism
Bahamas Immigration
Bahamas Customs
Five Star Shipping Company
Viva Wyndham Fortuna
Bahamas Air
Grand Lucayan Hotel

Registration for access to the Expo’s exhibitors is free, and all-access passes are available for purchase. Event details and registration information may be found at freeportbusinessexpo.com.