Neil Hartnell

THE Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union’s (BHCAWU) president yesterday affirmed it is “gung ho” to exit its ownership interest in Freeport’s International Bazaar and “close the chapter” on 20-plus years of financial losses.

THE chief opponent of the $200m Rosewood Exuma project has launched a second legal challenge over whether the project’s key environmental approval could be “revived” after it expired.

VENDORS yesterday asserted that “the best days of Junkanoo Beach are ahead of us” as they voiced optimism that the Ministry of Tourism’s push for greater collaboration will produce “a triple win” for the downtown Nassau destination.

BAHA Mar yesterday revealed it is on target to beat “historical trends” through July and August occupancies “in the high 80 to low 90 percent” range even as Bahamian aviation operators battle to emerge “unscathed” from high and volatile fuel prices.

Regulators have accepted arguments from Cable Bahamas and the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) that they should retain the power to mandate that satellite operators appoint a local representative over the latter industry’s opposition.

The pain inflicted on Bahamian businesses and consumers by up to 163 percent hikes in BPL’s fuel charges failed to achieve the Government’s goal of wiping out the utility’s fuel arrears as a near-$38m unpaid bill remained.

Food stores yesterday voiced fears they will be viewed as “the bad guys taking advantage of people” if Sebas Bastian’s pop-up grocery store concept is not handled properly, with one asserting: “We just hope it won’t interfere with the regular business flow.”

Bahamians must not let concerns over 20 percent-plus fee increases distract them from the true banking “elephant in the room” - the “tremendous untapped potential” for job and business creation from the near-$3.5bn locked in the country’s financial system.

The Court of Appeal yesterday ruled that a “substantial overlap” between separate legal cases cannot by itself be “an abuse of process” as it overturned the removal of a multi-million dollar asset freeze imposed on proceeds from a fraud allegedly involving flamboyant “philanthropist”, Rudolph Kermit King.

A long-touted 10,000-acre development for Long Island has been listed for sale at $25m with a Bahamian realtor suggesting that airport upgrades, improved connectivity and existing infrastructure can make the destination “the new frontier”.