03112020 BUSINESS

business@tribunemedia.net

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020

$4.43 Bahamas on cusp of recession, says ex-finance minister

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net A FORMER finance minister yesterday argued that The Bahamas stood on the threshold of another recession with the coronavirus likely “to knock a few more points of our GDP”.

James Smith, pictured, also an ex-Central Bank governor, told Tribune Business that the Covid19 outbreak only “adds to the headwinds” The Bahamas is facing post-Dorian having failed to completely recover from the 2008-2009 recession.

Warning that the full impact from the coronavirus has yet to fully work its way through the Bahamian economy, with much depending on the extent of the outbreak, Mr Smith said the effects to-date appeared to be more “subtle” and not as easily visible as in previous external shocks.

“I think it’s going to add to the headwinds we’re already facing in terms of slow growth and the after effects of Dorian,” he told this newspaper. “We have still not emerged completely from the 2008 recession.

This is the reason for the high unemployment figures and pretty much flat or negative growth we’ve seen.”

Mr Smith said the reluctance of many persons to travel would impact both stopover and cruise ship tourism, while the supply chains for a country that imports virtually all it consumes have already been disrupted by manufacturing shutdowns and panic buying in major markets such as China and the US. “The sum total of that could knock a few percentage points off gross domestic product (GDP), which was already under stress,” he added. “It’s not a very happy outlook for us one way or another.

The panic has set in, and people are reacting to that by changing their behaviour and buying more. It’s not too comforting an outlook.”

Asked whether the Covid-19 fall-out could tip The Bahamas into a recession, which is defined as two consecutive quarters of economic contraction, Mr Smith replied: “I think we’re already there because the cancellation of rooms and more infrequent cruise ship stops, we’ll see it in the data in the next two to three months but it’s happening now.

“Time lags will come into play, and we’ll see these things work themselves out over the next few weeks and months. I hope it’s not as severe as the outlook indicates, but at the same time we have to expect some negative impact on the economy and decrease in consumption.

“We really have to keep our eye on this one. I have no idea how deep it’s going to be, but most of us will feel it. We should be accustomed to dealing with crisis.

We’ve been there, with one now coming right after the other.”

Mr Smith also suggested that The Bahamas had to be “be very careful how we react to this with economic policies” as traditional stimulus methods, such as putting more money in consumers’ hands, was unlikely to have the intended effect due to product shortages and the ongoing uncertainty.

$4.45

$4.47

Ministry buries cemetery expansion plan (for now)

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A NASSAU cemetery’s expansion plans have been hit with a governmentimposed “stop order” following a furious backlash from residents of neighbouring communities.

Adrian White, the Town Planning Committee’s chairman, yesterday confirmed to Tribune Business that no approvals had either been given or were pending for the construction-type activities by Woodlawn Gardens Cemetery that have alarmed persons living in Danottage Estates and Village Estates.

Residents, many of whom have signed a 200-strong petition in opposition, told this newspaper that their quality of life is under threat after Woodlawn Gardens opened up their previously “dead end” streets (cul de sacs) to funeral traffic attending burials at the cemetery.

Estates Neighborhood Association, told Tribune Business that the issue has “huge ramifications” stretching beyond the immediate impact on her community as Woodlawn Gardens’ activities appeared to represent another example of unregulated, non-permitted development.

Arguing that Bahamians “whether in Bain Town or Lyford Cay” should be concerned about upholding the rule of law, and ensuring their country does not become an unplanned urban sprawl such as Haiti, Mrs Clancy-Deveaux said it was residents who first alerted government agencies in late February to what was afoot after heavy trucks and backhoes began rumbling down their streets.

A PROMINENT Bahamian realtor yesterday argued that “no industry is immune” from the coronavirus fall-out, with his sector “as vulnerable as any” to the ongoing outbreak and related panic.

Mario Carey, principal of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate MCR Group Bahamas, told Tribune Business that the Bahamian real estate market was “unlikely to be insulated” should the virus continue to spread in key buyer source markets such as the US, Canada and Europe.

While some real estate activity could be conducted online in a “worst case” scenario, Mr Carey added: “Definitely things are slow.

People aren’t travelling. I don’t think we’re insulated, and don’t know that we would be for long.

“When I speak to people,

SEE PAGE 7

SEE PAGE 6

SEE PAGE 4

• Top realtor: ‘We’re as vulnerable as any’ • Clients already adjusting Bahamas trips • High-end properties not top-of-mind

MARIO CAREY including the resorts, everybody is saying there are a lot of cancellations, things are slow. I would have to concur with what they’re saying. We’re like holding our breath. We haven’t had a case yet, and the Caribbean has been somewhat insulated, but Jamaica announced its first case today [yesterday]. That’s how quickly it happens.

“We have so many ports of entry - private boats, yachts and planes, not only commercial airlines. I personally cancelled a trip to Florida this weekend as there’s too much uncertainty. Once we get that first case, and God forbid that we don’t, I don’t know how this conversation will go.”

Mr Carey added that it was “legitimate to think that people aren’t really in that space of buying real estate and travelling to buy real estate. Hopefully they can see the value and can do transactions online, and maybe their involved in deals that are wrapping up”.

However, strong commercial bank liquidity levels and a more “aggressive” lending posture had resulted in increased activity in the

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian segment of the real estate market that may help offset any decline on the international side.

But Mr Carey also expressed concern for Bahamian vacation rental entrepreneurs that have built their business around the Airbnb model, as any slowdown in travel was likely to throw their efforts into a tailspin.

“I don’t think anybody is immune,” he told Tribune Business. “I cannot imagine what industry would not be impacted, and I think real estate is as vulnerable as any. I don’t think real estate is insulated.

“We are very close to the tourism business and the banking business. They

Desmond Bannister, minister of works, confirming he was aware of the Woodlawn Gardens issue, pledged to “act as quickly as possible to ensure those communities don’t have the character of their streets changed”.

He promised that the government is “not going to allow the opening up” of the dead-end roads that turn into Danottage Estates off Soldier Road, where Woodlawn Gardens is also located, acknowledging that he had seen photos which “caused me some concern”.

Mr White, the Town Planning Committee chair, said the body planned to invite both residents and the cemetery’s representatives to a hearing in two weeks’ time

‘No industry immune’ from the coronavirus

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

BTC blames parent for non-compliance ‘beyond our control’

THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has blamed its immediate parent for regulatory breaches caused by changes to its TV line-up that were “beyond its control”.

The carrier said the “ultimate break down” of contract negotiations between Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) and various TV content providers meant it was unable to avoid violating the retail pricing rules and consumer protection regulations governing the industry.

BTC thus joins Cable Bahamas as the second carrier to run afoul of the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) by making abrupt changes to its channel lineup without giving Bahamian consumers the minimum one month’s notice as required by the consumer protection regulations.

URCA, unveiling its full determination yesterday, said the issues stemmed from two alterations to BTC’s Flow TV package. The first occurred when BTC added Discovery World and Discovery Theatre to its line-up on December 1, 2018, which was followed one month later by the removal of six other channels with effect from New Year’s Day 2019.

The channels involved were Big Ten Network, Fox Deportes, Fox Sports Racing, National Geographic, National Geographic Wild and BBC America. While BTC is not deemed to have significant market power (SMP) in the provision of TV services, URCA argued that their bundling with its fixed-line services - where it is presumed to have dominance - as part of a Triple Play package brought it under the sector’s retail pricing rules.

This required BTC to seek URCA’s approval for the channel line-up changes - something the regulator found it did not do. And it also failed to give consumer’s the necessary one month’s notice, with URCA saying: “Despite these obligations, BTC advertised the changes to the public and implemented them without receiving URCA’s prior

• Imposes ‘stop order’ on Woodlawn Gardens • Planning chair says no approvals given • Neighbour backlash on non-compliance This action appears designed to give vehicles access to a perimeter road that Woodlawn Gardens has constructed around the border of its property, in what Danottage Estates and Village Estates inhabitants believe is an attempt to open up the cemetery’s northern section after its southern portion became overcrowded.

Besides fears of increased traffic congestion and parking problems, residents are also concerned about potential health, environmental and safety problems stemming from burial plots in the cemetery’s newly-accessible northern section being located right next to their property boundaries.

BJ Clancy-Deveaux, a member of Dannottage

$4.46

PI entrepreneur: PM gave me assurance

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN entrepreneur yesterday said he was “assured” by Dr Hubert Minnis that his $2m Paradise Island project would not be “compromised” in favour of Royal Caribbean (RCCL).

Toby Smith, principal of Paradise Island Lighthouse & Beach Club Company, told Guardian Talk Radio that his efforts to lease five acres of crown land on Paradise Island’s western end would not be sacrificed to ensure the cruise line’s Grand Lucayan joint venture closed that deal.

“The prime minister reassured me he was not about to compromise [my] deal with Carnival or RCCL or any other cruise line, and to be patient,” Mr Smith said, after finding out his project was possibly being held up while the government focused on getting the $300m Freeport project over the line.

Tribune Business had previously been told by informed sources that the

PARADISE Island lighthouse.

Minnis administration was waiting for that deal to close before it would approve Royal Caribbean’s beach club plans for Paradise Island/Colonial Beach - in effect, using the Nassau deal as leverage to get the cruise line to complete the Grand Lucayan purchase.

This newspaper understands that negotiations between the government, and Royal Caribbean, ITM Group and their

Holistica joint venture, hit an “impasse” in November/ December 2019. To break this, the prime minister is said to have met individually with all the players during the first or second week in January.

This is exactly the same time that Mr Smith received his “approval for crown land lease” document on January 7, 2020, complete with copy of the lease for two parcels - one for two acres, the other

for three - to be signed and executed. He signed and returned it on January 9, but the government has held-off on applying its signature.

Mr Smith, who said he was “suckered” into thinking a crown land lease he had been negotiating for eight years was proceeding only for Royal Caribbean to subsequently apply for much of the same land, then came under pressure from the government to accept

an “inferior” piece of land at Colonial Beach.

The entrepreneur said he spoke to Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean’s president and chief executive, at the Grand Lucayan signing on March 2 in the hope they could work out a compromise over their competing Paradise Island ambitions.

Mr Smith said: “I approached him very civilly and said: ‘I think it would be beneficial to both parties that you understand what it is I’m trying to do over there, let me understand what you’re trying to do over there and then maybe we can both figure out how we can both do what we want to do over there together.”

He added that he would like to “take the heat off of the prime minister” on which deal he would prefer over the other, and said he would like to “try to figure out how we can work this one out. Then, once me and you can agree, we can go to the prime minister and say: ‘Hey, prime minister we’re looking for a trifecta win where my company wins, RCCL wins and the government wins’.”

PAGE 2, Wednesday, March 11, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Bahamas present for top dive show

IAIN RODGERS, Bahamas Tourism Office UK, and Muriel Rolle-Gaitor, Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas.

MURIEL ROLLE-GAITOR, Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas, with two UK clients.

PRIVATE and public sector executives represented The Bahamas at a major diving event staged in the UK. Iain Rodgers, senior marketing manager from the UK-based Bahamas Tourism Office, attended the Go Diving 2020 trade and consumer show that was held in the UK. Muriel Rolle-Gaitor, of Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas, also represented this nation.

Go Diving, which was spread across three days, attracted nearly 7,000 visitors, which represented a

25 percent increase over the inaugural show in 2019. The trade day included seminars and member forums, with presentations for dive centres/schools on developing an internet presence and using social media.

Among the main speakers was Steve Backshall, who presented BBC Blue Planet LIVE from Bimini in 2019. Those attending the show included Simon Rogerson, the editor of SCUBA Magazine, the official journal of the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC), which has 28,000 members.

The magazine itself has 19,000 subscribers.

A specialist underwater photographer, Mr Rogerson recently returned from a multi-island familiarisation trip to The Bahamas.

He worked with the Bahamas Tourism Office to create its new dive guide for the UK market, which was launched at the show and will also be distributed with SCUBA magazine. Further exposure for The Bahamas will be achieved through future editorials and images in the magazine.

BAIC PROJECT ASSESSES WATERWAY RE-OPENING

STUDENTS engaged in data collection at the London Creek site.

THE BAHAMAS Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) is executing a long-term research initiative at London Creek in North Andros.

The project will examine the flow of water through the London Creek ecosystem, which was interrupted by the construction of the road connecting North Andros to Central Andros.

The construction of bridges to span creeks, or the use of culverts under the roads, are often used to maintain the surrounding ecology but in this instance no such remediation efforts were taken when the road

was built. Construction of a bridge to alleviate this problem is now underway and expected to be completed by May 2020.

Dr Raveenia RobertsHanna, BAMSI’s executive director, said the Institute’s goal is “to assess the longterm impact of the opening of the waterway on marine life and surrounding areas”.

The research will document changes to the water chemistry of the creek’s ecosystem due to the reestablishment of previous tidal flows as the bridge is completed. It will also record the biodiversity changes in the creek’s flora

and fauna that will occur due to the waterway’s re-opening.

“BAMSI students are actively involved in creating sustainable solutions for current issues within the sector,” Dr Roberts-Hanna said.

“This project bodes well for the development of scientific acumen of the students as they are engaged in all aspects of research, data collection, critical analysis and discussions, thus equipping them with the much-needed scientific tools and resources to mold them into the next generation of leaders in this country and beyond.”

AGRICULTURE EXPO GETS END-MARCH GO-AHEAD

THE 2020 Agri-Business Expo will be held from March 27-28 at Gladstone Road, a top Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources official has confirmed.

Joel Lewis, its permanent secretary, said the theme of Let’s get smart with agriculture, grow local, eat fresh, was

more than appropriate for both the sector and wider country.

“Our committee has worked assiduously to put on an event that will showcase the best aspects of our nation’s farmers, producers, artisan’s suppliers and agribusiness professionals over the two days of information

and sharing,” Mr Lewis said.

Pictured from left are Keith Daley, senior food technologist; Caron Shepard, Bahamas Agrienterprise; Mr Lewis and Cheryl Bowe-Moss, committee chairperson and director of co-operatives Photos: Derek Smith/BIS

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 11, 2020, PAGE 3

NIB director refutes smart card ‘shortage’

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net THE National Insurance Board (NOB) yesterday said it is “always seeking” to make smart card renewals faster as it denied suggestions this process has suffered shortages or delays.

Dr Nicola Virgill-Rolle, NIB’s director, reiterated that “there is no shortage in the NIB smart card” after it was alleged that the inability of South and Central Andros businesses/ residents to obtain timely renewals was impeding efforts to register with Customs’ new Click2Clear system and clear imported goods.

However, Mrs VirgilRolle confirmed there is a change in procedure” whereby NIB is issuing decals for smart card renewals. These are designed to be tamper resistant, thereby protecting the card’s integrity and acting as a safeguard against social security fraud, identity theft and other criminal abuses.

“The card was not supposed to last very long,” she added. “It was only

DR NICOLA VIRGILL-ROLLE supposed to last for two years, but we are finding cards are being renewed in good shape, so we are putting tamper resistant decals on the cards for renewals since November. We have been printing cards and I have told my team to give some new numbers in terms of the new card issuance.”

And NIB, in a statement to the media, added: “NIB introduced a new renewal decal system in late 2019 to extend the life of the existing smart cards which, at the time of issuance, had a five-year expiration, and in anticipation of changes to the card as part of the strategic plan to include a payment mechanism. The new approach resulted in reduced administrative expenses, which is a key priority of the board.

“Most cardholders are able to retain their expired cards with a tamper-resistant National Insurance (NI) decal affixed, which extends the card’s expiration date. The decals are available at all NIB offices.

Letters verifying the NIB number of the registrants are also prepared for issuance.

“NIB continues to issue new NIB smart cards for Bahamian children who turn 16, Bahamian adults applying for the first time, and seniors. For lost/stolen/ damaged cards, upon receipt of a police report and $10 replacement card fee, a new card is printed for the registrant.”

NIB responded after Rochelle KingTrabulsy, a Mangrove Cay-based customs broker, told Tribune Business that the difficulties associated with the Click2Clear transition had seemingly been compounded by problems impacting the renewal and issuance of NIB smart cards.

A valid card is required for persons to successfully register with Click2Clear, but she added: “We heard that the NIB office in

BAHAMIAN REAL ESTATE TO BE ‘STABLE FOR YEARS’

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A PROMINENT Bahamian realtor yesterday voiced optimism that the Bahamian high-end real estate market will be “stable for years to come” given the country’s sound economic fundamentals.

George Damianos, pictured, Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty’s president and managing broker, told Tribune Business: “I entered the business in 1972, and I would say that probably was the lowest I have ever seen in real estate in The Bahamas.

“It was prior to Bahamian independence in 1973 where there were a lot of people that were leaving, and a lot of Bahamian businesses were closing down, so I would say around 1973 was the toughest time I have ever seen in real estate in The Bahamas.”

While The Bahamas, and whole world, faces a new potential threat in the form of the coronavirus, Mr Damianos expressed confidence that this, too, was another challenge this nation’s real estate market can overcome.

“I think the luxury market in The Bahamas is stable and there is a demand for high-end properties,” he added. “I think because we have a great location, and we also have a very stable dollar, which is on par with the US dollar, it is stable and will be stable for years to come.

“We have enjoyed the highs in the early 2000s and the late 1990s, which was when The Bahamas really took off in luxury real estate and definitely were high points in our business and our careers, and the expansion of our business.”

Lana Rademaker, Damianos Sotheby’s

Nassau is out of cards, and has not been able to issue new cards. People have had to come in to have a decal placed on their existing card showing it is valid for another year.

“The process takes longer. You have to go to Nassau, get the card and then register for Click2Clear. The local NIB office is unable to do that.

They have to wait on Nassau and send the information to Nassau. Persons who cannot travel have to wait for Nassau to produce a letter, send an e-mail and produce the decal sticker.

“Some people have been frustrated because NIB is unable to facilitate them right away to do what they need to do in terms of registering with Click2Clear.

They cannot do it without that. Absolutely not. They need a valid NIB card to be able to do that. And after five days Customs charges a storage fee.”

Dr Virgill-Rolle, though, said: “We have no knowledge of any outstanding cards for Andros. The cards are printed in New Providence for most of our smaller Family Island offices and then sent back

throughout the Bahamas, so it is not just in Nassau.

Our agents on Out Islands are constantly working with buyers who are looking for luxury homes, beach front properties, so accessibility and ease of access into the country from international cities and major hubs is huge for us.

“The addition of international flights - I see the new one that came from Denver over the weekend - that really changes the market for us, because a client can get on a direct flight and land here in Nassau. That, for them, makes the decision so much easier to come here than another Caribbean island where you need one or two extra flights to get there.”

Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty is currently celebrating 75 years of business in the Bahamian real estate market, and plans a major celebration to mark the occasion later this year.

card is to facilitate the payment of contributions and the payment of benefits to workers. As such, your NI number never changes once issued. The organisation continually seeks to improve its processes to enhance the customer service experience, and is exploring the expanded use of the smart card as a payment mechanism.

“With over 150,000 employees registered in its core business application system, NIB has one of the largest electronic sources of identity data in The Bahamas, and has already provided government agencies with interfaces (web services) to this data source to validate NI numbers for both registrants and employers,” it added.

“These interfaces make it easier for customers to do business, and to bring about greater compliance. The Customs Department, along with the National Health Insurance Authority, were the first to benefit from such interfaces, which are available 24/7. There has also been a recent expansion to support the government’s digitisation agenda.”

Bahamian gas prices in 60-day wait on oil drop

By YOURI KEMP Tribune Business Reporter ykemp@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN gasoline prices could take 60 days to decrease in line with the plunge in global oil prices, a top local executive said yesterday.

Keith Glinton, regional manager for Sol Petroleum (Bahamas), the Esso distributor, told Tribune Business: “I think we will have to see how soon it will ripple through. Typically we carry up to 30 days inventory, the industry does.

International Realty’s chief brokerage officer and coowner, said: “I think Baha Mar is definitely going to bode well for us. We have had success with Baha Mar selling their condo hotel residences and, in general, we find clients coming in are coming in to stay at Baha Mar. “They want to see what it is about and enjoy it as a resort, and while they are here they want to look at real estate opportunities.

Are there investment properties that they can rent, that they can do Airbnb with, or is there a long-term residential plan for them to be here?

She added: “These anchor resorts, it was Atlantis in the late 1990s, and now it is Baha Mar that is the new appeal. Atlantis still remains a very strong driver for us with clients coming in to invest in the Reef.

“We have consistent inquiries and demand for luxury real estate all

to those Family Islands.

“We have arrangements with the web service for Customs, so we will follow up with that to understand what’s happening there.

The NIB number never changes for the individual.

They always have access to their NIB numbers, and they have access to even the expired cards as well.

But we will follow up on the matter.

“So we have continued to print new cards as well as for persons who are first time card-holders, and we do several of those per month. It’s a process where we are always looking to improve customer service and make it faster for our customers to get their renewals done.”

NIB’s release added: “As is standard practice since 2014, registration requests made at most Family Island offices, including Andros, are forwarded to headquarters in New Providence, where cards are printed and shipped weekly. At present, there are no outstanding registration requests for Andros.

“NIB reminds that the original purpose of the NI number reflected on the

“We have a pricing mechanism that requires that prior inventories be exhausted before price changes take effect. It’s hard to tell, but my guess would be between 30 to 60 days. That would be my guess. We have to continue to follow this. Remember, what you are seeing is a point and time and not anything that is definitive.”

CNN reported yesterday that oil prices have suffered their biggest fall since early 1991 and the start of the first Iraq war, when the US launched air strikes to

start driving the Saddam Hussein regime out of Kuwait.

The drop was caused by a Saudi Arabian production increase as part of its “price war” with Russia following the latter’s threat to leave the global oil cartel, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, was down 22 percent, last trading at $35.45 per barrel, while US oil is trading at $33.15 per barrel, a decline of nearly 20 percent.

PAGE 4, Wednesday, March 11, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Ministry buries cemetery expansion plan (for now) FROM PAGE ONE to allow each to vent their respective cases.

He explained that it would take the form of “a fact-finding mission” where Woodlawn Gardens would be asked to explain what

authorisation it believe it had to undertake the clearance and perimeter road construction.

“There are no approvals in place and there is no application pending,” Mr White told Tribune Business of the cemetery’s activities

to-date. “The works that have been carried out are without approval, and a ‘stop order’ has been issued.

“We will be having a hearing with the residents from Danottage Estates as well as Village Estates, as well as representatives from the

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cemetery who, we understand, are represented by attorneys from Dupuch & Turnquest. The invitation is going to go out for them to attend the next public hearing, which is two weeks from today [yesterday].”

Mr White revealed that Woodlawn Gardens was issued with a “stop order” on February 25, 2020, when Melanie Roach, the director of works, sent a letter demanding that it “close off” all the former deadend roads it had opened up to preserve “the safety and security” of area residents as well as traffic flows on Soldier Road.

“They were told to close off any access on public roads abutting their boundaries due to safety and security concerns for those areas as well as Soldier Road,” he reiterated.

“There isn’t any mention of any approvals in anything I’ve seen.”

Lawrence Lightbourn, Woodlawn Gardens’ principal manager, and Caryl Lashley, the Dupuch & Turnquest attorney and partner said to be representing the cemetery, did not return Tribune Business phone calls seeking comment yesterday despite detailed messages being left as to the nature of this

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It is uncertain, though, whether Woodlawn Gardens has fully complied with the “stop order”. A Tribune staffer who attended a funeral at Woodlawn Gardens this past weekend said they were surprised to access the cemetery through one of the just-opened roads, adding that it felt like they were driving through someone’s garden.

And residents confirmed last weekend was the first when burial-bound traffic appeared to have been directed to use Linkford Street, as well as many other previously closed-off roads through Danottage Estates, to access Woodlawn Gardens’ northern portion.

“We have learned that funeral homes have been advised to direct grieving persons to Linkford, Calvin and Dawson dead-ends, and that Linkford - where a gate was erected at some point - is the primary access point for caskets, maintenance and road-related construction, and has been for quite a while,” Mrs Clancy-Deveaux said.

Mr White, meanwhile, said the upcoming hearing would only be open to representatives of the cemetery and residents because the requirement for it to be public had not been triggered since no formal planning approvals had been sought.

“It’s a fact-finding mission, so to speak,” he explained of the hearing. “What we’re going to be seeking is to receive information from Woodlawn Gardens that it has acted on, and which in their view gives them the authorisation to carry out the activities they have that are objected to strongly by the residents of surrounding communities that adjoin property previously developed by Woodlawn Gardens.

“They appear to be expanding Woodlawn Gardens’ area, and possibly burial lots, by the clearing of lots and perimeter fencing that has opened up direct access by vehicles.... from Danottage Estates and Village Estates. That’s our understanding.”

Mrs Clancy-Deveaux said Woodlawn Gardens had sought to open every dead-end road “from the BTC exchange building on Soldier Road all the way down to the BPL building”.

Revealing that there had been no public meetings or consultation as required by the Planning and Subdivisions Act, she added that residents were only alerted to the cemetery’s intentions in late February by the dump trucks and heavy vehicles traversing their tight residential streets.

“It means that burials will take place on the other side of the fence from people’s homes,” Mrs Clancy-Deveaux charged.

“If they put a perimeter road on their property that abuts all the residents on their back, a lot of those

people will have their doors opening right up to that.

“Cemeteries around the world have a wall. People are going to park all over those dead end streets. Even if they put bollards in people will walk through. It’s a very big concern. We’ve had three public meetings and they’ve been extremely well attended. We have 200 signatures on the petition and counting.

“People are irate, and have been using their vehicles to close off streets that were dead ends. It’s not just a ‘me and three people’ issue. It’s an everybody issue... We alerted the public sector agencies to this. It was all done cloaked by Woodlawn.”

Mrs Clancy-Deveaux said residents, and their Associations, took their case to the planning agencies yesterday.

She said they met briefly with Charles Zonicle, director of physical planning, Mr Francis from the Ministry of Works’ engineering unit, and left documents with the secretaries for Ms Roach and Cora Bain-Colebrooke, the Ministry of Works permanent secretary.

“This has huge ramifications, and not just for our communities,” she told Tribune Business. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in Bain Town or Lyford Cay or wherever. There are rules and they have to be complied with. Otherwise we’re going in the direction of Port o Paix and no one wants that for our island.

“This issue falls within the context of what kind of island we want New Providence to be. Every neighbourhood, community, subdivision, and gated all need to be protected for their residential development lest we further dissolve into a hodge-podge both unregulated and unprotected.”

Mr Bannister, confirming he was aware of the issues at Woodlawn Gardens, told this newspaper: “I was shown some photos that caused me some concern, and sent it off to the director of works to have that stopped.

“We are aware of it, and are going to do something to ensure those roads still maintain some of their identity. The ministry is going to take action in relation to that. I have communicated with my office, and it is a concern; a serious concern that we have to address.

“Those neighbourhoods are entitled to have their privacy. This has caused lots of concern. We need to act as quickly as possible to ensure those communities don’t have the character of those streets changed. We’re not going to allow the opening up of those streets,” he continued.

“Be assured we’re going to take action in relation to it. The ministry is going to be taking action to protect the character of those neighbourhoods.”

Maintenance Technician Needed to service and repair washers, dryers, heaters, and boilers.

• Must have strong work ethics and at least 5 years experience.

• Must be self motivated and able to work with little supervision.

• Must be able to read and write English.

• Must be able to read schematics.

Send Resume to

Maintenancetech2020@gmail.com

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 11, 2020, PAGE 5

CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THE CHILDREN AT RANFURLY

T

he Ranfurly Homes for Children has been a safe haven for thousands of Bahamian children since 1956. The Home provides a safe, structured environment for children who have been orphaned, abused, neglected or abandoned.

YOU can make a difference in the lives of the children at Ranfurly. With your support children can have nutritious food, warm beds and a safe environment where they can discover the joy of being children. For years the children living and learning at Ranfurly have made great social and academic strides.

Their further development requires additional support in the form of a Transitional Home, planned for construction on the Ranfurly property.

This residence will cater to teenagers and young adults who are beyond school age, but need accommodation while they find work and gain independence from the Home.

We look forward to your continued support in this worthwhile endeavour.

MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES Individuals, Families & Corporate Sponsors Children Helping Children - $5 (Individual children from ages 6 - 18) Individuals Helping Children - $50 (Individual adults 18 years and over) Families Helping Children - $100

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OPPORTUNITIES • • • •

Invitations to Ranfurly events Assist with fundraising events Involvement with special activities Adults are eligible to join the Board after three months • Stay in touch with Ranfurly through website and newsletters

BENEFITS

• Personal fulfillment in knowing you are impacting lives • Ranfurly children’s appreciation and positive response • Continued support provides stability and constant care

For more information visit: www.ranfurlyhome.org Please “Like” us on Facebook Ranfurly Home for Children, Mackey Street P.O. Box 1413 Nassau, Bahamas 242-393-3115

PAGE 6, Wednesday, March 11, 2020

BTC blames parent for non-compliance ‘beyond our control’ FROM PAGE ONE

written approval.”

These violations also meant BTC had breached its operating licence, which requires it to comply with the Communications Act and associated regulations.

“BTC did not dispute whether it was in breach but instead explained the circumstances leading up to the alleged breach, which BTC claimed were beyond its control,” URCA’s determination found.

Much of the details are “blacked out”, which is likely to protect details that BTC alleges are commercially sensitive and should not be seen by competitors. However, what is made public suggests that the carrier’s problems were caused by unsuccessful negotiations CWC conducted in a bid to reach new licensing agreements with TV content providers.

Flow TV is a CWC product that is present in all markets it operates, including The Bahamas. This means that the immediate parent, not BTC, is responsible for negotiating content and the channel line-up, hence the latter’s argument that the situation was out of its hands.

“BTC explained that it intended to be totally

THE TRIBUNE

transparent with both URCA and its customers in respect to the changes to the Flow TC channel line-up,” the regulator’s determination added.

“While BTC recognised there should be strict adherence to the rules and its individual operating licence, BTC believed that the circumstances in this case should be treated as an exception as BTC took all appropriate steps to inform URCA and its customers of the changes.”

BTC said it was now speaking to CWC to ensure it avoids further “potential breaches”, and argued that the impacted subscriber base was “quite minimal” and that customers were informed of the changes 30 days in advance with the option to exit their contracts without penalty.

However, URCA found that the customer notice was “null and void” because it had not approved the changes itself. It also rejected BTC’s contention that the impact was “minimal”, given that only three of the six channels were removed from the Spark Triple Play package that most customers subscribe to.

As a result, URCA ruled that BTC must pay a fine equivalent to 5.15 percent of the total revenue earned from its pay-TV bundles during the months of November 2018, December 2018 and January 2019.

Stocks rebound from big losses on hope for US economic aid NEW YORK Associated Press STOCKS yesterday recouped most of their historic losses from the prior day as hopes rose, faded and then bloomed again on Wall Street that the US government will try to cushion the economic pain from the coronavirus.

The day’s moves were a microcosm of the severe swings that have dominated recent weeks, and market watchers say they are likely to continue until the number of infections stops accelerating. In the meantime, investors want to see a big, coordinated response from governments and central banks to shore up the virusweakened economy.

The S&P 500 surged as much as 3.7% in the morning, only to see the gains evaporate by midday. The index then bounced up and down before turning decisively higher after President Donald Trump pitched his ideas for a break on payroll taxes and other economic relief to Senate Republicans.

By the end of trading, the S&P 500 was up 4.9%. It erased three-fifths of Monday’s loss, which was the sharpest since 2008, when global authorities banded together to rescue the economy from the financial crisis.

The volatility reflected the mood of a market just as preoccupied with the virus as the rest of the world.

Since US stocks set their record high just a few weeks ago, traders have crossed over from dismissing the economic pain created by COVID-19 — thinking it’s similar to the flu and could stay mostly contained in China — to being in thrall to it — worrying that it may cause a worldwide recession.

While they won’t cure illnesses or get quarantined workers back into factories, spending and stimulus programs would put cash into the hands of households and businesses while health experts try to corral the virus. That could stave off or at least moderate a possible recession.

Investors saw glimmers of a coordinated response, which led to yesterday’s optimism.

At a White House press briefing on Monday night, Trump said his administration would be asking Congress to cut payroll taxes and pass other quick measures aimed at easing the impact of the coronavirus on workers.

In Japan, a task force set up by the prime minister approved a 430 billion yen ($4.1bn) package yesterday with support for small to medium-sized businesses.

But as markets waited on

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that JUNIVA JOACHIM of Lazaretto Road, Nassau, Bahamas, is 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 11th day of March 2020 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

MARKET REPORT www.bisxbahamas.com

(242) 323-2330

TUESDAY, 10 MARCH 2020

(242) 323-2320

ALL SHARE INDEX: CLOSE: 2,205.94 | CHG: 0.10 | %CHG: 0.00 | YTD: -25.66 | YTD%: -1.15 BISX LISTED & TRADED SECURITIES 52WK HI 4.45 22.65 7.00 6.70 2.60 2.00 5.47 12.77 6.17 4.50 10.75 3.64 5.10 10.88 8.00 16.99 9.40 3.90 15.20

52WK LOW 3.35 20.91 5.50 5.38 1.77 0.67 2.00 10.01 5.60 3.89 6.10 2.53 1.76 8.00 6.40 14.00 6.98 3.14 13.85

SECURITY AML Foods Limited APD Limited Bahamas Property Fund Bahamas Waste Bank of Bahamas Benchmark Cable Bahamas CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank Colina Holdings Commonwealth Bank Commonwealth Brewery Consolidated Water BDRs Doctor's Hospital Emera Incorporated Famguard Fidelity Bank Finco Focol J. S. Johnson

SYMBOL AML APD BPF BWL BOB BBL CAB CIB CHL CBL CBB CWCB DHS EMAB FAM FBB FIN FCL JSJ

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00

Cable Bahamas Series 6 Cable Bahamas Series 8 Cable Bahamas Series 9 Cable Bahamas Series 10 Colina Holdings Class A Fidelity Bank Class A Focol Class B

CAB6 CAB8 CAB9 CAB10 CHLA FBBA FCLB

PREFERENCE SHARES

1.00 10.00 1.00

1.00 10.00 1.00

CORPORATE DEBT - (percentage pricing) 52WK HI 100.00

52WK LOW 100.00

115.92 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

104.79 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

SECURITY Fidelity Bank Note 22 (Series B) +

SYMBOL FBB22

Bahamas Note 6.95 (2029) BGS: 2015-1-3Y BGS: 2014-12-5Y BGS: 2015-1-5Y BGS: 2014-12-7Y BGS: 2015-1-7Y BGS: 2014-12-30Y BGS: 2015-1-30Y BGS: 2015-6-3Y BGS: 2015-6-5Y BGS: 2015-6-7Y BGS: 2015-6-30Y BGS: 2015-10-3Y BGS: 2015-10-5Y BGS: 2015-10-7Y

BAH29 BG0203 BG0105 BG0205 BG0107 BG0207 BG0130 BG0230 BG0303 BG0305 BG0307 BG0330 BG0403 BG0405 BG0407

BAHAMAS GOVERNMENT STOCK - (percentage pricing)

LAST CLOSE 3.50 17.43 6.00 6.68 2.10 1.62 3.00 11.95 6.00 4.26 6.10 3.18 5.06 9.93 8.00 15.08 8.97 3.72 15.20

CLOSE 3.50 17.43 6.00 6.68 2.10 1.62 3.00 11.95 6.00 4.26 6.10 3.22 5.06 10.01 8.00 15.08 8.97 3.72 15.20

CHANGE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 1.00 10.00 1.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

CLOSE 100.00

CHANGE 0.00

107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

LAST SALE 100.00 107.31 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

VOLUME

VOLUME

EPS$ 0.239 0.932 1.760 0.369 0.070 0.000 -0.438 0.722 0.449 0.184 0.140 0.102 0.467 0.646 0.728 0.816 0.939 0.203 0.631

DIV$ 0.170 1.260 0.000 0.260 0.000 0.020 0.000 0.720 0.220 0.120 0.000 0.434 0.060 0.328 0.240 0.540 0.200 0.120 0.610

P/E 14.6 18.7 N/M 18.1 N/M N/M -6.8 16.6 13.4 23.2 43.6 31.6 10.8 15.5 11.0 18.5 9.6 18.3 24.1

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000

0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

YIELD 4.86% 7.23% 0.00% 3.89% 0.00% 1.23% 0.00% 6.03% 3.67% 2.82% 0.00% 13.48% 1.19% 3.28% 3.00% 3.58% 2.23% 3.23% 4.01% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6.25% 7.00% 6.50%

INTEREST Prime + 1.75%

MATURITY 19-Oct-2022

6.95% 4.00% 4.25% 4.25% 4.50% 4.50% 6.25% 6.25% 4.00% 4.25% 4.50% 6.25% 3.50% 3.88% 4.25%

20-Nov-2029 30-Jul-2018 16-Dec-2019 30-Jul-2020 15-Dec-2021 30-Jul-2022 15-Dec-2044 30-Jul-2045 26-Jun-2018 26-Jun-2020 26-Jun-2022 26-Jun-2045 15-Oct-2018 15-Oct-2020 15-Oct-2022

YTD% 12 MTH% 0.37% 3.81% 0.24% 4.38% 0.23% 2.75% 5.76% 5.76% 12.81% 12.81% 0.58% 4.04% -1.09% 5.26% 0.22% 4.45% 2.29% 9.61% 11.57% 11.57% 18.35% 18.35% 5.17% 5.17% 15.86% 15.86% 5.67% 5.67% 3.40% 3.40% N/A N/A 10.80% 2.60% 10.40% -4.00%

NAV Date 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Jan-2020 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2019

MUTUAL FUNDS 52WK HI 2.30 4.38 2.09 195.13 166.73 1.67 1.83 1.76 1.23 8.34 10.26 6.94 12.01 12.35 10.74 10.00 8.98 11.79

52WK LOW 1.67 3.30 1.68 164.74 116.70 1.67 1.83 1.76 1.23 6.41 7.62 5.66 8.65 10.54 9.57 9.88 8.45 11.20

FUND CFAL Bond Fund CFAL Balanced Fund CFAL Money Market Fund CFAL Global Bond Fund CFAL Global Equity Fund Leno Preferred Income Fund Leno Growth Fund Leno Diversified Fund Leno Global USD Bond Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Secured Balanced Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Targeted Equity Fund Royal Fidelity Bahamas Opportunities Fund - Prime Income Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Equities Sub Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - High Yield Fund Royal Fidelity Int'l Fund - Alternative Strategies Fund Colonial Bahamas Fund Class D Colonial Bahamas Fund Class E Colonial Bahamas Fund Class F

NAV 2.30 4.38 2.09 195.13 166.73 1.67 1.83 1.76 1.23 8.34 10.23 6.94 12.01 12.35 10.73 N/A 8.98 11.40

MARKET TERMS

BISX ALL SHARE INDEX - 19 Dec 02 = 1,000.00 52wk-Hi - Highest closing price in last 52 weeks 52wk-Low - Lowest closing price in last 52 weeks Previous Close - Previous day's weighted price for daily volume Today's Close - Current day's weighted price for daily volume Change - Change in closing price from day to day Daily Vol. - Number of total shares traded today DIV $ - Dividends per share paid in the last 12 months P/E - Closing price divided by the last 12 month earnings

YIELD - last 12 month dividends divided by closing price Bid $ - Buying price of Colina and Fidelity Ask $ - Selling price of Colina and fidelity Last Price - Last traded over-the-counter price Weekly Vol. - Trading volume of the prior week EPS $ - A company's reported earnings per share for the last 12 mths NAV - Net Asset Value N/M - Not Meaningful

TO TRADE CALL: CFAL 242-502-7010 | ROYALFIDELITY 242-356-7764 | COLONIAL 242-502-7525 | LENO 242-396-3225 | BENCHMARK 242-326-7333

Tuesday for details about Trump’s plan, prices oscillated sharply.

After a meeting with major health insurers, Trump said the government is working with the cruise line industry, one of the hardest hit by the virus. That helped lift the market, which had earlier flipped to losses amid doubts that the government would announce anything soon.

The S&P 500 shuffled along with modest gains until rocketing higher in the last two hours of trading after Trump made his pitch for economic aid on Capitol Hill. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose support would be needed for any deal in a deeply divided Congress.

Mnuchin called the meeting productive.

“I would expect the authorities to pull out all the stops to reduce uncertainty,” said Alec Young, managing director of global markets research at FTSE Russell. “This may be their one opportunity to do that.”

Perhaps the most notable move in markets yesterday was that Treasury yields pushed higher. The bond market rang warning bells about the virus long before the stock market, and a rise in yields is a sign that fear has receded a bit.

The ten-year Treasury yield rose to 0.79% from 0.49% late on Monday. A week ago, it had never been below 1%.

The S&P 500 rose 135.67 points, or 4.9%, to 2,882.23.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1,167.14 points, or 4.9%, to 25,018.16, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 393.58, or 5%, to 8,344.25.

The recovery is pulling the stock market a bit further from the edge of a bear market, signified by a drop of 20% from a record. The S&P 500 is down 14.9% from its high. If it can rally back to that point, it would extend the longest-ever bull

market, which began its climb after the market hit bottom on March 9, 2009.

Brent crude, the international standard, rose $2.86, or 8.3%, to settle at $37.22 a barrel, while benchmark US crude rose $3.23, or 10.4%, to $34.36 a barrel. Oil prices plunged 25% on Monday amid a price war between producers, who are pulling more oil out of the ground even though demand is falling due to the virus.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.

But because the virus is new, experts can’t say for sure how far it will ultimately spread. That has investors worried about the worst-case scenario for corporate profits and the economy, where factories and supply chains are shut around the world due to quarantines and people stay huddled at home instead of working or spending.

Investors expect central banks around the world, which have done some of the heaviest lifting to prop up markets the last decade, to do more to cushion the blow.

Traders expect the Fed to cut rates again at its meeting next week. They’re also expecting some kind of action from the European Central Bank, which meets tomorrow.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that YOLETTE SAINT-CYR BAPTISTE of , Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, Bahamas, is 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 21st day of February 2020 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

NOTICE NOTICE is hereby given that MIRIAM ELOISE GREFFIN of Market Street, Nassau, Bahamas, is 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 11th day of March 2020 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.

30-Sep-2019 30-Sep-2019 30-Sep-2019

March 5th, 2020

April 4th, 2020

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, March 11, 2020, PAGE 7

‘No industry immune’ Entrepreneurs unite from the coronavirus local pop-up vendors

FROM PAGE ONE

both impact us directly.

We’re all tied together tourism, banking, real estate and lifestyle. It’s something we’ve got to keep an eye on. It’s a very unique situation. It’s not like a hurricane that you’re going to recover from. It’s not weather-based, it’s not terrorism-based. It’s compounding so quickly. It’s a wait; a serious wait.”

George Damianos, president and managing broker of Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty, told Tribune Business that while the coronavirus is not causing clients to decline Bahamian real estate, some have postponed or are reconsidering plans to travel to this nation.

“We have had people cancelling trips saying they will not come now, and will come later in the year, or people saying they are still coming but may cancel prior depending on their travel advisories,” he revealed.

“It’s a very disruptive thing, and it’s very difficult for me on this end to say: ‘Not to worry, everything’s fine in The Bahamas’ whereas if something happens I will feel awful. I’m trying to remain realistic, saying come when you can and it’s appropriate, and we look forward to giving you service. It’s not that people are not interested in buying in The Bahamas because of the coronavirus. That’s not come up.”

Mr Damianos acknowledged that the Covid-19

virus’s impact would become “very concerning” for The Bahamas should the outbreak intensify to the extent that “travel comes to a grinding halt” or businesses be unable to stay open during their normal hours.

“That’s the main concern for everyone,” he added.

“How far and deep it will go, and how it will affect places like The Bahamas when these are not necessity trips to purchase real estate.

People come here to relax and enjoy. It’s a luxury item.

“It’s more of an exciting thing to do, but if the coronavirus gets worse it will have an impact where people say they do not need to go on a trip this summer, and stay home and decide not to buy a place in The Bahamas or other part of the world. It’s something we need to keep an eye on, and be cognisant of what can happen and what is going on around us.

“Obviously if people don’t come and look at real estate sales will slow down.

There’s no secret about that.

The Bahamas could be in for an interesting time, and the world could be in for an interesting time. I’m just hoping it doesn’t get too crazy.”

Mr Damianos said unsettled global stock markets were another potential deterrent to real estate purchases in The Bahamas by international buyers amid actual losses - or the fear of potential losses incurred by their investment portfolios.

To advertise in The Tribune, contact 502-2394

SINGER Dyson Knight and Tin Ferl founders imitate the Beetles.

L

UNCH vendors have been brought together at one location by three Bahamian entrepreneurs in the belief that their collective strength will yield greater economic benefits for all.

Tin Ferl’s Pop-Up Park at The Dundas Centre for The Performing Arts launched on Monday. Tin Ferl was founded in June 2019 by three friends - Kendrick Delaney, founder of The New Duff; Brandon Kemp, founder of the Nassau Night Market; and Alicia “Puppy” Robinson Treco; founder of Pup Star Entertainment who joined forces to address some of the issues facing “pop-up” vendors.

“This ‘Palmdale oasis’ is an everyday lunch spot where visitors can find pop-up vendors and stylish food trucks selling a wide variety of affordable food and drink options,” said Ms Robinson Treco. “People can stop by, grab a delicious lunch to go or they can stay, relax and eat on these beautiful, tree-lined grounds. It’s a unique location that patrons and vendors alike are going to love.”

The trio believe Tin Ferl’s formation will advocate for the pop-up community, be a centre for information and networking, and provide vendors with opportunities to develop their businesses and sell their products.

Membership has grown to 100-plus vendors, who have serviced community events such as Aliv’s Back to School Fair; the Downtown Nassau Partnership’s Independence Pride Festival; Soundwaves Music Festivals; and the Night Market.

“Our name Tin Ferl - Bahamian for Tin Foil - is what we are all about,” said Mr Kemp. “A single piece of foil is easy to tear. But when you layer foil, stacking one piece on top of another on top of another, it becomes very strong. Tin Ferl is dedicated to uniting and supporting small businesses, and

THE THREE founders of Tin Ferl enjoy the Dundas property. From left: Brandon Kemp, Alicia Robinson Treco and Kendrick Delaney.

THE FOUNDERS are joined by Delores Adderley, executive of the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, to cut the ribbon. to providing the pop-up community Park to enjoy grilled fish, jerk chicken, with affordable, stable and rewarding boiled food, vegan dishes and desserts, locations to sell their products. ginger pork stuffed buns, refresh“This park is a beautiful, spacious ing drinks and other flavours offered spot where pop-up vendors can sell by vendors. their products Monday through Sat“Being out here is affordable,” urday, not just waiting for the next said Mr Delaney. “For as little as pop-up event or festival. We want $20 per day, vendors can sell their this to be the home for Pop-Up ven- products in this beautiful garden setdors, where they can work full-time ting here at The Dundas. They can at building their businesses because come once a week, three times a week. they have an affordable, ideal location It is very flexible. from which to build a strong following.

“And for artisans and craft persons We are very grateful to our sponsors, who may want to sell their products Aliv and Sign Island, for their support but aren’t able to be here, we have iniin helping make the Pop-Up Park a tiated the Community Booth. You can reality.” arrange to bring your products to the Black Pearl Bubble Tea, The New Pop-Up Park and we will sell them for Duff, Tipsea, Junior’s Jerk, Cabana you.”

Club, Natural Scrubs, Fancy Jonsa Bahamians are invited to Take a and the Night Market Smoothie Bar Break with Tin Ferl at the Pop-Up participated in last week’s soft launch. Park, from Monday through Saturday, Hundreds of customers visited the between 10am and 5pm.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, March 11, 2020

THE TRIBUNE