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IT’S NOT OUR FAULT, MR WATSON
Store owners hit back after press secretary blames them for prices By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net FOOD retailers yesterday hit back over assertions that some merchants have not passed the Budget’s tariff cuts on to consumers via reduced prices, adding: “You can’t point the finger of blame at us.” Philip Beneby, the Retail Grocers Association’s president, told Tribune Business the industry was an easy target and scapegoat after Clint Watson, the Prime Minister’s press secretary, made a thinly-veiled
suggestion that not all stores have passed the anticipated savings on to food shoppers. While providing no names or evidence, Mr Watson said the sector has “a responsibility to pass that relief on” to Bahamians and called on the public to hold the food retail and wholesale industry “accountable” for the prices they are charging now the tax cuts have been effect for some two months, adding: “That’s a good question for them to answer.” FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS PLUS PAGE THREE
PRESS secretary Clint Watson yesterday. Photo: Moise Amisial
BPL: LONG-TOUTED SHELL DEAL NOW ‘IN ABEYANCE’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Power & Light’s top executive last night revealed the troubled utility’s mammoth $535m refinancing and New Providence power plant deal with Shell are both “in abeyance”. Shevonn Cambridge told Tribune Business that
while “nothing has been taken off the table” when it comes to solving the stateowned utility monopoly’s woes, “no active work” or negotiations are taking place on either the Rate Reduction Bond (RRB) or outsourcing New Providence’s baseload generation needs to Shell North America. FULL STORY - SEE BUSINESS
‘15 PERCENT RISE’ HAILED AS EXAM RESULTS RELEASED By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
THERE was a 15 percent increase in the number of BGCSE candidates who received a C or higher in five or more subjects this year, according to Director of Education Marcellus Taylor. Mr Taylor also highlighted a decrease in this year’s BGCSE candidates
as only 4,906 candidates registered by comparison to last year which had more than 5,000. He presented the statistics during a press conference at the Ministry of Education. He noted that 4,906 candidates registered to sit the examinations in 2022, compared to 2021 when a total SEE PAGE TWO
PINTARD: FNM WILL NOT TOLERATE AGGRESSION By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard said his party will not tolerate “blatant disrespect” or any other form of aggression after a Free National Movement Meritorious Council Member was assaulted by another party member at a meeting earlier this week. The attacker is said to be
FNM leader Michael Pintard. a supporter of former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. Discussions on whether to ban the member from
future meetings were expected to be raised at the FNM’s executive committee and the central council’s end of month meeting yesterday. The incident occurred at the FNM’s Golden Isles Constituency Association meeting at Gerald Cash Primary School on Tuesday. FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands said the man who was assaulted required medical attention SEE PAGE FIVE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
DIANE PHILLIPS: WOMAN WITH SURPRISES UP HER SLEEVE
SEE PAGE NINE