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FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2025
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Hotel union chief ‘Hellishly expensive’: hails $475m for Developer aiming within Atlantis upgrade
5-10% of budget By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN developer yesterday said he expects to be within 5-10 percent of budget on “hellishly expensive” project costs while asserting this nation “needs to do a bit of thinking” on the Trump tariff fall-out. Robert Myers, who is spearheading the Windsor Lakes development in south-western New Providence, told Tribune Business that The Bahamas’ import-based, consumption dependent tax system has already worsened the inflationary impact from the US president’s volatile trade polices. Disclosing that construction material imports from the US have increased in price by 5-10 percent, he argued that the imposition of Customs duties and
• Bahamas must ‘do bit of thinking’ on Trump tariffs • Windsor Lakes eyes ‘big fall push’ on sales, works • Commercial centre ‘may ROBERT MYERS be three-four years away’ Lakes project. “We have VAT at the border on these same goods levies a further percentage increase in their cost. While this increases the Government’s tax revenues and income, as the percentage-based border tariffs and VAT are being levied on higher-priced goods, Mr Myers said the effect is to further raise the already-high cost of goods for Bahamian consumers. And, noting the Government’s bid to diversify The Bahamas’ supply chains and source goods from
outside the US, he warned that achieving this objective is “not simple and, in many cases, not possible”. Describing the US as the Bahamian private sector’s “warehouse”, he added that long-established trade relations and proximity mean it is still the best option for “on-time delivery, warranties and guarantees. “So far we’re pretty much on budget and on time; pretty close,” Mr Myers told this newspaper of the 173-lot Windsor
BTC chief hails ‘astounding’ first-call complaint resolution By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) chief executive says it has made “astounding” progress in addressing customer complaints with around 80 percent resolved by the first call. Sameer Bhatti, responding to Tribune Business questions over frequent complaints about the quality and reliability of communications services in The Bahamas, conceded that the carrier is “not perfect” but argued that it is “on a journey” and there have been significant improvements over the past 14 months. “I would say that there are a handful of metrics we track pretty well,” he
explained. “What I’ve seen from the team - in a very short period of time, 14 months - is astounding. We’re not all the way there, but one of the metrics we have is first call resolution, and we’re in the high 70, low 80 percentages. That’s phenomenal. “We’ve aligned people, training and resources around it. To answer your question, without customers having to call back again, we’re in the high 70, low 80 percentages on first call resolution.” Mr Bhatti said BTC is now exploring, and looking to integrate, artificial intelligence (AI) into its call centre process as the traditional model has changed significantly from the all-human processes used two decades ago.
RESOLUTION - See Page B5
normal overruns, but it’s all within reason and we’ve got to keep controlling those costs because, as you know, it’s hellishly expensive to do these developments now. “I think we’re going to be plus or minus 5-10 percent [of budget], especially with all the supply and tariff issues. That’s also been very challenging for us to navigate; supply issues in terms of tariffs and the cost of materials.” Mr Myers said Mr Trump’s imposition of tariffs on
LOGISTICS - See Page B2
• ‘Hundreds of construction jobs’ over five years • Brookfield completes resort’s $1.93bn refinance • Eyeing plans for Beach Towers and 46 acres By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A $475m upgrade for Atlantis, promising “hundreds of construction jobs” and “new long-term opportunities for Bahamians”, was yesterday hailed as “a positive step in the right direction”. Darrin Woods, the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union’s (BHCAWU) president, told Tribune Business that the planned capital improvements - unveiled alongside the mega resort’s $1.93bn refinancing by its owner, Brookfield Corporation - “could spell” new possibilities for existing staff,
Tourism to tackle Junkanoo Beach vendors’ grievances By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
SAMEER BHATTI
TOURISM officials yesterday said they will meet Junkanoo Beach vendors today to address grievances over alleged heavy-handed demands to “dismantle”
their businesses and structures. Anthony Bostwick, the Tourism Development Corporation’s deputy chairman, said the meeting will discuss the Davis administration’s plans to revive and transform the destination located just to the west of The Pointe project. He
especially at the still-shuttered Beach Towers which have been closed since 2021. Brookfield, in a statement, said the $475m upgrades will be spread over a five-year period. The only project identified, as revealed by Tribune Business late last month, is a “full renovation” of the Cove property that is set to begin in 2026. No other specifics were provided, although the Atlantis owner said the funds - equivalent to a $95m annual average outlay - will also go on other “high impact projects”. The statement added that Brookfield is also eyeing “strategic development
REFINANCE - See Page B4 added that the TDC, which is spearheading the Downtown Nassau revitalisation project, will consult stakeholders before work begins at Junkanoo Beach. “We are going to have a meeting tomorrow, and it will be a comprehensive meeting with all stakeholders, and we’ll start our collaboration. I think one of the things that we need to actually sit down and have a proper consultation on is what the plans are, what the
MEETING - See Page B5