INSURERS AND GOVT IN ROW OVER VAT ON HEALTHCARE

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE government and insurance industry last night traded blows over fears that Bahamian healthcare costs will further increase due to a new VAT treatment set to take effect from April 1, 2023.

The row erupted after the Bahamas Insurance Association (BIA) issued a late Friday statement warning that medical bills and treatment costs for thousands of Bahamians will increase due to the Ministry of Finance’s decision to stop insurers recovering the 10 percent VAT paid on health insurance claims payments from the Government. Such a move, the trade body warned, will likely make private healthcare less accessible for more Bahamians as they will now be responsible for paying VAT on top of their actual medical bill. However, this was disputed by the Ministry of Finance.

Crimes Against Person Go Up By 23 Percent

By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net

brings an end to a saga which saw Claudia Edwards Bethel file a civil suit in 2019 against immigration officer Norman Bastian, the attorney general, minister of immigration, director of immigration, and the commissioner of police years after her rape case against Mr Bastian was tossed out of the Magistrate’s Court.

SEE PAGE THREE

‘INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE’ OVER COLEBY-DAVIS

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

COMMISSIONER of Police Clayton Fernander said there is “insufficient evidence” to proceed with investigations into claims made against Housing and Transport Minister JoBeth Coleby- Davis.

Commissioner Fernander was referring to claims that Mrs Coleby-Davis allegedly assaulted a police officer with her vehicle during an exchange at the Carnival Road March last May. The Elizabeth MP has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis has since defended her, saying he was satisfied with her account of what happened that day.

During a press conference at police headquarters on Friday, the police chief was asked for an update concerning the status of investigations into the incident.

“I wish to say that the investigators in our legal

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander revealed on Friday that crimes against the person increased by 23 percent last year when compared to the same period in 2021, including murders, armed robberies and sex crimes that also trended upwards. Despite an uptick in these offences, he said serious crimes and crimes against the property decreased by two percent and nine percent respectively.

INSIGHT HAITI TEETERS ON THE BRINK OF CIVIL WAR SEE PAGE EIGHT