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Monday, July 13, 2026
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Top realtor struck from Briland tourism dispute Judge finds no evidence to back CA Christie claims And refuses appeal over Conch & Coconut injunction But declines to dismiss US case in favour of Bahamas
BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A TOP Bahamian real estate firm has been dismissed as a defendant in the ongoing legal battle between a Harbour Island tourism operator and his former US business partner after a judge found it cannot be blamed for its employee’s purported actions.
Judge Kathleen Williams, in a July 10, 2026, verdict removed CA Christie and its franchisor, Corcoran Group, as defendants in the south Florida federal court lawsuit launched by Pablo Conde after finding the latter had supplied no evidence to show the Bahamian group was responsible, and should assume liability for, the alleged actions of its Briland agent, Julian ‘Shaq’ Gibson.
Mr Conde and Mr Gibson are embroiled in an increasingly bitter legal battle on both sides of the Florida straits following the messy break-up of their Conch & Coconut tour operator partnership, which has exposed allegations of illegal ‘fronting’ and more than $1m in unpaid Bahamian taxes. Mr Conde named CA Christie as a defendant on the basis it had allegedly been “unjustly enriched” by Mr Gibson’s use
$ 6.87 of his “trade secret customer lists” to generate real estate business for the firm. However, CA Christie hit back by asserting that its inclusion and listing as a defendant was “improper” because no evidence was supplied by Mr Conde and his US firm, Conch & Coconut LLC, to show the company “directly participated” in the Briland business of the same name - Conch & Coconut Ltd - or the conduct complained about involving alleged trademark and copyright friend. Mr Conde had argued CA Christie was “vicariously liable” for Mr Gibson’s actions since he was its agent, or employee, by hanging Conch & Coconut branding next to its own without permission, BATTLE - See Page B4
‘Safety void’ plus ‘weak enforcement’ concerns cited after fatal Andros crash BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net AVIATION executives have cited a “domestic safety culture void” and “very weak” regulatory enforcement as factors that potentially contributed to the fatal Independence Day plane crash that killed all ten persons on board. Captain Randy Butler, former chief executive at Sky Bahamas, told Tribune
SCENES from the crash site of the Flamingo Air aircraft that went down last Friday.
Central Bank in ‘cash buffer’ as Gov’t to refinance $3.4bn BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A “CASH buffer framework” has been developed to ease the Government’s cash flow and liquidity pressures during the weaker first half of its fiscal year, it has been revealed, amid plans to refinance near-$3.4bn in total public debt during the 2026-2027 Budget period.
Fatal plane crash to ‘take toll on industry’ BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN aviation executives yesterday revealed the fatal Andros plane crash will “take a toll
The Davis administration, in unveiling its annual borrowing plan for the new fiscal year, disclosed that the Government has worked jointly with the Central Bank to develop a mechanism to relieve any pressures that may result from the traditionally-lower revenue inflows during the six months to ROLLOVER - See Page B4 on the industry” and “stay with us for a while” as an Opposition MP challenged the level of regulatory oversight applied prior to the crash. Anthony Hamilton, president of the Bahamas Association of Air Transport Operators, told Tribune Business that “our hearts go out to the families directly impacted” by the ten lives that were lost while predicting that the entire domestic sector will FALL-OUT - See Page B6
Business that - while this nation already possesses a strong civil aviation legal and regulatory framework - it must address “system” weaknesses that have thus far prevented full and effective implementation. Speaking after Friday’s tragedy, in which the pilot and all passengers were killed when a plane owned by Flamingo Air crashed in bush on its approach to San Andros Airport, he also
called to “keep the politics out” of regulating the domestic Bahamian aviation industry. This newspaper’s sources have suggested several high-ranking politicians from the major parties have financial interests in Bahamian airlines and domestic carriers, and Mr Butler described the post-crash Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas’ decision to temporarily suspend
Flamingo Air’s air operator certificate (AOC) - which prevents it from flying - as an example of “very reactive’ regulation as opposed to being proactive. Other aviation industry sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, also pointed to Flamingo Air’s past safety record and suggested this should come under increased scrutiny. Tribune Business research ACCIDENT - See Page B6