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Over half of Nassau’s roads Cable ‘not aware’ of BTC merger threatened by flood damage proposal • Bahamas faces up to $425m roads investment shortfall MORE than half of New Providence’s roads • $100m project to tackle 50% are threatened by flood damage, an Inter-Amerof Nassau’s climate needs ican Development Bank (IDB) report is warning, with The Bahamas facing • Bahamix: Key road paving an up to $425m financing machines out 18-36 months shortfall on investment By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
in nationwide road infrastructure. The multilateral lender, in a report accompanying its $80m loan to develop “climate-resilient transport infrastructure” and reduce the disruption caused by “recurrent flooding” in Nassau and wider New Providence, asserted that “limited zoning regulations” and inadequate drainage and flood management systems have left Bahamians increasingly exposed during hurricanes and heavy rainfall. Project documents, seen by Tribune Business,
also disclose that some 2 percent of the island’s 3,000 drainage wells are already “ineffective” due to the proximity of fresh or groundwater tables, which makes it impossible for heavy rainfall to soak away and results in heavy localised flooding in certain areas of New Providence. Asserting that the financing, which will receive a $20m injection from the Government to take the total funding to $100m, will benefit all of New Providence’s 296,522
residents through enhanced road infrastructure and reduced flooding, the IDB report said the project aims to cover “50 percent of the climate-related investments” needed by the Bahamian capital and 5 percent “of the infrastructure gap”. Some $11m will be directed to upgrading Bahamix, the Ministry of Works’ asphalt-producing division, which frequently encounters “operational inefficiencies” and other constraints caused by
regular breakdowns of “old machinery”, with its pavers said to have been out of service for 18 and 36 months, respectively. Clay Sweeting, minister of works and Family Island affairs, did not respond to Tribune Business calls and messages before press time last night, but the report added that Bahamix’s main front-end loader has also been offline for seven months with “frequent downtime” also impacting the operation’s other equipment and leading to “inadequate road maintenance”. The Government recently unveiled Bahamix’s new Board of Directors, headed by attorney Owen Wells, and its new Fire Trail Road West offices - developments that are likely to have been mandated by IDB in return for providing the financing. The moves
RAINFALL - See Page B7
Doctors targets 20% ‘ramp up’ in revenue By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net DOCTORS Hospital is aiming to “ramp up” revenues by 20 percent, and expand profit margins “to at least 10 percent” of topline income, as its chief executive unveiled plans to relinquish this post early in the New Year. Dr Charles Diggiss, writing in the BISX-listed healthcare provider’s just-released 2025 annual report, confirmed that he will step down from the role when its 2026 financial year closes at end-January but retain the post of president
to continue “guiding our strategic direction”. “As we prepare for the next chapter, I want to share that I will be stepping down as chief executive at the end of fiscal year 2026,” Dr Diggiss said. “I will, however, continue to serve as president of DHHS (Doctors Hospital Health Systems), remaining actively engaged in guiding our strategic direction, supporting leadership continuity and championing the mission we all share. “Notably, I stay on fully engaged as provost of our Institute of Learning
CARE - See Page B4
‘Frustration’ escalates over construction self-regulation By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamian Contractors Association’s (BCA) president says he believes successive administrations do not want to “professionalise” the industry because it would create an obstacle to directing “millions of dollars” in construction contacts to their political supporters. Leonard Sands voiced his “frustration”, and that of the BCA and the wider construction industry, over the Government’s continued failure to form the Construction Contractors Board and allow the sector to become the last in The Bahamas to self-regulate the profession and affairs.
LEONARD SANDS Confirming that Prime Minister Philip Davis KC had yet to follow through on his early August 2025 pledge to the BCA to form the Board by early September, despite being provided with industry recommendations for its members, he added that
BUILD - See Page B4
• Unions: Monopoly return ‘doesn’t make sense’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net CABLE Bahamas’ top executive says he is “unaware” of any proposal for a merger with the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) and there have been no talks or discussions on such a plan. Franklyn Butler, the BISX-listed provider’s president and chief executive, told Tribune Business he had no knowledge of any call for a merger, or some form of joint venture, between the two Bahamian communications industry giants to create a so-called ‘national champion’ and better finance the roll-out of fifth generation (5G) mobile technology and services. “I am not aware of any proposal or discussions,” the Cable Bahamas chief said, declining to comment
FRANKLYN BUTLER further because he had not seen the details. Reports on Friday asserted that the proposal had originated from Liberty Latin America, BTC’s ultimate parent and owner of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), the latter of which holds a controlling interest in the Bahamian carrier. A BTC spokesperson last
PLAN - See Page B6