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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2025
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Minister ‘on top of’ NHI late provider payments By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A CABINET minister is hoping doctors and other National Health Insurance (NHI) providers receive outstanding payments “before the end of the week” as the scheme plans to discuss “additional efficiencies”. Dr Michael Darville, minister of health and wellness, told Tribune Business yesterday that he is “on top of it” after it emerged that the NHI Authority, which oversees the state-sponsored healthcare initiative that cares for more than 160,000 Bahamians, has again exhausted its Budget allocation and is unable to pay sums owed to physicians and other service providers. Conceding that he “cannot wait” until the new fiscal year begins on July 1, the minister said he and NHI officials held
t A)PQFGVM EFMBZFE TVNT QBJE ACFGPSF XFFL T FOE t )FBMUI TDIFNF DIJFG XBSOT PO OFX AFGmDJFODJFT t (FUT FYUSB N BT GVOEJOH OPU NBUDIJOH HSPXUI “very favourable” discussions with Ministry of Finance and Public Treasury representatives yesterday morning, during which they were informed the situation will be “resolved very shortly”
through the release of the necessary funding. One doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Tribune Business that they have yet receive payment from NHI for services provided in both May and June 2025. Describing this as “the new normal” for providers, they added that it has been “delay after delay” when it comes to receiving payment, concluding with the expression: “Jokers.” This has meant that doctors and other NHI providers are financially carrying, and effectively underwriting, the scheme at their own expense, which is likely causing cash flow, liquidity and other financial strains for their own companies. Christy Butler, the NHI Authority’s managing director and chief executive, in a conciliatory letter acknowledging the impact the scheme’s financial challenges are having on its service
Bimini resort, marina suffers ‘dozen a day’ cancellations By ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net A BIMINI resort and marina yesterday said it has already suffered 12 guest cancellations due to the fall-out from new and increased cruising permit and other fees set to take effect on July 1. Describing the loss of business as “significant”, Stephen Kappeler said the cancellations at Bimini Big Game Club Resort and Marina stretch into August with those guests involved looking for a refund. “So that means people who are thinking and planning further out, they’re
upset, they’re pissed off, they’re not spending the fees, and they probably don’t care to have to rush to go get some AIS system figured out inside their boat,” Mr Kappeler said. “I don’t know what it takes to do that, but it’s just something they’re not even going to want to deal with so fast if they have to pay the additional fees also. “Remember, when we cancel a booking, this is money that somebody’s already paid, a deposit they’ve already paid. When you book a room and you book a slip with us, that’s somewhere in the area of $500 in business just the first night deposit.
And guests are coming in for two, three, four nights. “So you could multiply and extend that out to understand what the value of a cancellation is. And they’re looking for the refund of their money. I can tell you, there were a dozen alone today. We’re a 50-room resort. So if this continues at a pace of a dozen a day... I’m sure not everybody’s got the news or got the message. So this thing is going to be exponential.” Potential boating visitors to The Bahamas are not holding back in voicing their opinions over the increased cruising permit fees, new fishing permit and anchorage fees,
providers, attributed the woes to the inability of its “static” $46.2m annual Budget allocation from the Government to keep up with ever-growing patient numbers, its expansion and rising costs. And she effectively warned providers, and the 160,000 Bahamians cared for under NHI, to brace for potential cut-backs in services and benefits, stating that “additional programme initiatives and efficiencies will be communicated” and discussed before the Government’s new fiscal year starts on July 1. Mrs Butler conceded that NHI had done likewise at this same point in 2024, meaning that similar measures to what was imposed 12 months ago will likely soon be forthcoming. Those implemented last year included “caps and limits” on a portion of the care benefits received by patients as part of further “cost containment measures”.
plus the confusion over whether all boats coming to The Bahamas must have a functioning automatic identification system (AIS) that is turned on at all times. The latter was subsequently clarified to vessels of 55 feet or less in length. “With the new rates for boaters, I am sad to say that after 25 years of going to Bimini three to four times’ a year, staying there five to ten days, I won’t be going any more,” one boater posted. “I am not going to pay $1,500 to bring my boat there and I’m only able to come back within 30 days one time. Bimini, you guys are in big time trouble.” Mr Kappeler confirmed “the fees in themselves, are problematic”, and boaters have expressed outrage. As treasurer of the Association of Bahamas Marinas, he added
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Consumer watchdog in counterfeit alcohol alert By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
SENATOR RANDY ROLLE
THE CONSUMER Protection Commission is on high alert for liquor stores selling counterfeit drinks that threaten to make Bahamians ill, its chairman said yesterday. Senator Randy Rolle, speaking in the Senate during the 2025-2026 Budget debate, warned merchants selling counterfeit alcohol that the Commission will be
monitoring their activities and sanctioning those found guilty amid the planned crackdown on the spread of liquor stores in New Providence. “While our government is reviewing the over-saturation and proliferation of liquor stores in the community, we are working closely with our sister agencies to ensure that stores aren’t selling fake liquor that will make people sick,” said Mr Rolle “What is cheap is not always good. We want businesses and consumers to be vigilant, because we are watching and they will be penalised if found breaking the law.” Mr Rolle also issued a warning to “predatory lending institutions” that offer unsecured loans at high interest rates. He added: “While I’m talking about cautions, I want to put predatory lending institutions on guard that offer unsecured consumer
loans at absurd and ridiculous rates. We are also watching you. You will not be allowed to go unchecked.” He said Bahamians have been “suffering for far too long at the hands of financial predators”, and called for enhanced regulatory oversight and banking reforms to protect Bahamians from commercial banks and other lending institutions. “Also concerning is the disadvantage to consumers by banks and lending institutions in The Bahamas. These include high interest rates on loans and credit cards, limited access to credit, excessive banking fees, lack of transparency, predatory lending practices, limited consumer protections. And I’m not only talking about Nassau. The Bahamian people have been suffering for far too long
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DR MICHAEL DARVILLE Restrictions to laboratory benefits were to be introduced in October 2024 to help to “better manage.... escalating costs”, while limitations were imposed on the size of NHI’s care network. No new doctors, laboratories and
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Opposition’s URCA ‘concern’ as BPL’s bills in huge spike t #BIBNJBOT CMBTU AUPJMFU NBUI PWFS USJQMJOH DPTUT t (PW U JO NPEFTU 4VNNFS 3FCBUF LOFF KFSL SFQMZ t .PWF DPNFT CFGPSF SFHVMBUPSZ BQQSPWBM HSBOUFE By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Opposition is set to “voice our concerns” to energy regulators after the Government suddenly unveiled a fuel charge rebate to dampen outcry over BPL bills that in some cases doubled month-on-month. Michael Pintard, the Free National Movement (FNM) leader, confirmed to Tribune Business that his party will formally write to the Utilities Competition and Regulatory Authority (URCA) to determine if the Summer Energy Rebate initiative fully complies with electricity laws and regulations that require Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) to pass 100 percent of its fuel costs on to consumers. He spoke out after the Davis administration, in what appeared to be a knee-jerk response to public outrage over such a steep and sudden hike in BPL bills, unveiled without warning an initiative designed to provide residential (household) consumers with a 5-6 percent discount on the state-owned electricity provider’s July fuel charges. The Summer Energy Rebate will lower BPL’s
MICHAEL PINTARD fuel charge by 1.1 cents per kilowatt hour (KWh) for both portions of the bill under and over 800 KWh. The fuel charge below 800 KWh will be lowered from the 18.5 cents that appeared in Bahamians’ July bills to 17.4 cents, representing a 6 percent discount, while for over 800 KWh it is being lowered from 22.5 cents to 21.4 cents. The move came after social media lit up in outrage as consumers received their bills due for payment in July. Almost all questioned the sharp month-over-month increases, with posts seen by Tribune Business showing all-in cost increases ranging from 38.6 percent
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Watchdog recovers $116k for aggrieved consumers By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas’ consumer watchdog has processed 139 complaints during 2025 to-date and recovered more than $116,000 from merchants for aggrieved purchasers, its chairman disclosed yesterday. Senator Randy Rolle, the Consumer Protection Commission’s (CPC) chairman, told the Senate during the
2025-2026 Budget debate that the agency currently has a 56.63 percent recovery rate and has resolved 45 disputes with 62 still under investigation. “The Commission is on target to surpass its number of claims processed last year with a significant recovery rate. From January 1 to June 10, 2025, the CPC has received 139 complaint reports. From this number, 22 were advice given to consumers; ten were referrals to other agencies; and
107 were disputes between consumers and providers that fall under the CPCs remit,” said Mr Rolle. “The ever-capable CPC team has resolved some 45 matters to-date, with about 62 still open and under investigation. So far for this year, the CPC has processed $206,392 in claims and has recouped $116,873 - all refunded back in the pocket of consumers. This gives us a recovery rate of 56.63 percent.”
Mr Rolle explained that most of the outstanding complaints involved timeshares and beauty aids, but there has been a decrease in those concerning courier companies and contractors, which generated the largest numbers of concerns last year. “Most of these complaints that remain outstanding involve a number of timeshare and beauty aid disputes, but there has been
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