business@tribunemedia.net
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
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Air fare hikes ‘inevitable’ on over 40% fuel surge BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net WESTERN Air’s principal yesterday warned air fares will “inevitably” increase after the carrier was told its fuel costs will quickly spike by more than 40 percent due to the Middle East conflict’s impact on global oil prices. Sherrexcia ‘Rexy’ Rolle, the Bahamian-owned airline’s president, chief executive and general counsel, in a messaged reply to Tribune Business inquiries said Western Air had also been told to brace for further aviation fuel cost increases beyond the initial 40 percent surge. And, given that fuel is the industry’s major cost item, she added that increased “pressure” on air travel costs and “accessibility” to destinations such as The Bahamas is bound to result. “Unfortunately, we have already felt the impact of the global surge in oil prices. We were advised a week ago that our jet fuel price will increase by over 40 percent in this very short period of time, with additional increases expected in the future,” Ms Rolle disclosed. “Fuel is the top operational cost in the airline industry, and this will inevitably result in increased ticket prices. Rising fuel costs place additional pressure on travel accessibility for the simple fact that it is costlier to provide the service. Like many carriers, we are closely monitoring the situation and remain hopeful that fuel prices will stabilise in the near future.” The anticipated spike in fuel and air travel costs will hit just as many
Water Corp’s top supplier debt on rise after 27% cut BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE debt owed by the Water & Sewerage Corporation to its main BISX-listed reverse osmosis supplier increased by almost $2m during the first two months of 2026, it was revealed last night, after being cut by 27 percent during 2025. Consolidated Water’s results for the 2025 full-year revealed that the state-owned water provider’s debt arrears are again moving in the wrong direction after being slashed by some $7.7m during the 12 months to end-December thanks to subsidy payments made by Bahamian taxpayers via the Ministry of Finance. The BISX-listed supplier, which provides virtually all the supply consumed by the Water & Sewerage Corporation’s New Providence-based customers via the Blue Hills and Windsor reverse osmosis plants, said the debts due to it had risen by more than 9 percent or $1.9m since the 2025 year-end, increasing from $20.7m to $22.6m at end-February 2026. However, the former sum represents a more than one-quarter cut to the $28.4m that was due at yearend 2024. “Consolidated Water (Bahamas) accounts receivable balances, which include accrued interest, due from the Water & Sewerage Corporation amounted to $20.7m and $28.4m as of December 31, 2025, and 2024,” Consolidatded Water disclosed in its Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) filings. “Approximately 71 percent and 81 percent of the accounts receivable balances were delinquent as of those
CASH FLOW - See Page B5
Western Air chief: We’re bracing for further increases Out Island chief: Early ‘26 ‘lousy’; occupancy off 50% Hit by boating fees and loss of Silver Airways’ airlift Family Island resorts are recovering from a “lousy” start to 2026. Emanuel Alexiou, the Bahama Out Island Promotion Board's president and proprietor of the Abaco Beach Resort, told this newspaper yesterday that occupancies for his property were “down almost 50 percent” in January and off in February by almost 27 percent - with other Board members experiencing similar trends. He attributed the drop-off to the collapse of Silver Airways las June, which has “decreased tremendously the amount of seats into Abaco and Exuma” and other Family Islands, as well as the impact of the new and increased boating fees that are deterring short-stay visitors. However, Mr Alexiou said March has thus far seen a recovery with numbers “as good as previous years”, and he voiced optimism that a strong performance from
A FREE National Movement (FNM) general election candidate and her dental care business have been ordered to pay a former employee $3,219 for wrongful and unfair dismissal related to a dispute over joining the company’s “Birthday Club”.
SHERREXCIA ‘REXY’ ROLLE
Helen Almorales-Jones, the Industrial Tribunal’s vice-president, in a 41-page wrtten decision dated January 26, 2026, said she “does not believe” testimony from Dr Charlene Reid, the FNM candidate for Grand Bahama’s Pineridge constituency, and owner of Easy Dental Care, that Stephona Rolle was not targeted after she refused to supply her birth date and join
A BAHAMIAN software developer yesterday voiced ambitions to become “a beacon of light” that shows the way for similar firms to become exporters and a “giant in the Caribbean” as it prepares to unveil upgrades it branded “a game changer’. Keith Roye II, Plato Alpha Design's chief operating officer, told Tribune Business the company is now finalising upgrades to the payroll module of its signature Triblock HR software that will allow client companies to “handle” all taxation and related compliance issues in every Caribbean country. This, he argued, will allow pan-Caribbean operators or businesses with a presence in multiple jurisdictions, such as Digicel and the Sandals resort chain, as well as
the “Birthday Club” that was being created for staff. And she ruled that the “final straw” came when Dr Reid and Easy Dental Care failed to reply to Ms Rolle’s inquiry about when she was next rostered, or scheduled, to work after being removed from the staff What’s App group three days after she declined to supply her birth date. As a result, the former worker was awarded $1,398 for “constructive wrongful dismissal” and $1,820 for “constructive unfair dismissal”. Dr Reid, in a messaged response to Tribune Business inquiries, said Easy Dental Care had swiftly complied with the Industrial Tribunal’s ruling. She said: “The Tribunal’s ruling
Gov’t senator voices boating fee concerns
Plato Alpha chief targets Caribbean export ‘trend setter’
To let companies have panCaribbean payroll solution
TRAVEL - See Page B4
A GOVERNMENT senator yesterday voiced concerns over the economic fall-out from new and increased boating fees which, he argued, is contributing to a fall in visitor arrivals on Bimini. Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Randy Rolle, chairman of the Consumer Protection Commission, said the issue had been repeatedly raised with him by residents who fear the additional costs are beginning to weigh on Bimini’s tourism-driven economy. Mr Rolle, who is also the PLP candidate for Bimini and the Berry Islands in the upcoming general election, said constituents have already reported declining boater numbers - a key visitor segment for the island - and he urged the Government to continue examining ways to assist. “I also want to take a moment to address an issue that has been
Software developer unveils ambitions to be ‘beacon of light’ Unveils tax compliance upgrades for key payroll product
now through July could “save the year”. The Promotion Board chief, though, said he is “crossing my fingers” that “things are not going haywire for long” in the Middle East as he acknowledged that the conflict between the US and Israel on one side, and Iran on the other, will have “a big impact” on the Bahamian and world economies if it becomes protracted and lasts for months. “It if continues for a long time and prices go up, it will definitely have a big impact,” Mr Alexiou told Tribune Business. “Right now, at the pump, the prices are the same as they were were this time last year. Nobody’s felt the difference yet. It’s the wholesalers, and how that trickles down to the retailers, and that will have some impact to people who cannot
BY FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
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BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
FNM candidate’s firm must pay $3.2k in ‘Birthday Club’ dispute BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
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brought to me repeatedly by the people of Bimini,” SENATOR RANDY said Mr Rolle. “The recent burden on boaters has had a real impact on that local economy. We have seen the numbers drop. And Biminites have raised concerns.” He added that given the island’s heavy reliance on tourism, policies affecting visitors must take into account the economic realities faced by residents. “If tourism drives Bimini’s economy, then our policies must support the people who depend on it,” said Mr Rolle. “So today I say clearly: I am asking the Government to continue examining ways to assist.” Industry concerns over the boating fees have been building since the Government introduced sweeping changes to cruising permits and
LEVIES - See Page B4
KEITH ROYE the likes of Bahamian companies such as Bahamas First and RoyalStar Assurance, to adopt one payroll solution for all its territories rather than operating with a variety of “localised” systems each geared to a specific territory’s currency and tax laws. Revealing that Plato Alpha executives had identified this gap in the software market when attending conferences in the Caribbean, Mr Roye
CREATE - See Page B4
demonstrates that the system is working to hold all parties accountable. Easy Dental complied with the ruling in an expeditious manner. “At Easy Dental, we remain committed to providing world class service to our customers. As an employer, I also remain committed to accountability and to upholding best practices for our employees.” The Industrial Tribunal verdict, noting that Ms Rolle had been employed by Easy Dental Care for 1.63 years prior to her departure, said of the dispute’s roots: “The employee declined to be in a ‘Birthday Club’ her employer was organising at
LABOUR - See Page B5