business@tribunemedia.net
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017
$4.10
$4.14
$4.16
‘No complaints’ on 72% profits decline By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Bahamas First’s chief executive was yesterday “not complaining at all” despite a 72 per cent fall in total comprehensive income for 2016, driven by a one-third increase in net claims stemming from Hurricane Matthew. Patrick Ward told Tribune Business that the insurer was
happy to still be “trading with an unencumbered balance sheet”, after the Category Three/Four storm produced by the largest gross payout in its history. Despite total comprehensive income declining year-overyear from $8.982 million in 2015 to just $2.543 million, Mr Ward said the Bahamas First Holdings group had maintained shareholder dividends
BoB bail-out debtors block property access By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Three of the ‘bad’ Bank of the Bahamas’ debtors involved in its bail-out are refusing to grant access to their properties, with the total portfolio transferred now worth 55.6 per cent less than the original valuation. James Smith, chairman of Bahamas Resolve, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) to which 13 ‘bad’ Bank of the Bahamas loans were transferred in October 2014, said its recovery efforts to-date had enjoyed limited success. Reiterating that the 13 loans were secured by real estate, mainly high-end residential or commercial properties, or a mixture of the two, Mr Smith said the “tight” market and bank lending conditions were making disposal difficult. “We sold, I think, two of the properties, and one is See pg b4
Resolve chief: Lawyers talk to avoid ‘stalemate’ Bad loans’ worth cut up to 55% to $20-$30m Limited, mixed success in collateral disposal
James Smith
Bahamas First in ‘exclusive’ Cayman patient refer deal By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Bahamas First’s chief executive yesterday said it “definitely has no intention” of entering the local health insurance market, despite a subsidiary obtaining ‘exclusive rights’ to refer Bahamian patients to a Cayman hospital. Patrick Ward told Tribune Business that the property and casualty insurer wanted to work with Bahamian health insurers and service providers to exploit its subsidiary’s agreement with Health City Cayman Islands (HCCI). He added that Bahamas First was “very keen to develop” the deal, involving its BFH Services (Cayman) affiliate, given the potential boost to its growing medical portfolio in that Caribbean nation. While unable to projections on the likely financial benefits to Bahamas First, Mr Ward said the group intended to promote HCCI
Insurer ‘very keen to develop’ deal for Bahamians But no plans to enter Bahamas health insure market Will work ‘in tandem’ with providers, insurers and the Cayman Islands as “an alternative” destination for Bahamians seeking medical care abroad. “It’s a developing scenario, and one we are very keen to develop in connection with local business partners, meaning our counterparts in the health insurance market and health services providers in the Bahamas,” Mr Ward told Tribune Business of the HCCI deal. “Our intention is to work in tandem with health insurers and providers here, See pg b5
at two-thirds of the prior year figure. “We were able to maintain the dividend payout at twothirds of the prior year, which was particularly pleasing,” he confirmed. “In 2016 it was eight cents per share, compared to 12 cents in 2015.” Bahamas First’s ability to maintain profitability despite such a catastrophic event was due to its geographical See pg b7
Bahamas First happy still in black, after $131m claims Cayman, Commonwealth mitigate Matthew Storm-hit properties face ‘localised’ premium rises
Insurer promises to tackle ‘affordability’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net Bahamas First yesterday pledged to work with the next government on a plan to increase insurance “penetration”, and reduce the devastation caused by Bahamians’ inability to afford adequate coverage. Patrick Ward, the insurer’s president and chief executive, told Tribune Business that Hurricane Matthew had exposed the extent of the Bahamas’ so-called “coverage gap”, meaning Bahamian homeowners and businesses who either had no property or casualty coverage or were under-insured.
Bahamas First in ‘micro insurance’ product talks Solution will ‘definitely move needle’ on penetration Pledges to engage new Govt on post-Matthew plan He revealed that Bahamas First was currently in talks with reinsurers over the provision of “micro insurance” products, which have proved See pg b6
$4.16
Vacation rentals ‘explosion’ threat to hotel business Realtor: 20% of stopovers already using Airbnb Forecasts major tourism market shift ‘Increasing volume of calls’ for Exuma, Abaco’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net The “exploding” vacation rental market will likely eat into hotel occupancy rates, a Bahamian realtor predicted yesterday, estimating that 20 per cent of this nation’s stopover visitors are currently using such accommodation. Arlington (Ali) Capron, principal of RE/MAX Luxury Properties Bahamas, told Tribune Business he was fielding an ever-increasing volume of calls from investors seeking vacation rental-type properties in Abaco and Exuma. “Because of the explosion of the vacation rental market, people are calling in saying can I get 6,8,9 per cent return on my investment, and which areas will yield this,” Mr Capron told Tribune Business. “I’m guiding them to those areas. More people are calling about Exuma and Abaco than ever before. The word is getting out that those are the places to be. High net worth individuals speak to each other and are going to do what others are doing.” He added that private islands and luxury properties in the Exuma islands chain were becoming especially popular, and said: “The volume of calls in that area See pg b4