business@tribunemedia.net
Friday, September 25, 2026
$ 6.95
$ 7.35
$ 6.95
VAT change ‘killing us before we start’ on 50% energy slash BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
Eleuthera Chamber chief: Tax switch shows ‘big lack of support’
THE ELEUTHERA Chamber of Commerce’s president says the changed VAT treatment on uncooked food highlights the “big lack of support” for a business such as his that is aiming to cut up to $15,000 monthly light bills by 50 percent via renewable energy installation. Thomas Sands told Tribune Business that the VAT switch, which has made the tax an “unrecoverable expense” for his food store and others on the bulk of their sales, undermines the much-needed “broader strategic plan” for power and infrastructure development by acting as a disincentive for them to invest in energy efficient equipment and renewable systems. Explaining that the cost of such planned investment
Supermarket has efficiency, solar plans to cut $15k energy bills Urges island, wider Bahamas to move from ‘reacting to crisis’ at his family’s The Market Supermarket, located in Rock Sound, has now increased due to the inability to recover or ‘net off’ most of the VAT paid on its inputs, he asserted that incentivising businesses to be less of a “draw” on Eleuthera’s electricity grid is a critical element in any plan to overhaul the island’s energy infrastructure. Speaking after north and central Eleuthera endured a
near four-day energy nightmare, triggered by an almost 24-hour power outage that started on Monday, and followed by constant rotational load shedding that only ended mid-afternoon yesterday, Mr Sands told this newspaper that Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) summer New Providence woes have given Nassau residents a glimpse of what his island has had to endure for years.
‘Something sexy’ needed to push financial service growth BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE BAHAMAS needs “something sexy” and innovative to set it apart from rival jurisdictions, a financial services executive argued yesterday, asserting that it was again coming in “on the tail end” with many recently-unveiled initiatives. Paul Moss, managing director of Dominion Management Services, told Tribune Business that The Bahamas “needs new legislation, new products” to truly separate
it from the pack of financial centres chasing business from wealthy global investors and offer something unique that its competitors do not have. Speaking to the products and services recently disclosed by Jerome Fitzgerald, minister of economic affairs, he conceded that - while there is interest in the long-promised Bahamas Tax Residency Certificate - this nation is relatively late in launching a product used by investors to confirm they are resident in a certain country and compliant with paying all due taxes there, thus enabling them to
PM: Measured progress over blue carbon credits BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net THE GOVERNMENT has committed $25m to the scientific and regulatory foundation for its long-promised ‘blue carbon credits’ initiative that involves monetising The Bahamas’ seagrass meadows, the Prime Minister said yesterday. Philip Davis KC unveiled further details on the Bahamas Banks Blue Carbon programme while in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, describing the initiative as a national-scale effort to protect the country’s marine
PHILIP DAVIS KC ecosystems while generating investment for climate resilience and sustainable development. “We’ve been able to map the largest seagrass meadow on Earth and realise its value as the ocean’s
CLIMATE - See Page B6
Outages force hospital to defer patients’ visits BY Annelia Nixon and Neil Hartnell TRIBUNE Business Reporters ELEUTHERA businesses were forced to scale-back operations, with a local hospital also having to defer patient visits, due to prolonged Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) outages that lasted over a four-day period this week and only eased yesterday afternoon . One business owner estimating a 50 percent drop in business, while the hospital reported a 15 to 20 percent increase in operating costs from constantly running its generator as a
result of BPL’s generation challenges at the Hatchet Bay power plant. The latest energy woes, which struck the island’s northern and central regions, involved a near 24-hour outage on Monday. Dr Arlington Lightbourne, owner of Eleuthera Wellness Hospital & Clinics, said the outages have disrupted diagnostic services and created uncertainty over whether the facility can safely admit patients. “It’s off as we speak,” he said. “It’s obviously impacting us. We run on
DOWNED - See Page B7
PAUL MOSS avoid higher taxation in other countries. As for the Bahamas Invest Concierge Unit, which would offer red carpet treatment to wealthy persons and their family offices seeking to re-domicile to this nation by taking them seamlessly
THOMAS SANDS Acknowledging that Eleuthera’s problems stem from “antiquated” generation and transmission and distribution infrastructure, which is ill-equipped to meet the island’s current demand let alone the economic growth it is experiencing, the Chamber chief also conceded that “we are so far behind it will take time to get us where we need to be”. Mr Sands said Eleuthera, and the wider Bahamas, needed to move beyond “reacting to crisis” in the energy sector through
INSTALL - See Page B4
$ 7.06
$ 6.89
BIG SAMPSON CAY
$200m Exuma resort developer hails win after facing ‘ambush of the worst kind’ Rival projects’ late bid to halt hearing refused But likely to make lastditch Appeal Court effort Follows reignited controversy over ‘petition’ BY NEIL HARTNELL TRIBUNE Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
through the required approvals process, Mr Moss told this newspaper that “the proof will be in the pudding” given that this, too, has been promised by multiple administrations but never become reality. “With respect to the Tax Residency Certificate, it’s been something that’s been talked about for a long time, and I have clients contacting me about it consistently,” he said. “I had a client who was asking me about it two-three weeks ago. It’s something that’s been in the planning for a little while now. It has been bandied about. We’ll see what happens.” Mr Fitzgerald said draft legislation to place the Tax
THE $200M Rosewood Exuma’s developer yesterday hailed what it branded as another legal victory in the battle with neighbouring resorts just one week after asserting it had suffered an “ambush of the worst kind”. Yntegra Group, the project’s Miami-based developer, hit out at Turtlegrass Resort & Island Club and Yonder Holdings, the two rival projects spearheading the bid to overturn its government approvals, after the Supreme Court rejected their late effort to obtain permission to appeal previous verdicts and halt the substantive trial due to begin on Monday. A spokesperson for the Rosewood Exuma developer yesterday called on its opponents to drop the preliminary skirmishes and allow their Judicial Review challenge to proceed to a hearing on the main case following Justice Leif Farquharson’s latest ruling delivered on Wednesday, September 23. “Once again, the court has rejected an attempt to expand or delay these proceedings,” they said. “If the opponents are as confident in
PROMOTE - See Page B6
PLANNING - See Page B5
PAGE 2, Friday, September 25, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Develop work spaces that best fit your firm F
or many micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in The Bahamas, the traditional image of a business office is changing. Instead of giving every manager a private office, and every employee a dedicated work space, an increasing number of small companies are choosing open common areas, shared work stations and professionally-equipped meeting rooms that can be booked when clients need to be entertained. The question for Bahamian entrepreneurs is not simply which arrangement looks more professional. It is which model provides the right balance of cost,
confidentiality, flexibility and corporate image. A private office offers an important advantage: Control. A business can customise its environment, display its branding prominently and create a permanent corporate identity. For companies whose clients regularly expect private consultations, this can reinforce a sense of stability and professionalism. A lockable office also provides greater confidentiality for sensitive discussions, financial information, personnel matters and client records. Private offices, however, come at a price. Traditional leases can require significant upfront commitments and long-term contracts, while the business may also
have to pay separately for utilities, cleaning, Internet, maintenance and other services. For a growing Bahamian MSME, this can tie-up capital that could otherwise be invested in employees, technology, marketing or business development. If the company expands or contracts, changing its physical space may also require renegotiating a lease or moving altogether. Shared office environments with bookable meeting rooms offer a different proposition. Rather than paying for permanent offices that may sit empty much of the day, companies can concentrate their investment on productive work areas and
reserve professional meeting rooms when needed. Monthly fees may incorporate utilities, maintenance and high-speed Internet, creating greater cost predictability. There can also be a significant image advantage. Modern shared facilities can provide professionally furnished meeting rooms, presentation screens, video conferencing technology and reception services without requiring an MSME to purchase and maintain these resources itself. The disadvantages should not be overlooked. A meeting room may be unavailable when an urgent client meeting arises, particularly in a popular facility. Common
IAN FERGUSON areas may also create noise and distractions, while the inability to fully customise the environment can make the experience feel less exclusive. Confidential conversations may require additional precautions. For Bahamian MSMEs, the decision should therefore be driven by the nature of the business. Firms handling highly confidential matters or receiving
clients throughout the day may benefit from private offices. Businesses seeking to control overheads, accommodate changing staffing levels and use professional facilities only when necessary may find bookable meeting spaces more practical. Ultimately, the best workspace is not necessarily the one with the most offices. It is the one that allows an MSME to present itself professionally while putting scarce resources where they can generate the greatest business value. • NB: Ian R Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organisations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.
How not to fall victim to investment frauds By HOLLAND GRANT Chief operating officer Bahamas International Securities Exchange I recently came across a Telegram group presenting what appeared to be an investment opportunity operated by the Bahamas International Securities Exchange (BISX), my employer. The group used familiar names and faces, displayed purported evidence of investor deposits, and promised exceptionally high returns. An account bearing the name of BISX's chief executive, Keith Davies, also appeared to promote the opportunity. There was only one problem: The entire operation was fraudulent. While the technology may be modern, the underlying tactic is not. Financial fraud is nearly as old as money itself. The methods evolve, but the
objective remains the same: Persuade people to ignore warning signs by promising rewards that seem too attractive to pass up. Beres Hammond’s song, ‘Sweet Lies’, captures the philosophy of fraudsters: A sweet lie can override the rational mind. Fraudsters understand an important truth about human nature. People rarely fall victim because they are unintelligent. More often than not, they become victims because fraud schemes are carefully designed to exploit trust, urgency, hope or desperation. In today's digital environment, where information travels instantly and convincing fake identities can be created with little effort, protecting ourselves requires more than caution. It requires financial literacy and critical thinking. So how can investors reduce their risk of becoming the next victim?
Understand the relationship between risk and reward One of the most fundamental principles of investing is that risk equals return. If you want higher expected returns this generally involves higher levels of risk. Legitimate investment opportunities vary in risk and potential return, but there is no legal or legitimate investment that consistently delivers extraordinary returns without corresponding risk. Investors should become familiar with the types of returns typically available from regulated savings and investment products. Doing so creates a benchmark against which new opportunities can be evaluated. When an investment proposal promises exceptionally high returns with little or no risk, that should immediately
trigger scepticism than excitement.
rather
Verify the source, not just the appearance One of the most effective tools available to fraudsters is borrowed credibility. A logo can be copied. A photograph can be downloaded from the Internet. A company name or the identity of a public figure can be misappropriated. None of these things prove authenticity. Before sending money or providing personal information, investors should independently verify any investment offer through official websites, published telephone numbers or other authorised communication channels. Never assume that an offer is legitimate simply because it uses a familiar name, face or logo. Resist urgency and fear of missing out Fraudsters frequently try to create pressure. They use terms such as "you must act today”, or “only a few spots remain” and “everyone else is already making money”. Such tactics are designed to short-circuit rational decision-making. They exploit what psychologists refer to as the fear of missing out, or FOMO. The fraudulent Telegram scheme used images of apparent investor activity and financial success to create the impression that others were already
profiting. Similar tactics are common in many investment scams. The objective is simple - to convince potential victims that delaying the decision may mean losing an opportunity. In reality, legitimate investment opportunities rarely require immediate action without due diligence. Genuine professionals encourage questions, provide supporting information and allow investors time to make informed decisions. Whenever an investment opportunity creates a sense of urgency, consider that a warning sign rather than an incentive. Seek a second opinion A number of years ago, I spoke with someone who dismissed legitimate investment options because their returns seemed too small to solve his immediate financial problems. He later invested in another opportunity, interestingly also through Telegram, and lost the entire investment. Unfortunately, fraudsters often target people facing financial stress because desperation can make unrealistic promises appear more believable. That is why seeking an independent second opinion is so important. A trusted financial professional, knowledgeable friend or experienced family member may identify concerns that an excited investor overlooks. Fraud schemes often discourage victims from
HOLLAND GRANT consulting outsiders. More sophisticated operations may even create fake online supporters and testimonials to give the appearance of widespread endorsement. If an investment promoter is uncomfortable with you asking questions or seeking independent advice, that should be treated as a red flag. Conclusion Investing can play an important role in achieving long-term financial security, but it should never be viewed as a short-cut to instant wealth. When an opportunity promises extraordinary returns, creates pressure to act quickly or relies heavily on borrowed credibility, pause before proceeding. Verify the source through independent channels. Conduct proper due diligence. Seek advice from informed and trustworthy individuals. Fraud succeeds when urgency overcomes judgment. The most powerful word an investor can sometimes use is a simple one: Wait.
Push to connect Bahamas to larger African markets BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net GHANA and The Bahamas are moving to deepen trade and investment ties, with officials pushing to connect Caribbean businesses to African markets in the creative economy, agriculture, manufacturing and tourism. King Kwasi Kyei Darkwah, Ghana’s presidential envoy to the Caribbean, and who visited The Bahamas this week as part of efforts to strengthen relationships with the region, said: “We’re here at the invitation of the African Caribbean Trade and Investment Corridor to help start a programme where we can do trade exchange between Ghana and the Caribbean. “The Caribbean has specialities in many different fields of endeavour. But high amongst them is tourism, and Ghana also has specialisms in many fields of endeavour. And high among them is agriculture, manufacturing, fashion and design, as well as tourism.” King Darkwah said the two regions could combine their strengths to create jobs and economic opportunities, with a newly-launched showroom serving as a platform to promote Bahamian and African designers. “We want to find ways of bringing our energies together,
so we can work together to create more jobs for our people and to build economic prosperity for our people,” he said. Senator Barry Griffin, The Bahamas’ trade commissioner, said the initiative is the result of increasing diplomatic and business engagement between Ghana and The Bahamas, including highlevel meetings and visits by local business groups to Ghana. “We’ve had very high level diplomatic meetings with Ghana, including the Prime Minister meeting with the president of Ghana,” Mr Griffin said. “We’ve had many of our business groups travel to Ghana, and I’m happy to say right now we are seeing the fruits of all of that work.” Mr Griffin said the new showroom, which focuses on Ghana and Africa’s creative industries, represents a tangible outcome of those efforts and is intended to strengthen commercial ties between businesses in Ghana, The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean. “Trade is a people-to-people partnership,” he said. “You must go to new markets. You must meet people. You must exchange views. You must learn about each other’s markets and culture and history, and build a foundation on friendship.”
Mr Griffin said Ghana’s fashion industry provides one example of the opportunities that could emerge from the relationship, particularly as The Bahamas seeks to develop its orange or creative economy. “Ghana is known as one of the fashion and cultural hubs of Africa, and it’s a great pleasure and honour that we have such a high-level diplomatic representation from Ghana to show that the government of Ghana is very insistent on this trade relationship with The Bahamas, beginning with culture and beginning with the creative economy,” he added. King Darkwah said the potential relationship extends beyond creative industries, noting that improved access to finance and larger markets could allow Caribbean entrepreneurs and manufacturers to scale their businesses. “For every economy that you have, whether it’s green, whether it’s blue, or the orange economy, which I feel very strongly about, you also need resources,” he said. “So banking is very, very important.” King Darkwah pointed to efforts by Ghanaian president, John Dramani Mahama, to strengthen economic links between Africa and the Caribbean, including plans to bring the
EXPANSION - See Page B4
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, September 25, 2026, PAGE 3
Straw vendors support Bay St. market’s 48-hour close BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net THE DOWNTOWN Nassau Straw Market closed yesterday for a 48-hour deep cleaning and maintenance exercise, with vendors welcoming the temporary disruption as the facility prepares for the installation of long-awaited cooling blowers. The Market is scheduled to remain closed through Friday and reopen at 7am on Saturday, September 26, according to the Straw Market Authority. Celestine Eneas, president of the Straw Vendors Advancement Association, said the installation of the blowers is expected to be a key part of the exercise. “They set up the blowers,” Ms Eneas said. “So the excitement will come when they switch them on.” The temporary closure comes after months of complaints from vendors that excessive heat inside the market has caused tourists to leave before making purchases, limiting the time they spend browsing stalls and potentially reducing sales. The Straw Market Authority said the closure is necessary to allow crews to carry out annual deep cleaning, repairs and maintenance that cannot be
completed while the market is operating. Joseph Johnson, its executive chairman, said the 48-hour closure will provide teams with access needed to complete essential work and help maintain a “safe, clean and welcoming market” for vendors, staff and visitors. For some vendors, the closure is a welcome opportunity to address long-tanding concerns about the condition of the market. Terez Eneas, a straw vendor, said vendors support the decision to temporarily close the facility. “We welcome it,” Ms Eneas said when asked about the cleaning, maintenance and upkeep exercise. Asked about the impact of losing two days of trading, she added: “There’s nothing we can do about it.” Deidre Palacious, another straw vendor, said she had no objection to the closure and viewed the maintenance work as necessary. “I have no objection to it,” she said. “It needs to be done. I think it’s a good thing.” She recalled previous concerns about insects at the market, saying those problems had been raised by vendors in the past. Ms Palacious also credited the new minister of culture, arts and heritage, Leslia Miller-Brice, with attempting to address
issues that previous administrations had not resolved. “Now we have a new minister,” she said. “She is trying her best to do what the others didn’t do. So that’s a good thing.” The decision to close the market comes during September, which vendors have previously identified as one of the slower periods for business given the lull in tourism and visitor activity. Ms Palacious said the timing made the twoday interruption easier to accept. “When they wanted to shut down the market, the people were complaining,” she said. “It was this and that. And so the other persons just kept it open. But September slow, so it is what it is, and it’s only two days.” Ms Palacious said she did not expect the closure to have a significant impact on her earnings. “Some days you be there all day and don’t make nothing,” she said. “So it don’t make a difference. I mean, for some probably they will grumble whether the market closed or open, and that’s just some people. But I don’t have no negative comments.” Beyond the cleaning and maintenance work, vendors are looking to the cooling improvements to
Chamber chair acting CEO as it eyes Ghana possibility BY ANNELIA NIXON TRIBUNE Business Reporter anixon@tribunemedia.net THE BAHAMAS Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation’’s (BCCEC) chairman has assumed the role of acting chief executive following the departure of Dr Leo Rolle as it plans to pursue potential trade ties with Ghana this coming November. Don Williams said Dr Rolle’s departure became official at the beginning of September, although the Chamber’s Board has not yet established a timeline for recruiting a permanent chief executive. “He has transitioned to some other things,” Mr Williams said. “Obviously, we’re sad to see him go because he’s done some great work for the Chamber so far.” Mr Williams said he will serve as both chairman and acting chief executive while the Board begins the process of sourcing a replacement, but maintained that the leadership change will not disrupt the Chamber’s operations. “In the interim, I will be both chairman and acting
DR LEO ROLLE chief executive until the Board has started the process of sourcing a new chief executive,” he said. “But that does not hinder the Chamber in any way.” The Chamber plans to continue its core work of providing advice, advocacy and access to businesses, as well as its trade missions, while placing greater emphasis on partnerships within the domestic economy. Mr Williams said the Chamber has already begun shifting some of its focus towards building stronger relationships between larger companies and small and medium-sized entrepreneurs. “We’ll still be doing our trade missions, but we’re going to shift direction just
Data centres eyed in Bahamas ocean thermal energies study A UK-based ocean thermal energy conversion provider has been asked to lead a study on whether this renewable energy form is commercially viable in The Bahamas with one eye on its possible application for attracting data centre investment. Global OTEC, in a statement, said it has been appointed as lead technical partner in a consortium with the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) to conduct a study that was requested by the Bahamian government. It has been commissioned by Expertise France, and will be financed by the European Union (EU), to assess whether this energy form is feasible in The Bahamas. The UK company described data centres, and the use of ocean thermal power to meet their high electricity demand needs, as “commercially significant for attracting international investment” as it would
reduce, or eliminate, the need to draw on high-cost, unreliable fossil fuel power. It would also reduce the strain on existing grid infrastructure. The site chosen for the study will be the old naval base on Eleuthera. Ocean thermal energy conversion exploits the temperature difference between warm surface seawater and cold water drawn from depth to generate energy, while making that same cold water available for desalination and cooling. “Any renewable technology can produce electrons, but only one of them also delivers a valuable cooling and drinkable water resource as a by-product. That is the difference between OTEC and everything else in a tropical island context. In The Bahamas, you have huge thermal resource, the subsea connectivity and a government that has been willing to do the groundwork through progressive studies. Our
a little bit, which we started to do, and focus a lot more on local partnerships with a lot more of the larger companies and the smaller, medium-sized entrepreneurs,” Mr Williams said. He added that the move is intended to ensure the benefits of business collaboration and economic activity are also felt within The Bahamas, particularly as the country seeks to encourage consumers to support local businesses. “We’ve done a tremendous amount of trade missions,” Mr Williams said. “We’ve understood and gained quite a bit of traction from those trade missions. But we do not want to take away from what happens in-country. “We want to ensure that there is still a great level of collaboration between local businesses of all sizes to increase the level of customer service. We want to encourage more Bahamians to still continue to shop local, especially during these times, because we need to ensure that we’re driving our economy as best as possible.” Mr Williams said the Chamber is also continuing discussions with government agencies, including role over the next year is to establish, with real data and engineering, whether a site can carry a first-of-a-kind installation for the Caribbean,” said Dan Grech, founder and chief executive, Global OTEC. Baha Mar already draws seawater from roughly 300 metres to cool its facilities. “What has not yet happened is the transfer of the full model to the Atlantic, where the Caribbean’s combination of high energy costs, water scarcity and deep water close to shore makes the case unusually strong for an entire region,” Global OTEC added. “This assignment will build on several years of prior work led by The Bahamas, including a NOAA temperature and salinity measurement campaign conducted off Eleuthera in 2023 using an autonomous sea glider, which collected profiles from the surface to 900 metres and confirmed the presence of a substantial thermal gradient in the water column. The review will also cover matters related to environmental and social concerns and considerations.”
address one of the market’s most persistent complaints: Excessive heat. Ms Palacious said she does not necessarily expect the new blowers to directly attract more tourists, but believes they could encourage visitors to remain inside the market for longer. “I wouldn’t say it would attract more,” she said. “It probably would keep more of them in there a little longer to shop because they always complain about it being hot, and some people getting fatigued and feel like they’re going to fall out, and they need to just get out the market.” Vendors have previously told Tribune Business that tourists frequently enter the market but leave quickly because of the heat, with some visitors gathering around fans simply to cool down rather than shop. Ms Palacious said improving the temperature could therefore give vendors more time to engage with potential customers. “I would hope this would be a better change, and at least it’ll keep the market cool for the tourists to probably stay in,” she said. However, Ms Palacious said cooling was only one part of the broader changes needed to improve the market’s visitor experience.
Tourists have also complained about vendors aggressively pressuring them to make purchases, she said, suggesting that better customer service could complement the physical improvements being made to the facility. “And then they complain about some people just pressuring them and bullying them to buy, and it is just irritating to some of the tourists,” Ms Palacious said. The Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage is seeking to address those issues through its inaugural Straw Market Vendor Empowerment Experience, scheduled for today at the Performing Arts Centre at the University of The Bahamas (UB). The event will give vendors an opportunity to raise concerns, discuss their experiences and make recommendations about the future of the market. Ms Palacious said she expected the session to provide an opportunity for vendors to
help shape the changes they want to see. “So we having a seminar on the 25th at UB, I guess so we can voice our opinions, or she [Ms Miller-Brice] could hear what we have to say, and also what vendors feel will change that will enhance the market and make it more attractive,” she said. Ms Palacious suggested that vendor training should form part of the discussions, including guidance on presentation, communication and customer service. “That’s what it’s basically all about, and training to tell you how to dress, how to speak, customer service,” Ms Palacious said. “I don’t know yet. We don’t know what the whole topic is going to be, but I basically think it should be more on that scale.” The Ministry has described the session as a listening series aimed at placing vendors at the centre of discussions about the market’s future.
the Department of Inland Revenue and the National Insurance Board (NIB), on initiatives aimed at making it easier for businesses to interact with government. “You’ll see quite a bit of items rolled out in the next few months in terms of making it as convenient as possible for businesses to be able to communicate, dialogue and have certain key
services streamlined, both with a level of customer service as well as digitisation in the use of systems,” he said. The Chamber’s domestic focus, however, will not rule out international opportunities. Mr Williams said he recently spoke with King Kwasi Kyei Darkwah during the Ghanaian president’s representative’s visit to The Bahamas, with discussions
centred on potential trade opportunities between the two countries. He said King Darkwah told him he plans to return to The Bahamas in November, at which point the Chamber intends to hold an official courtesy call to explore how the discussions can be converted into concrete commercial opportunities.
DOWNTOWN STRAW MARKET
PAGE 4, Friday, September 25, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Business in Out Islands involves ‘a long slog’ INSTALL - from page B1 “broader” reform strategies that empower and encourage “community ownership” of the required changes. This, he added, involves incentivising businesses - especially in the Family Islands - to not only acquire and install energy efficient and renewable systems to reduce their own electricity costs, but also feed any excess power generated back to the grid. Highlighting the VAT change as a regressive step in such an effort, Mr Sands warned that “we all pay the price” for the energy sector’s status quo with massive multi-million dollar sums leaking out of the Bahamian economy annually in payments to BPL’s fuel suppliers. The Government’s energy reforms focus on EA Energy’s development of a utility-scale solar, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and battery storage plant to meet Eleuthera’s generation needs, lower cost and boost reliability. However, there has been no mention of any grid (transmission and distribution) reforms for Eleuthera or any of the Family Islands, with this having seemingly been left in the hands of cashstrapped, debt burdened BPL. Following Monday’s near 24-hour outage, which forced schools to close
early for two consecutive days and caused water systems to run dry, power was only fully restored in central and north Eleuthera around 3.30pm yesterday afternoon. “We have an antiquated system. That’s the reality,” Mr Sands told Tribune Business of Eleuthera’s latest blackout. “What you are experiencing in Nassau, from what I’ve been hearing, we’ve been experiencing for years.” He pointed to the disruption for his employees, some of whom had left work voicing concern over whether BPL supply had been restored to their homes after the previous “bad night”. “We are thankful there is the movement on investment in infrastructure,” the Eleuthera Chamber president added, “but we are so far behind it takes time to get us to where we need to be, and we hope the investment made is significant enough to make a difference. “I think we are reacting in a lot of instances without a broader strategic plans for development of the island. Eleuthera is on a growth path, as are a couple of other islands. We want to get ahead with strategic development. Technology is changing. From the economy’s perspective, we need to offer services at affordable price points.”
Agreeing that EA Energy’s proposed plant, set to be constructed near to BPL’s existing Hatchet Bay facility, could produce lower-cost and more reliable generation, Mr Sands added: “Transmission needs to be upgraded throughout the island to make this a hybrid approach. In the best interests of the island in the long-term, they need to incentivise and support businesses in upgrading into energy efficiency, and being able to use energy efficient equipment, as quickly as possible. “Businesses are the biggest drawers on the grid. We are trying to import refrigeration to make us more efficient so that we draw less energy in totality. The next step we are trying to take is to integrate solar and battery storage as physical plant to reduce the cost of energy and reduce the draw on the system. That will put less strain on the grid.” Providing more details on his family’s plans for The Market Supermarket, Mr Sands told Tribune Business: “On the energy side we are working on a proposal that will reduce my energy consumption by 50 percent. My bill in my supermarket is up to $15,000. I could more than cut that in half. That’s 6,000 square feet to serve at the level people expect.
Ghana aims for Caribbean to be in free trading zone EXPANSION - from page B2 latter’s member countries into the African Continental Free Trade Area. He said greater integration could significantly expand the potential customer base for Bahamian entrepreneurs and manufacturers. “If you are in the Caribbean and you have access to a market of, say, 19 to 20 million people, well, if you add the tourists that come here, that can extend to some 60 million people easily,” King Darkwah said. “Now you have access to a bigger market because
Ghana is 35 million people, but once our president gets you into the African Continental Free Trade Area, you now have access to over 1.5bn people.” King Darkwah said such market access could create opportunities for businesses ranging from fashion designers and manufacturers to documentary producers, artisans and food producers. He also identified agricultural trade as another potential area for expansion, adding that greater movement of products between Africa and the Caribbean could diversify
the sources of goods available in The Bahamas. “We grow great produce, not GMO (genetically modified crops),” he said. “These are natural produce in Ghana, and if it is possible to transport them by ship or even by air, there is no reason why the good nutrition we have in Africa should not be here in The Bahamas.” King Darkwah also highlighted the potential for African fashion brands to expand internationally, pointing to growing international interest in designers from Ghana and Nigeria. He said access to financing is critical to turning
“We are trying to be the best we can be in the Family Islands. Food is so important to people in the Family Islands… The level of service has to be comparable to, if not better than, Nassau or New York or anywhere else in this world if we’re going to be competitive.” Besides the supermarket, Mr Sands said the complex that would benefit from the planned renewable upgrade also includes the Shell-branded gas and fuel distribution business and a Bank of The Bahamas branch. Yet he warned that changes such as the imposition of VAT ‘exempt’ treatment on uncooked foods, which have increased food store costs despite eliminating the 5 percent levy for consumers, are - in effect - “killing us before we start” on energy-related investments by businesses of all sizes, including medium, small and micro. Mr Sands said the inability of food stores such as his to recover much of the VAT paid on their inputs now means that the importation of energy efficient and renewable equipment has significantly increased this cost. “We are having it delivered. We have ordered it,” he said of the new refrigeration. “There are the duty rates plus the VAT that I cannot recover because of the change in VAT ‘exempt’
treatment on uncooked food. “You go from a cost of, say, $300,000 to an additional $100,000 in duty and VAT. For a small business in the Family Islands, that’s just one part of the equipment change you need to do. That’s where there is a big lack of support. They should be encouraging us in energy efficiency. “The client investing in the Family Islands expects a certain level of service when they walk into your business. It’s so difficult, as the added cost limits our ability to serve the audience investing in the Family Islands and are here for the long run.” Recalling his family’s 50 years in business, he added that while it has been rewarding it has also been “a long slog” - an experience shared by other Family Island entrepreneurs and investors. Recalling a recent conversation with persons in Long Island, Mr Sands said many had invested because they were “local” and “stuck it out when nothing was there” by finding ways to get it done. “You develop a mindset that you are going to make it happen,” he added. “Without those individuals, you wouldn’t have anything in the Family Islands. “A lot of people feel burnt up by working through it, increasing
regulations and taxation, and so on. You are putting hard working people out of business.” Mr Sands contrasted The Bahamas’ energy reform pace with the likes of the US and Canada, which are much further advanced on allowing businesses and homeowners with renewable energy systems to supply excess power back to the grid. “There’s no strategic plan and no real support for a strategic alliance with community ownership,” the Eleuthera Chamber president added. “In other locations this is in force - bringing in energy efficient equipment, bringing in other power sources, grid ties to reduce the cost of operations. We need to have systems that are fully integrated. We are already doing part of the work. “We keep reacting. Reacting to the crisis without strategic ownership and community empowerment with that plan… If you go to Rock Sound [power plant], you will see all the rental generation units. Capital is going outside the country. Does that make any sense? I am thankful for the move made to put in place solutions. But I think we need to think broader. “At the end of the day, we all pay the price. The money invested in the country is going outside. The money spent on energy is going outside on fuel. There are so many leakages that make this inefficient.”
those opportunities into commercial growth, particularly for small businesses seeking to produce at a larger scale. Mr Griffin said the initiative also aligns with The Bahamas’ focus on the blue, green and orange economies, which are central themes of this year’s diplomatic engagement. “The Bahamas has taken a keen interest in the coloured economies, particularly the orange economy, the blue economy and the green economy, and that is the theme of diplomatic week for this year,” he said. “And so, this right now is showing how The Bahamas is reaching across borders, across seas to bring those ties, in particular in the orange economy and the creative economy.”
Mr Griffin said King Darkwah’s visit will also provide an opportunity for Ghana to gain a closer understanding of the Bahamian market, and obtain information on potential areas of co-operation to be taken back to Ghanaian authorities. “We’re just very excited to have His Excellency here,
who I had the pleasure of meeting with yesterday, to bring news from Ghana, to look at our markets himself first-hand, and take reports back to the president of Ghana on how the future of Ghana-Bahamas trade relations can work,” Mr Griffin said.
Share your news The Tribune wants to hear from people who are making news in their neighbourhoods. Perhaps you are raising funds for a good cause, campaigning for improvements in the area or have won an award. If so, call us on 322-1986 and share your story.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, September 25, 2026, PAGE 5
Rival attorneys fight over $500m Cave Cay linkage PLANNING - from page B1 their case as they say, they should welcome the chance to present it at next week’s hearing.” However, Tribune Business understands that Turtlegrass has not yet exhausted all legal avenues to stay Monday’s start of the full Judicial Review hearing, which will decide whether the rival resorts have a valid case for overturning the Rosewood Exuma development’s environmental approvals. It is thought that attorneys representing the neighbouring Big Sampson Cay developer will appear before the Court of Appeal today in a bid to obtain its permission to launch an appeal of Justice Farquharson’s previous verdicts and stay the trial from proceeding. Turtlegrass is seeking to overturn Justice Farquharson’s refusal to admit six specialist reports as evidence at the trial, plus make late changes to its case. The judge previously ruled that Turtlegrass was “exceedingly late” in seeking to have the reports admitted, and the proceedings had “already suffered delay arising from previous interlocutory applications”. The latest legal battle over the proposed development comes just one week after Robert Adams KC, the Delaney Partners attorney representing Yntegra, argued that his client had been subject to “ambush of the worst kind” during the separate hearing before the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board. That represented Turtlegrass and Yonder Holdings’ bid to challenge, and overturn, the preliminary site plan approval granted to the $200m resort project by the Town Planning Committee. Turtlegrass brought a number of Exuma witnesses, including former employees, to testify and give evidence before the Appeal Board, which reignited controversy over whether Black Point residents thought they were putting their names down for jobs as opposed to signing a petition in support of Rosewood Exuma. Frederick “Smiley” Ferguson, one of the Exuma residents to appear before the Board in Nassau, made fresh allegations over how Black Point residents came to sign a sheet of paper headlined as ‘I support Sampson Cay’ when they met Yntegra executives on October 5, 2024. He implied
that himself and others were duped into signing the document in the belief that they were putting their names forward for jobs at Rosewood Exuma. “That document, in fact, was put out by Yntegra as being for a job fair — for people who wanted to do masonry, who wanted to do cooking, or whatever, be a cook, or whatever,” Mr Ferguson alleged to the Board. “And then they turned around and they used that document to say that the people from the Black Point community… they used that same particular document, with DEPP (Department of Environmental Planning and Protection), the environmental impact assessment, to say that the people in Black Point and Staniel Cay actually supported them.” The controversy first erupted when the papers containing the 76 names were attached to the Rosewood Exuma environmental impact assessment (EIA) as evidence purporting to show local residents were in favour of the development. Headlined ‘I support Sampson Cay’, it also ended with the words: “On behalf of Black Point, Exumas, we would like for Felipe MacLean Sampson Cay/Rosewood to continue. We have all agreed.” But, while the words support Yntegra’s argument that Black Point residents signed a petition in support of the project willingly, sources close to Turtlegrass are alleging that both the headline and concluding phrases were added after the local community had put their names down. However, Kendal Black, deputy chief councillor for Exuma’s Black Point district, reassured DEPP in a subsequent letter that Black Point was in “enthusiastic support” of the $200m Rosewood Exuma development. “Over the years, Yntegra has shown a genuine commitment to our community and we believe that their project will benefit the people of Black Point,” he wrote. “Mr MacLean told us that the hotel will create jobs, starting from hiring carpenters and heavy machine operators to captains for charters and supporting local businesses in Black Point. “We do not benefit from most of the other developments. We need quality jobs and we trust that this project will make those jobs…. Please, our people are crying out for something positive in Black Point. We
would be most grateful for a favourable response from DEPP so that this project can move ahead in short order.” Mr Ferguson, though, told the Appeal Board hearing that Mr Black should not have signed the letter by himself and that it needed to come from three local government councillors. “To compound it, they had one representative from local government sign the document. That doesn’t happen sir. You need all three of them to sign,” he alleged. Mr Ferguson agreed with suggestions by Fred Smith KC, the Callenders & Co lead attorney for Turtlegrass, that Black Point residents had been “misled” over the document they signed and what it was for. But Mr Smith’s attempt to obtain Mr Ferguson’s thoughts on the $500m Cave Cay project, another development in the Exumas for which Yntegra obtained a Heads of Agreement, but was taken over by another developer, prompted intervention by Mr Adams. The Delaney Partners challenged the “relevance” of Cave Cay to a planning hearing on another project, prompting Mr Smith to counter that it raised questions over Yntegra’s capacity to develop Rosewood Exuma. “Well, the relevance is your clients purport to be developers. They had a $500m intended development of Cave Point [Cay]. They never got off the ground. And now they’ve got a new promise to develop another place,” Mr Smith argued. Mr Adams hit back, asserting: “I’m putting on record a formal objection as to relevance as to this testimony. It has absolutely nothing to do with the decision made by the Town Planning Committee to grant preliminary support to this application in relation to Sampson Cay. Cave Cay, Sampson Cay, two different locations. I therefore formally object to this kind of information being provided to the board on the ground of lack of relevance.” Mr Smith, though, persisted, arguing: “This was raised at the Town Planning Committee meeting, as to whether or not the Town Planning Committee should approve a purported developer who had not developed something else before…. “The relevance of it is whether or not Yntegra is a developer that is capable of doing any of the things that they promised to do in their
Heads of Agreement…. We have maintained that Yntegra is not a developer that is capable of developing Sampson Cay, because they did not develop Cave Cay This led Dr Roosevelt Whyms, the Appeal Board chair, to agree with Mr Adams that “that’s not the case before us”. He was backed by fellow Board director Stephen Melvin, a Higgs & Johnson attorney, who agreed that a developer’s financial viability was something vetted by the National Economic Council (NEC) and central government, not the Town Planning Committee. But Mr Smith again countered: “This is the big mistake that I think everybody is suffering from. The NEC is one entity; it does what it does. The Town Planning Committee has responsibilities under the PSA (Planning and Subdivision Act). “Part of the responsibility is to decide.. in fact, a person intending to do a development, to get a CEC (certificate of
environmental clearance), is supposed to put up a bond. They have yet to put up a bond, and yet they’ve got all these approvals. So Cave Cay is relevant . The capacity of Yntegra to develop is relevant, or not, as to whether they can or can’t develop.” Mr Ferguson gave somewhat contradictory evidence before the Appeal Board, first saying he “had no problems with the Yntegra project” but it was “too large”. Then, later, he argued that it had caused a “rift” in Black Point between those in favour and opposing it. And, finally, under questioning from Edward Fitzgerald KC, the Government’s UK attorney, Mr Ferguson conceded that it was only the dredging which Yntegra has pledged will be confined to small area by its service dock that he and other members of the community oppose. “Yeah, some people are for Yntegra, even if they’re not for the dredging. What it is, is that the community of Black Point actually wants
both projects. We want both projects to go on. We don’t want the dredging. We want the best of both worlds,” he revealed. “It’s the dredging. And we don’t like the bickering between the two parties, because like they’d say on Black Point, we don’t get into no argument with two rich boys.” Mr Adams, though, renewed his objections over the lack of advance notice given on Turtlegrass’s witnesses and their evidence. “Mr Ferguson’s name as a witness to be called on behalf of the appellant was only notified to us this morning,” he asserted. “We did not have a preview of his evidence, despite the fact that we yesterday asked for it to be provided by the appellant. “We maintain, similarly, the objection that Mr Ferguson’s evidence, if it’s to be received, it would be unfair to the second respondents. This is ambush of the worst kind, ambush of the worst kind, and the appellants know better.”
PAGE 6, Friday, September 25, 2026
THE TRIBUNE
Bahamas ‘catching up’ and ‘coming in at tail end’ via latest reform move PROMOTE - from page B1 Residency Certificate into law is scheduled to go before Parliament before year-end 2026, the idea having been around since the first Christie administration almost a decade ago. It would certify a resident’s genuine and legitimate physical presence in The Bahamas, confirming that they pay taxes in this nation as their primary residence, and enabling them to avoid higher or double taxation in other countries. “We will be catching up because other jurisdictions already have it,” Mr Moss said of the Tax Residency Certificate. “We’ll be seeing what the tail end brings to us. It has been on the shelf for many jurisdictions for a long time. It’s like most things; we’re on the tail end, but there is some interest in it. We’ll see.” Turning to the Invest Concierge Unit, he added
that execution and follow through to make sure it delivers what is promised when set up will be key. “This is something they talk about all the time,” Mr Moss said. “This relates to the ease of doing business. Every time they want to get on this trajectory they come with some other bureaucratic twist that takes this away. “Even though they have this one-stop shop, I’m not sure how it will work based on the past record. Whenever they do it, they have these amendments to the various Acts that support the ease of doing business that create havoc inside the business world. It’s difficult to see how it materialises. The proof is in the pudding for sure.” Mr Fitzgerald, in unveiling the Investor Concierge Unit, said: “We want to ensure that those who want to come to The Bahamas, to invest in The Bahamas, are given the attention and
certainty that they deserve. Looking ahead, we are also preparing to launch the Bahamas Invest Concierge Unit. “When your client decides to invest in The Bahamas, the Bahamas Invest Concierge Unit will guide them through the entire process - from the first inquiry to the final approval. Applications and approvals will be managed via a single point of contact. “This concierge service will create an improved experience for investors making a genuine commitment to The Bahamas. This includes those investing in government bonds, which will grant economic permanent residency, as well as those who invest into real estate.” Mr Moss, though, added that the minister’s announcement of plans to eliminate VAT on trust services, plus the transfer of property between family members and into a trust,
Bahamas working for five years to monetise marine carbon sinks CLIMATE - from page B1 largest natural carbon sink,” Mr Davis said. “I’m proud to introduce the Bahamas Banks Blue Carbon Project, the world’s first market-based solution that changes the calculus of how we partner with nature on our planet.” The initiative centres on the Bahamas’ seagrass ecosystems, which Mr Davis said store carbon in the seabed while supporting fisheries, biodiversity, food security, coastal protection and water quality. The Government is pursuing the programme through Article 6 of the Paris Climate Agreement, which provides a framework for countries to co-operate in meeting their emission reduction targets through internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) such as carbon credits. Mr Davis stressed, however, that The Bahamas has not yet issued carbon credits or ITMOs for sale.
“We are not announcing issued carbon credits or mitigation outcomes for transfer,” he said. “We are presenting a country that has enacted the laws, committed substantial resources, commenced unprecedented national-scale science and a country that has chosen to lead.” The Government has spent the past several years building the legal and scientific framework needed to eventually enter the international market. Mr Davis pointed to the Carbon Credit Trading Act 2022, and the Climate Change and Carbon Market Initiatives Act 2022, which establish the framework for The Bahamas to govern its carbon assets, participate in international carbon markets and cooperate under Article 6. Jerome Fitzgerald, minister of economic affairs, said those laws were critical to establishing the credibility needed to attract international investment. The legislation, he added, created a framework to
NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that I ANGELA MARIA CHAVES VEGA of Love Beach Walk Apartment #3 West Bay Street, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 18th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION (pursuant to section 23 of the Natural Gas Act, 10 of 2024, Statute Laws of The Bahamas) NOTICE is hereby given that RenugenPro Ltd. has made applications to the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (“URCA”) for licenses to: import liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) (commercial) and operate LNG terminals. The applications are made with the object of licensing and regulation of the Applicant’s activities for the import of LNG and the operation of LNG Regasification Terminals at (1) Cat Island (2) San Salvador and (3) Long Island. The applications can be inspected by appointment at the Applicant’s office at No. 138 Robinson Road, New Providence, The Bahamas. Any objections to the applications must be made on or before the 16th October, 2026 and shall be made by Affidavit and solemn declaration to be submitted exclusively to URCA’s office located at Frederick Street, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas. Dated the 14th day of September, 2026 Italia C. Chambers Attorney for the Applicant No. 36 Nassau Street New Providence, The Bahamas
“monetise, regulate” carbon credits while ensuring verification and accreditation meet international standards. Mr Fitzgerald said the gGovernment initially considered the voluntary carbon market but eventually determined that Article 6 provided greater confidence as the scientific work progressed. “The science was the key, and so we had to be extremely patient,” Mr Fitzgerald said, adding that the Government has been working on the initiative for roughly four to five years and has committed significant capital to it. Under the programme, The Bahamas is mapping its seagrass meadows using satellite data and LiDAR, conducting field verification and sampling, and developing a national carbon inventory and monitoring systems. Mr Davis said the work is being incorporated into the country’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution, or NDC, under the Paris Agreement. Subject to completion, government review and technical validation, he added that the work is expected to establish whether The Bahamas removes more greenhouse gases than it emits within the scope of its national inventory. The Government has already established an emissions registry. Mr Davis said the $25m first phase investment is funding the scientific baseline, mapping, fieldwork, carbon inventory and systems required for implementation. “We will not move ahead of the science, and we will not compromise environmental or regulatory integrity,” he said. “Each
is “not even something we should be talking about” as this should have been in place already. Transfers of assets between family members, he added, are not necessarily taxable because the ownership does not change. The Dominion Management Services chief recalled having to prove this to the Department of Inland Revenue, including providing them with the trust deed, to show no VAT should be incurred. And he said the single, centralised Compliance Authority suggested by Ryan Pinder KC, the former attorney general, had been talked about since The Bahamas was first blacklisted in 2000. “It’s quite onerous to be dealing with the Securities Commission, dealing with so many other agencies, the Central Bank,” he said. “It may make it less expensive because it’s quite costly to be dealing with all these
different agencies at the same time.” Summing up the likely impact of The Bahamas’ latest financial services reform package, Mr Moss told Tribune Business: “I’m not sure it does much. It does not really go out there and bring business to the country. It’s trying to clear up the red tape and bureaucracy as we know it. “What matters for us is to really stand on our own, be a strong jurisdiction that makes decisions for itself, and that feeds into the message that this is a jurisdiction people want to be part of. We need new legislation, new products coming in, something sexy to promote. Right now, there’s nothing to promote. I am not sure how it goes. It’s catching up. Everyone knows it’s catching up.” Mr Fitzgerald, expanding on The Bahamas’ broader financial strategy, said last week: “We want global family offices to better understand the advantages of the Bahamian experience. We will incorporate the family office experience into our Concierge Unit. But we know that to be the jurisdiction of choice,
we need to ensure there is certainty for the family to establish their governance framework in The Bahamas. “We want to treat the establishment of a substantial family office in The Bahamas as a high-value foreign direct investment project, not another business,” he added. “We will establish a framework where a family office will have a transparent and certain agreement, where expectations of the family office and the Government are agreed. A single government-facing agreement where the process of approvals is transparent, expedited and a framework that can be relied upon. “Bring the decision-making centre of your family wealth to The Bahamas. Establish real substance here. Employ people here. Use Bahamian professional and financial services. In return, The Bahamas will give you a clear Immigration position, a known tax and Business Licence treatment, a defined regulatory perimeter, exchange control certainty, co-ordinated government approvals and a single point of contact.”
mitigation outcome must be credibly measured, appropriately verified, transparently accounted for and protected against double counting.” James McCall, chief executive of Laconic Global, said Article 6 represents an evolution from smaller voluntary carbon projects to conservation efforts undertaken at a sovereign level. “The Bahamas isn’t saying we can protect a piece of the seagrass,” Mr McCall said. “They’re saying we will protect all of the seagrass.” He said the involvement of both the sending and receiving governments in an Article 6 transaction can provide an additional level of confidence to investors because the mitigation outcomes are incorporated into national climate commitments. Catholic Relief Services (CRS), which is partnering on the initiative, said its sustainable development component is expected to support infrastructure, education, healthcare, transportation, economic opportunities and climate-resilient community development. Bill O’Keefe, executive vice president for government relations at CRS, said coastal communities are particularly vulnerable because of their dependence on tourism and fisheries. “Development finance is retreating worldwide, while the threats to communities from climate change remain, and in fact are getting worse every day,” Mr O’Keefe said. He added that CRS wants to ensure vulnerable communities benefit from Article 6 transactions as governments seek to unlock new sources of climate finance. The Government has also said potential programme activities could include seagrass conservation and restoration, sustainable fisheries, maritime zoning, water quality improvements,
pollution control, coastal resilience and community-based conservation. Antoine W Bastian, director of Carbon Management, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up to oversee the blue carbon credits, said the programme evolved from an initial focus on raising money through carbon credits into a broader national conservation and development programme. He said scientific data being collected for the carbon market will also help the Government identify degradation, including damage caused by pollution and illegal dumping, and determine where interventions are needed. Antonio Navarro, managing partner of ArtCap Strategies, said the programme is being financed using a model similar to other natural-resource projects. “Many countries have oil, other countries have minerals, and The Bahamas has seagrass,” Mr Navarro said. “And, under the seagrass, you have carbon.” He said the initial financing allows the country to establish how much of the resource exists, and how it can be developed before attempting to generate revenue from future carbon transactions. Mr Navarro said the programme must remain “bankable” and meet the financial, technical and reputational requirements of international investors. He added that investors will also be concerned with how revenues are ultimately deployed, making the programme’s community development component important to its investment proposition. Mr Fitzgerald said the Government intends to use the framework established through its climate legislation, emissions registry and Climate Change Unit to co-ordinate how resources
generated from the programme are managed. He said potential investments include strengthening seawalls, maintaining bridges and airports, protecting communities from rising waters and improving resilience across the Family Islands. The scale of the programme is also expected to allow investors to monitor its environmental impact over time. Mr McCall said satellite and geospatial technology can allow investors and the Bahamian public to see whether degraded seagrass areas are recovering, and whether conservation interventions are producing measurable results. He said the combination of measurable carbon reductions, sovereign backing and community benefits could support stronger demand for Bahamian ITMOs. Mr Davis said the Government will not begin transferring ITMOs until the scientific, technical and sovereign requirements have been satisfied. “We are pursuing this work with urgency and discipline so that future Bahamian ITMOs earn the confidence of partner governments, international institutions and the Bahamian people,” he said. The Government is now inviting prospective partner governments, investors and development institutions to begin discussions on Article 6 co-operation, technical assistance, capacity building and potential future purchases. Mr Davis said the ultimate objective is to establish a model that can be adapted by other ocean states. “The programme will remain anchored in Bahamian sovereignty, transparent implementation, credible scientific measurement, environmental integrity and tangible benefits for our people,” he said.
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I GIOVANNI AMISCAT of Carmichael Road, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 25th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that I BENITA JOSEPH of Faith Avenue, off Cowpen Road, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 25th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that I JESULA SAINTIL of Exuma Street, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 25th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that I ROLF FRANCOIS of East Street, South, New Providence, Bahamas, applying to the Minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship, for Registration Naturalization as a citizen of The Bahamas, and that any person who knows any reason why registration/ naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twentyeight days from the 18th day of September, 2026 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
THE TRIBUNE
Friday, September 25, 2026, PAGE 7
Latest Eleuthera energy woe costs businesses some 50% DOWNED - from page B1 the generator, but not all of our services, not all of our equipment can go on generator.” Dr Lightbourne added that some diagnostic equipment, including certain machines used for testing patients, cannot operate while the hospital is relying on back-up power. The hospital has also had to consume significantly more diesel while keeping its generator running for extended periods, adding to operating costs and placing additional strain on the equipment. Mr Lightbourne estimated that the hospital’s operating costs have increased by 15 to 20 percent over the past several days. “I’d say a 15 percent, 20 percent increase, just because of the cost of diesel and having purchased much more of it,” he said. “Not to mention the fact that diesel is not always available on the island. So there’s always an issue.” The power disruptions have also affected patient care. While Dr Lightbourne said the hospital has not had to turn away any critically-ill patients, it has asked some patients to return after power is restored because certain services could not be provided. “Thankfully, we’ve not had any critical patients
we’ve had to turn away, but we have had to ask some patients to return once the power returns,” he said. “We’ve thankfully only had about two incidents where that was necessary so far, and those patients were not critically ill or anything.” The hospital has opted against admitting some patients in recent days because of uncertainty over how long the electricity will remain available and whether its generator could fail. “We’ve actually shied away from admitting a few patients in the last few days simply because we’re unsure about what the experience will be for them,” Dr Lightbourne said. “We ended up sending the patients to Nassau.” He said one patient who he would ordinarily have considered admitting was instead sent to New Providence because he could not guarantee reliable power at the facility. “That’s another major impact it has had,” Dr Lightbourne said. “It has not only caused us to turn away patients who have needed X-rays, but just last night I sent a patient to Nassau who I would have probably admitted simply because I don’t have any security over the power situation and whether or not the generator will fail on me at some point.”
The cost of keeping the generator operating is compounded by the price and availability of diesel on Eleuthera. “If it’s high in Nassau, it’s at least oneand-a-half times that price in Eleuthera,” Dr Lightbourne said. “So we’re not talking about a little bit of money.” He added that the island’s electricity problems are not new, but the current outages have been particularly severe. “This is not an uncommon problem, but this is particularly severe,” Dr Lightbourne said. He added that Eleuthera’s power problems stem from both generation capacity and the island’s transmission infrastructure, including power lines and vegetation. He argued that the island’s growing economy warrants greater infrastructure investment. “Eleuthera is no longer a small little island with 50 people on it,” Dr Lightbourne said. “It’s a booming economy that has a hospital; the only Family Island in the country with one outside of Freeport. It’s one of the strongest GDP per capita in the country, and so Eleuthera should not be treated like everyone else.” He said the issue requires greater national attention and investment, while acknowledging the efforts of BPL workers on the
Energy Department will spend $2 billion to squeeze more electricity from the aging power grid By MARC LEVY and MATTHEW DALY Associated Press THE Energy Department said Thursday that it will spend almost $2 billion to try to squeeze more electricity out of the nation’s aging and stressed power grid, as President Donald Trump’s administration steps up efforts to avoid blackouts amid skyrocketing energy demand spurred by artificial intelligence. The money will go toward 31 projects across 26 states that are expected to produce more than 23 gigawatts of additional electricity capacity — enough to power 16 million homes. The projects will use new technologies such as sensors to measure real-time weather conditions to ensure safe transmission or direct power away from congested paths, the department said. The upgrades could improve power reliability and lower electricity costs for about 100 million Americans, officials said. “This is a quick way to lower electricity prices and increase reliability: using fibers that are already in the transmission lines to analyze what’s the temperature out, what’s the wind out, how can we use this transmission line to distribute more power, but safely and only in the right conditions,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a news conference promoting the grants Thursday at a PPL Corp. facility in Allentown. The eastern Pennsylvania electric utility says two data centers in its territory came online this year and six more are under construction, with enough other data centers in the advanced planning stages that its peak electric demand could quintuple by 2032. PPL said it is receiving $71.5 million to modernize an existing high-voltage
transmission line across roughly 30 miles in northern Pennsylvania. The announcement comes amid warnings that AI’s voracious demand for power is threatening to overwhelm U.S. power supplies, as massive new data centers come online faster than new power plants can be built. It also comes as electricity bills rise faster than inflation in many parts of the U.S., blamed in some areas on demand from data centers. The snowballing opposition to data centers in communities across the country has thrown a wrench into the plans of the world’s richest companies and transformed the midterm election landscape. Trump continues to stick up for data centers, even as politicians from both major political parties criticize them and many communities try to block them. In the meantime, Congress and some states are trying to push utilities to expand their use of new technologies to make grids more efficient and to lessen the need to build new power plants. Julia Selker, the executive director of the WATT Coalition, a trade association for grid-enhancing technologies, said both the projects and the scale of the investment are significant. Utilities in the U.S. are lagging places like Europe in adopting the technologies, despite federal investment in the past to develop and test them, Selker said. Still, Drew Maloney, CEO of the Edison Electric Institute, a trade association of for-profit utilities, said America’s electric utilities are making a “significant investment” every year in new technologies to strengthen the grid and reduce outages. Wright said that work on the projects should begin
ENERGY Secretary Chris Wright speaks at a news conference at a PPL Corp. facility to announce that the Energy Department will spend almost $2 billion to try to squeeze more electricity out of the nation’s aging and stressed power grid, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Allentown, Pa. Photo:Marc Levy/AP
right away and that he hoped some efficiencies are in place before this winter to tamp down price spikes when extreme weather sends demand skyrocketing.
ground. “I do want to make clear, though, because I see the BPL people on the ground working,” Dr Lightbourne said. “I would never want anything I say to disparage or make it seem as though they’re not doing their best.” Dr Lightbourne said BPL workers have been communicating with the public and responding to outages, including working overnight to restore service. “They’re doing their job, but they’re doing their job with very old equipment and supplies that they wouldn’t have had to work so hard if it was a more modernised system,” he added. Nahla Sands, who operates a pet grooming and minding business from Palmetto Point, said her area had been placed on a load shedding rotation with power off for up to fourand-a-half hours at a time prior to BPL completing all repairs by yesterday afternoon. “As a small business owner, it is costing me business, it is costing me money, and I just cannot plan my day because I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said. “It’s draining, it’s mentally exhausting. The bills are super high and, on all of them, they are not taking anything off. “Last year was the absolute worst. This year I kind of flexed myself a bit
because, honestly, I thought I waas going to lose it last year. I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t let BPL do that to me so I made myself more flexible, but it’s not getting better.” Juanita Pinder, owner of Office General in Governor’s Harbour, said her business has experienced repeated outages since Monday evening, forcing her to close temporarily and operate manually when possible. The business does not have a generator. “When the electricity is off, there’s nothing that we can do,” Ms Pinder said. “No printing services. My POS system goes with power, so that goes down.” While staff can continue serving some customers manually, Ms Pinder said the process creates additional work because every transaction has to be entered into the point-ofsale system once electricity returns. “So it’s like doing double work,” she said. “So it’s a lot.” The disruption comes during one of the company’s busiest periods, with customers seeking backto-school supplies and information. “This is a busy season for us,” Ms Pinder said. “We’re back to school. I’m still dealing with customers who ringing me and texting and WhatsApping all day for information.”
The outages have also forced Office General to close early at times because of the heat inside the building. Ms Pinder said the business was able to resume operations when power returned. She said the disruption is particularly difficult for customers travelling from across Eleuthera and nearby islands to access the business. “We have customers that come here from Waterford,” she said. “That’s like the end of Eleuthera, in the southern part of Eleuthera. We have customers in Bannerman Town and all over. We have customers that come from Harbour Island and Spanish Wells.” Some customers travel about an hour to reach the business, she said, meaning a power-related closure can result in a wasted trip. “I mean, thank God we have a mobile phone,” Ms Pinder said. “If they call us, we could say, well, we won’t be back until a certain time, but it’s an inconvenience.” Ms Pinder estimated that Office General’s business has fallen by at least 50 percent since the outages began. “I would say at least 50 percent because here it is some people are not even coming out because they say, ‘I can’t come all the way there, not knowing whether you’re there’.”
Wright said he didn’t know whether the projects would have gotten done without federal funding. Many, he said, had been under consideration before the grants were offered, but the grant recipients hadn’t “quite pulled the trigger” on them. Projects being announced Thursday will involve component enhancements on more than 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) of
transmission lines and technological enhancements across nearly 21,000 miles (34,000 kilometers), the department said. Projects were prioritized based on those that can be put into operation quickly, officials said. Money for the grants comes from the bipartisan infrastructure law enacted by Congress under then-President Joe Biden, a Democrat. The government’s $1.9 billion in
funding will be matched by $3.35 billion from the recipients, the department said. Recipients include utilities, cooperatives and four state agencies. The state agencies — in Colorado, Indiana, Ohio and Oklahoma — were the biggest recipients, collectively drawing $810 million, with the Colorado and Oklahoma projects promising improvements to regional grids.