THE Bahamian tax authorities have moved to crack down on shortterm vacation rental non-compliance through a move that has provoked accusations of a “fishing expedition”.
Tribune Business can reveal that the Department of Inland Revenue, working with the Government’s US-based consultant on vacation rental taxation, has issued a letter that Bahamian property owners started to receive last week as part of a review of “taxpayers’ compliance with the tax laws” of this nation.
The letter, which has been obtained by this newspaper, says the assessment’s “primary purpose” is to identify short-term vacation rentals that are
either operating without a valid Business Licence or failing to levy, collect and remit VAT on the rent paid by tourists to the Public Treasury.
It adds that those receiving the letter are being targeted because “a recent review” indicates they either own, and/or have advertised and listed, a short-term vacation rental without it being registered with the Department of Inland Revenue and Ministry of Finance.
Even those who have been targeted incorrectly, and do not own a short-term vacation rental property, are required to reply to the Department of Inland Revenue with “a written statement describing your circumstances”. Also, property owners who are registered and fully paid up-to-date with their taxes, will now have to submit proof of this to the tax collection agency. Persons who are noncompliant are being given
just seven business days to complete the registration process. They will also have to provide a copy of their rental agreement; real property tax certificate; and a “consent letter” from their community’s developer or copy of its “ordinance”. The latter is likely designed to check compliance with zoning regulations.
John Williams, the Department of Inland Revenue’s spokesman, confirmed to Tribune Business that the letter is genuine and that the agency is targeting both suspected vacation rental owners who have yet to register their properties plus those who have done so but are non-compliant with VAT and Business Licence payments.
Suggesting that there is “a substantial amount of money” that the
Abaco resort ‘puts off’ $9m, 40-room move on fee woes
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Bahama Out Island Promotion Board’s principal says he has “put off a major” 40-room expansion worth $9m at his Abaco resort due to ongoing uncertainty over the boating fees fall-out.
Emanuel Alexiou, the Abaco Beach Resort’s owner, told Tribune Business that while he is continuing with obtaining the necessary permits he is “not even going to think about” the investment he had hoped to begin construction work on in August
2026 amid fears that the full impact of a boating traffic decline will be felt next year. Disclosing that the Board and its members are today due to meet Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minister of tourism, investments and aviation, where the boating fees and subsequent negative reaction are among the topics due to be discussed, he contrasted the “concessions” the Government has made to cruise ships and Junkanoo with its treatment of the land-based tourism industry.
Fidelity: No ‘panic’ on rivals’ ‘extraordinary loan actions’
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
A BISX-listed bank will not resort to “panic” over the “extraordinary actions” some of its rivals have taken to reignite loan book growth, its top executive has pledged to shareholders.
Gowon Bowe, Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) chief executive, writing in the bank’s just-released 2024 annual report promised that the lender will not be swayed by the early 2025 moves of competitors who have offered “introductory” interest rates and credit terms that do not match the risk presented by borrowers.
Asserting that the bank had achieved its $18m net
profit target for the 2024 full-year by “standing firm”, he added that COVID-19 had merely exposed and accelerated existing challenges with finding quality, qualified borrowers in The Bahamas.
Super Value’s
ever four-location holiday closures
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
SUPER Value’s president yesterday confirmed that four of its 13 New Providence locations will for the first time close all day on a national holiday, adding: “It’s got to make business sense.”
Debra Symonette told Tribune Business the East Street, Wulff Road, Seagrapes Shopping Centre and Robinson Road stores will all be shut for the entire day during the August 4 Emancipation Day holiday in a bid to contain costsespecially the ‘double time’ overtime that would have to be paid to staff as well as electricity expenses.
Explaining the rationale for the move, which was posted on the doors of Super Value stores at the weekend, she added that it will be “more economical” for the supermarket chain and is a move that it had mulled before - but never acted upon - until now.
“We’re thinking it’s going to be more economical for us,” Ms Symonette told this newspaper. “The expenses involved in keeping them open during that time outweigh the benefits. The sales are not significant enough to outweigh the cost of all the overtime and stuff we have to pay.
“We have to bring on quite a lot of staff to keep the doors open, and we have electricity and expenses like that which we want to cut back on at this time. Unless we’re going to have some outrageously significant amount of sales it’s not worth it. We’re going to try it and see how it works out.”
The four stores selected for closure are considered to be in relative close proximity to other Super Value locations so as to minimise inconvenience to Bahamian shoppers, who can then simply switch to the nearest alternative store on August 4.
GOWON BOWE
Compliance can’t be reaction to regulation
It is important to recognise that compliance is not just a cost centre. If implemented correctly, it can be a powerful strategic tool for growing your business. Having held regulatory responsibilities across more than seven jurisdictions, I have seen first-hand how compliance can influence competitive positioning, operating models and investor confidence.
This article will briefly discuss what I have seen work and what can go wrong when good business practice is ignored.
Compliance-led licensing gives early operational clarity
What works: When entering new markets, having a compliance-led regulatory dialogue upfront avoids costly rewrites later. In two post-merger integrations I supported, early engagement from the compliance function led to faster approvals and betteraligned internal controls across jurisdictions.
What failure looks like:
When compliance is introduced late, businesses often face regulatory rejections, delayed launches and the need to unwind months of operational planning. Through my consultancy lens, I have seen business realignments
paused mid-rollout because licensing terms were misunderstood or, worse, non-compliant structures were approved internally but rejected externally. The reputational cost and loss of investor confidence are rarely recovered quickly.
Training is strategy execution
What works: In 2023, we scaled antimoney laundering, data privacy and conducted training across 21 jurisdictions using a modular digital platform.
Completion rates increased by almost 20 percent. What mattered most? Board-level reporting on training gaps helped
What failure looks like: Without structured training tied to risk strategy, you get uneven policy implementation, inconsistent standards of conduct and untraceable exposure. Additionally, if training logs are non-existent, a company cannot demonstrate staff awareness during an interview with its regulators. This can ultimately lead to a qualified compliance rating, mandatory oversight and additional reporting to your regulator. Operationally, it can also foster internal incidents
tied to untrained internal and external stakeholders. Compliance uncovers behavioural risk
What works: During my compliance journey, I have uncovered risk indicators not through transaction monitoring alone but by tracking patterns in sales practices and incentive misalignment. Addressing those risks meant changing how the company reported to its Board, retraining client-facing teams, and restructuring compliance oversight - not just updating a checklist.
What failure looks like: If compliance limits itself to technical rules and transaction reviews, cultural and behavioural risks go unchecked. This author posits that unchecked incentive structures drive unethical behaviours. Without a compliance focus on behaviour, companies can face legal risks, internal whistleblower escalations, or regulatory sanctions that could have been mitigated earlier through proactive oversight.
Cross-sectoral exposure strengthens risk judgment
What works: Operating across insurance, wealth management, corporate services and investment services made it clear that rigid frameworks do not scale. Governance models must adapt. One jurisdiction’s “best practice” can be another’s red flag. Compliance teams require operational flexibility with clear escalation pathways, rather than onesize-fits-all manuals.
What failure looks like: Misapplying a framework across sectors without adjustment leads to audit gaps, risk misclassification and breakdowns in
regulatory communication. For example, applying a banking-style on-boarding risk matrix in an insurance setting could cause a Know Your Customer (KYC) backlog and misalignment with local expectations. The result? Heightened client dissatisfaction, strained regulator relations and higher compliance resources spent to correct course.
In short, if it only reacts to regulation, it is tactical. However, when compliance influences governance, risk posture and decision-making, it becomes transformational. That s the opportunity in front of governance, risk and compliance (GRC) leaders today. But ignore that opportunity, and compliance becomes a liability, visible only when things go wrong.
Smith Jr a governance, risk and compliance professional for more than 20 years with a leadership, innovation and mentorship record. He is the author of ‘The Smith is a certified antimoney laundering specialist governance credentials. He can be contacted at hello@ pineapplebusinessconsultancy.com
BAMBOO SHACK FOUNDER’S CONCERN OVER CONDO HOTEL
By FAY SIMMONS
BAMBOO Shack’s founder has voiced concern that a proposed 11-storey West Bay Street condo hotel could cause “structural damage” to her Sapodilla Restaurant and loss of income.
Elaine Pinder, addressing a Town Planning Committee public consultation on the planned 125-unit Paradise Breeze Condo Hotel project, said the development would become her immediate neighbour if allowed to proceed but asserted that it was being constructed on “swamp” and threatens to undermine the attraction of Sapodilla as a wedding destination.
Ms Pinder also raised concerns about construction damaging her buildings, which also include the Sunset Beach Bar and her private residence, leading
to a loss of revenue for her business interests. She added that she selected the property to build her “dream home” due to its ocean views and tranquil surroundings, which have also attracted couples to hold their weddings at Sapodilla, and questioned how the development would impact the scenic view.
“My dream home was built to enjoy the beauty of the ocean, like I said, and this 11-storey building definitely will be in the way. My concern is that the property that they’re building on is basically about two acres, and to construct a building of that magnitude in such close proximity to Sapodilla, the Sunset Beach Bar and my warehouse can
A ‘MORE EQUITABLE’ VIEWPOINT ON RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS ELIMINATION
Dear Editor,
The article ‘KC’s alarm over ‘death knell’ for development’ (25 July, 2025) suggests that permitting the Town Planning Committee to extinguish restrictive covenants undermines the legal certainty upon which development relies. Respectfully, that position misstates both the law and the broader public interest. Far from being a radical departure, the modification or discharge of restrictive covenants is a long-established feature of the common law tradition and has been expressly codified in Bahamian statute.
To begin with, as a matter of settled law, restrictive covenants have never been regarded as perpetual or immune from revision. At common law and in equity, mechanisms have long existed to vary or extinguish such covenants where they become obsolete, unduly burdensome or contrary to evolving land use needs. In England, this doctrine was formalised in Section 84 of the Law of Property Act 1925, which permits the Lands Tribunal to discharge covenants that impede reasonable use, confer no substantial benefit or operate against the public interest.
Closer to home, even before the enactment of the Planning and Subdivisions Act 2010, both the Bahamian courts and the Town Planning Committee
LETTER EDITOR TO THE
regularly exercised their discretion to disregard or extinguish the effect of restrictive covenants where circumstances had materially changed. A striking example is the evolution of Cable Beach, where for over 50 years parcels originally deeded for single-family use have been lawfully repurposed into a dynamic, mixed-use enclave comprising residences, restaurants, offices and hotels. This transformation, which has occurred without detriment to property values or community character, underscores a vital truth: Had planners been shackled by covenants drafted nearly a century ago, one of the island’s most desirable and economically vibrant communities could never have emerged. Far from operating outside the law, the Committee is acting squarely within its statutory mandate, specifically under Section 25(3) of the Planning and Subdivisions Act, 2010, which provides that: “The Committee shall have the authority to extinguish the effect of a restrictive covenant through zoning regulation upon evidence
that, in the Committee’s opinion, either — (a) no actual and substantial benefit would accrue to the landowner who seeks its enforcement; (b) actual or substantial detriment would accrue to the greater public good in its enforcement; or (c) the purpose of the restrictive covenant is primarily for the restriction of competition.” This is found in section 25 (3), Planning and Subdivisions Act, Chapter 255. This provision is not ambiguous. Parliament has conferred clear authority on the Committee to act where private covenants undermine public planning, housing policy or economic fairness. What is effectively being argued is that a private entity should retain the power to perpetually dictate the future use of land through restrictive covenants, even where such covenants are at odds with contemporary planning objectives and public needs. With respect, that position cannot be sustained.
In a country facing a well-documented housing shortage, can it truly be justified that a parcel of land capable of accommodating several dozen families remains bound, indefinitely, by a covenant requiring that it be used for a single house? These are not idle hypotheticals; they raise serious questions about how we strike a balance between private rights and the collective
cause structural damage to my buildings,” said Ms Pinder.
“Was an environmental impact assessment completed for a building of that size on that particular tract of land, which is swamp? Would there be something to monitor the stress to my buildings. How would you address that? Who would be liable to make corrective repairs? What about loss of revenue based on your development going on?”
Jerry Moxey, architect for the Paradise Breeze Condo Hotel, reassured that the development’s construction will not damage Ms Pinder’s buildings as there is no intention to conduct pile drilling in the environmentally “sensitive” area. He did not directly address her concerns about potential income loss.
“The impact that my building is going to do to your buildings is zero. I have no intention of pile drilling. I have no
need for access to land, housing and opportunities. When covenants are used to entrench low-density exclusivity on large tracts of land, their preservation must be weighed not only in legal terms, but against the urgent social and economic imperatives of our time.
The Planning and Subdivisions Act does not merely permit, but requires, the Town Planning Committee to intervene where
intention of traumatising… in any which way to get my building done. I have no intention of damaging the environment around this sensitive area. This was swamp one time ago, and that has been filled in or dried up. It’s still sensitive. So, we will not be pile driving anything,” said Mr Moxey. Addressing concerns about the building’s height obstructing the existing ocean views of nearby residents, Mr Moxey maintained that the condo hotel’s design is suited to the parcel of land and its size.
“This building is designed to be exactly what the property is allowing it to be. And I’m trying to be sensitive with my answer here. It is designed to do only what this property is allowing it to do. This property did not allow me to spread out any further. This property did not allow me to go across the road. I can only build
restrictive covenants obstruct rational and inclusive development. The Committee’s duty is to serve the public interest, not to uphold outdated private restrictions that no longer reflect the character of a community, nor serve any real planning purpose. Where a covenant does nothing to preserve neighbourhood integrity, but instead operates to deny access to land, limit housing
on my section,” said Mr Moxey.
“Any time when you buy a piece of property, your property itself is always subject to what your neighbour to the right or to the left is going to do with their property, so I can’t answer it no better than that. This property has no intention of insulting anybody. Architecture is designed to complement the environment and its surroundings.” Keith Philippe, another neighbouring resident, raised concerns about constructing such a large structure in an area that is prone to flooding due to it previously being wetland.
“Obviously, any continual building in that area may lead to flooding. What is the developer’s proposal to mitigate for any flood damage that may arise affecting other people’s property, real estate?, he asked.
supply or frustrate legitimate development, it must be set aside. The law provides the tools. The public need is clear. It is now the responsibility of the Committee to act decisively and unapologetically to remove covenants that serve no present purpose and stand in the way of a more equitable Bahamas.
A Concerned Bahamian Attorney
AVIATION CHIEF PLEDGES SAFE AND ROBUST SECTOR
By NEIL HARTNELL
THE Government’s aviation director has reaffirmed The Bahamas’ commitment towards a safe and robust aviation industry.
Dr Kenneth Romer, also deputy director-general of tourism, delivered this message during his keynote address at the 2025 Bahamas Air Navigation Services Authority (BANSA) Safety Conference, which was held under the theme ‘The importance of aviation safety and security in The Bahamas and globally.
In attendance at the event, which was held from July 13-19, were pilots, incident and accident investigators, safety personnel, supervisors and other aviation industry stakeholders from The Bahamas, wider Caribbean and internationally.
The BANSA Safety Conference has evolved from ‘Safety Talks’, a forum held in July and a primary meeting point for the Bahamian
aviation industry. The conference expanded on critical elements of safety, including regulations, safety oversight, incident and accident investigations, fatigue risk management, a runway safety programme, as well as threat and error management.
NASSAU IS AGAIN NOMINATED AS CARIBBEAN’S LEADING CRUISE PORT
By NEIL HARTNELL
NASSAU Cruise Port
(NCP) says it has been nominated again as the Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Port 2025 in the annual World Travel Awards programme.
The Prince George Wharf operator, in a statement, said this is the second consecutive year in which it has received this honour.
It added that, on April 8, 2025, the port received a record-breaking 31,011 cruise passengers in a single day.
“This second consecutive nomination is a tremendous accomplishment, and a reflection of the dedication and excellence of our entire team,” said Michael Maura, chief executive and director of Nassau Cruise Port. “Nassau Cruise Port is not only setting a new benchmark for Caribbean cruise destinations; it’s showing the world the warmth, creativity and spirit of The Bahamas. We are honoured to be recognised again.”
Besides its focus on providing an authentically Bahamian experience with amenities such as the
Dr. Romer said safety and security “ranks high among the eight broad themes outlined in our National Aviation Strategic Plan. By prioritising these aspects, we can continue to ensure the well-being of passengers, crew members and the general public, and ensure
Bahamas Museum of Junkanoo, Nassau Cruise Port said it recently became a participant in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Programme, a global initiative supporting travellers with non-visible disabilities. This initiative promotes inclusivity and helps ensure every guest feels welcomed and supported.
“We are incredibly proud of how far we’ve come, and even more excited about what’s ahead,” Mr Maura added. “This nomination is a tribute to every team member, partner and Bahamian who plays a role in making Nassau the exciting world class destination it is today.”
Phase two of Nassau Cruise Port’s redevelopment is now underway, introducing new features such as a port-side pool experience and expanded yacht and marina services.
that The Bahamas remains a significant player in Caribbean aviation and continues to uphold the highest standards of safety and security”.
He called on all industry representatives to work together to maintain a safe and secure aviation environment, protecting the lives and livelihood of those who travel by air while supporting the growth of the sector.
“It is an undisputed reality that The Bahamas is a well-respected hub for aviation. With its strategic location close to our key source market, and unparalleled stunning beauty, our archipelago has become a
hub for aviation in the Caribbean,” Dr Romer said.
He added that Bahamian airports, including Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA), Grand Bahama International Airport and Family Islands airports serve as gateways to the region. “With the improvement of facilities and the expansion of new airlift to facilitate more foreign and domestic travel, it is evident that aviation safety must remain a top priority,” Dr Romer said.
He added that, during the upcoming academic year, the High School Aviation Cadets Programme will be formally launched, with
Project ‘has no plans of insulting anybody’
HOTEL
- from page B3
“Because if flooding continues or gets worse, then you may find people having to do things like fill in their properties, and that’s if their foundation is tall enough to accept fill. If it is not, then it may find itself underwater.” Mr Moxey reassured that the building will be self-contained and is designed so run-off will be collected and used as grey water or potable water.
“The Ministry of Works will not allow any commercial development to have a run-off from your property on to somebody else’s property. So, first of all, our property will be self-contained. All the run-offs that happen on our property, it will never run-off on somebody else’s property,” said Mr Moxey.
“This building is going to occupy 2.4 acres. That building means that 2.4 acres doesn’t have its
natural run the way it would. We are designed to make sure that the run-off that happens does not go any place else except where we wanted it to go. So we collect water, have it as grey water, green water, potable water.”
BPG Ltd’s application, filed with the Department of Physical Planning, says the project will provide guests with the “comforts of home with the amenities of a high-end resort”. The premises will host a 144spot parking facility, on-site restaurant, full-service spa, bar, pool and various outdoor activities.
Filings with the Town Planning Committee name Philip McKenzie KC, a Davis & Co partner who is also the National Insurance Board’s (NIB) chairman, as the developer’s attorney. The developer’s name, while difficult to decipher from the hand-writing, appears to be Derek Cogan,
air traffic control among the core offerings of the curriculum.
“By prioritising these aspects, we can continue to ensure the well-being of passengers, crew members and the general public, and ensure that The Bahamas remains a significant player in Caribbean aviation, and continue to uphold the highest standards of safety and security,” Dr Romer said.
“Let us work together to maintain a safe and secure aviation environment, protecting the lives and livelihoods of those who travel by air while supporting the growth of our industry.”
who declined to comment when contacted by Tribune Business and said any questions would be answered at the meeting
“Paradise Breeze Condo Hotel offers an immersive environmental experience designed to exceed every guest’s expectations,”
BPG’s application said.
“Featuring 125 luxurious condominiums in a premium hotel rental programme, the property combines the comforts of home with the amenities of a high-end resort.
“Each residence boasts modern floor plans and expansive windows that frame breathtaking, uninterrupted ocean views. Guests can enjoy a range of upscale services and amenities, including breakfast and lunch at the on-site restaurant, a stylish bar, a fully equipped gym, a full service spa, a resort-style pool and a variety of outdoor activities.
“Whether travelling for business or leisure, Paradise Breeze provides an exceptional destination that blends luxury, convenience, and natural beauty.”
DR KENNETH ROMER, director of aviation and deputy directorgeneral of tourism, delivers the keynote address.
Photos:Kemuel Stubbs/BIS
PICTURED are: Dennis Raj, airport operations, safety and security manager, Canada; James Mangie, International Air Transport Association; Dr Kenneth Romer, director of aviation and deputy director-general of tourism; Crystal Romer; Lenn King, director, BANSA; and Maureen Gibson, deputy director, BANSA
REALTOR TO ‘PUT BAHAMAS ON MAP’ VIA HGTV APPEARANCE
By ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business
A REALTOR is seeking to “put The Bahamas on the map” as a destination for high-end homes through his upcoming appearance on HGTV’s House Hunters International show.
Kyle Barnett, an agent with Condo Vikings and Jolie Luxury Homes, said he hopes to attract more foreign investment to The Bahamas as the episode will showcase this nation’s multi-million dollar property options. As he guides buyers through the process of purchasing a home, he hopes to increase the foreign market “because anywhere from 70 to 75 percent of the high-end market is driven by foreigners”.
“It’s more so just putting The Bahamas on the map again,” Mr Barnett said.
“So just really showcasing what The Bahamas has to offer. Locals are watching HGTV but, of course, it’s a renowned show. So also
it carries a certain weight when persons see The Bahamas, and they would appeal to that market a bit more.
“So the goal is to not only showcase The Bahamas and have locals buy more properties, which we’re doing anyway, but bringing in foreigners as well - increasing that foreign market - because anywhere from 70 to 75 percent of the high-end market is driven by foreigners. So the more exposure, the better.“
Mr Barnett said the highend Bahamian real estate market has seen increased activity for 2025 to-date but his goal is to further drive sales in that direction.
“Based on a quick snapshot from 2021 to 2025.... we noticed that there was a increase in 2021 and a slight drop off in 2022 to 2024,” he added.
“So we picked back up on the high-end market in 2025 and, hopefully, it could continue to trend in that same direction, especially with everything that’s going on. My thought of it, it’s a number of things
that could drive that highend market, which would be more inventory, which we need, because right now the market is low with inventory.
“And it could be another part where persons aren’t even listing their high-end properties on the MLS (Multiple Listing System) or they’re doing off-market sales. So it’s a number of things that could dictate this high-end luxury market, and I feel as if once HGTV comes as well, you could possibly have a boost. So any global exposure is always a chance to increase those sales for the market.”
Mr Barnett added that there needs to be more inventory for wealthy buyers to purchase, and not just within prominent areas in New Providence but on the Family Islands as well.
“We need more inventory,” he said. “It’s always that we need more inventory. We need to be able to meet the demands for luxury buyers as well. Because also there’s a high demand for beachfront
Bahamian firms partner to boost tourism experience
By ANNELIA NIXON Tribune Business
JOHN Watling’s Distill-
ery hosted a mixology and rum tasting session at its Buena Vista Estate location following the soft launch of its ‘We B Learnin’ Rum Academy. Following that launch almost two months ago, John Watling is offering rum tasting and mixology experiences at $80 per head with groups of 10 persons or more receiving discounts.
It is also offering a ‘bottle your own experience’, where visitors “can bottle your own bottle of John Watling’s rum, a 250 ml bottle”, according to Pepin Argamasilla, John Watling’s managing partner, after partnering with Bahamas Botanicals, Commonwealth Brewery and Graycliff.
“We offer two experiences right now - a rum tasting and mixology,” Mr Argamasilla said. “Both last for around 45 minutes, and basically the rum tasting will take you through six different rums. Included in that is also a visit to the warehouse, where we open up a barrel and we actually let you taste rum directly from the barrel.
“Then we take you through our different expressions all the way up to our John Watling’s Bullion, which was awarded last year - the most respected award in the industry - which was a gold medal at Monde Selection in Belgium. And then the mixology. We partnered up with Commonwealth Brewery as well as Bahamas Botanicals to make two cocktails - a Cascarilla Sunrise and the Skylarking cocktail.
“With the bullion that we do for the rum tasting, we
also partner with Graycliff and give a sample of their chocolates. We have a very strong belief that we all have one product. And that product is The Bahamas,” he added.
“We either get that right or get it wrong. If we get it right, then there’s a benefit to everybody. If we get it wrong, then there’s a problem to everybody. And we saw that during COVID when no tourists were coming. So we believe in partnering up with as many people as we can to create a greater experience and a better product.
“We’ve already built the the free tour. We have a retail store, and we also have a tavern. And we’ve got a multitude of tourists coming every year, ridiculous amounts. And we partner with all the companies that move people around the island, like Pirate Jeep Tours, Bahamas Experience, Majestic, Leisure, etc,” Mr Argamasilla said.
“And it was a natural progression to be able to go in and to do these types of experience to, again, give something new to returning guests, who we have a lot of, and also offer something new to the property.”
Andy Fowler, senior vice-president at Bahamas Botanicals, said the partnership was a win-win for all.
“We are creating an experience that’s authentic, that’s Bahamian,” Mr Fowler said. “Bahamas Botanicals uses the fruits, plants, The Bahamas. John Watling’s has done a very good job in creating a
luxury -villas, townhouses, condos.
“When buyers purchase, they buy like how they buy brands. It’s almost like you go into a store and you’re expecting to buy Versace or Louis Vuitton. So persons coming in to buy real estate, they’re thinking about Albany, Lyford [Cay], Old Fort Bay, Ocean Club.
“So we need to go outside of that regular old status quo of communities. And we need to open up the new communities that are coming up. We need to open up the Eleuthera market a little bit more. We need to open up the Windsor community that’s coming up, the Windsor Lakes community that’s coming up.”
HGTV’s House Hunter’s International follows the journey of those seeking to buy a home internationally. Unable to provide exact dates, Mr Barnett was able to confirm that filming would take place during the first part of September.
Mr Barnett, who started in real estate as a licensed agent around 2016, said he
director-general, added:
brand, a rum that’s unique to The Bahamas. It’s Bahamian-made. So the merger of those two, it just makes sense - Bahamian, Bahamian. And at the end of the day, the Bahamas benefits. Tourists sees these various products being featured.”
Joy Jibrilu, the Nassau/ Paradise Island Promotion Board’s chief executive, described the mixology and rum tasting experience as a “full circle moment”, revealing that when it launched she could not see the potential, though she was willing to support it.
“I’ll never forget the day that Pepin and Jose came into Office of the Prime Minister when, at that time, I was in the role of director of investments,” Mrs Jibrilu said. “This [Buena Vista] was an absolute wreck. It was a shambles and they were talking about the vision that they had, and I’m looking at them like we could help them, because I didn’t see what they were seeing at the time.
“And working with them because saying, ‘Okay, if you believe, and if you’re that committed to the transformation of this historic Buena Vista site, we will work with you’, to see what they have done and how it continues to evolve.... the amount of people who come here, Bahamians, visitors, and enjoy this experience. I’m actually so proud of them. It’s a full circle moment, and it’s one of those, you look at it, it’s like almost a baby that you see growing up. This is a great moment.”
Latia Duncombe, the Ministry of Tourism’s
saw himself as “no rookie to the game” given that he had been investing in properties since 2009. Noting that the show attracts millions of viewers, and “it is one of the most popular shows on HGTV”, Mr Barnett said he believes the opportunity to be featured on the show was more than likely due to the focus he has placed on marketing his brand this year.
“I started real estate officially as a licensed agent in 2016, 2017, but I was no rookie to the game because I’d already invested in some properties on my own, myself, starting from 2009,” Mr Barnett said. “So, I would consider myself an investor first, licensed agent or real estate advisor second, and I’ve been doing it since, I would say, 2009 to current and, year after year, every transaction has been different.
“Every transaction is unique. So you learn more every single time. So the knowledge that I’ve already had, and that I’ve developed over that timeframe, has been very extensive, so
“It’s all about ‘We B Learnin’, learning a little bit about our country, but also about our spirits and our Bahamian businesses; Bahamas Botanicals, pairing together with Commonwealth Brewery, and also here at John Watling’s, and we are learning about the essence of the products that they offer, the atmosphere that they’ve created, the well known Bahamian mixologist, it’s home to John Watling’s as well.
I see myself as one of the top agents in the field right now.
“I’ve really been marketing myself much more this year,” he added. “I don’t know if it was due to my personal brand that I focused on this year. It’s a humbling experience because we have, I want to say out of like, 1,000 agents, right? So to be chosen out of that number, it’s humbling. Whatever they saw, I definitely appreciate, and I’m glad to just have the opportunity. But [I] definitely put more time into my brand myself.
“Someone contacted me through Instagram, and then I actually thought it was a scam or some random fake message. And then one of the producers in the lead contacted me through my e-mail, and then I vetted it, and I said, ‘Oh, it’s something serious.’ So I responded, and then we went back and forth talking, and then we did a few Zoom calls and a few interviews with producers.”
“And again, for me, what’s more important, it’s another experience for my visitors to enjoy. John Watling’s is located in walking distance from the cruise port. On a busy day, we can have 4,000 visitors, and so it’s an opportunity to improve and enhance the visitor experience.”
IMPORTANTNOTICE
IMPORTANTNOTICE
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Venice-In-The-Bahamas Limited (In Liquidation) (“VIBL”)
Venice-In-The-Bahamas Limited (In Liquidation) (“VIBL”)
Venice-In-The-Bahamas Limited (In Liquidation) (“VIBL”)
Notice is hereby given that the individuals / entities shown below are asked to contacttheJointO9icialLiquidationsofVIBL,in respectof propertysituated in BahamaTerraceYacht& CountryClub Subdivision URGENTLY at:
Notice is hereby given that the individuals / entities shown below are asked to contact the Joint O9icial Liquidations of VIBL, in respect of property situated in Bahama Terrace Yacht & Country Club Subdivision URGENTLY at:
Notice is hereby given that the individuals / entities shown below are asked to contacttheJointO9icialLiquidationsofVIBL,in respectof propertysituated in BahamaTerraceYacht& CountryClub Subdivision URGENTLY at:
Second Floor, Siboney Commercial Centre, P.O. Box, F-40025, Freeport, Bahamas,
Second Floor, SiboneyCommercialCentre, P.O. Box, F-40025,Freeport,Bahamas, Tel: 393-2007 / 352-9384,Email:bs-fmvibl@kpmg.com.bs
C.K. Properties Limited
Carl Milton
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Delavon Armbrister
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Derick Mo ey Gold Tee Company Limited
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Knowles Marine Yacht Services Ltd
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‘Not
worth it unless sales outrageous’
ECONOMICAL - from page B1
“We just anticipate that persons who go to these particular stores will go to the nearest one that opens,” Ms Symonette added.
“We’re going to try it. I think it’s going to work out. Everyone will be satisfied because they will be able to go to another location and purchase what they want. I don’t see it being a problem.”
Asked how much Super Value will likely save from the four-store closure, she estimated it could be as much as $10,000 per location. “I think it’s going to be worth it,” the Super Value president added, explaining that the supermarket chain will assess the impact before determining whether to repeat the closures on other holidays and
if it should be expanded to more stores or less.
“We’re going to look at things and kind of see how the traffic is on certain holidays,” Ms Symonette said, “and depending on the level of traffic in the past we’ll make a judgment call on whether to continue them on certain holidays. It has to be worthwhile. We can’t just keep the stores open to keep them open. It’s got to make business sense.
“I think we had thought about this before, but didn’t actually do it. I think this is actually going to be the first time we’re going to be closed all day. We usually just close earlier. It’s going to be interesting to see how it all works out.”
Super Value’s Blue Hill Road, Prince Charles Drive, Nassau Street and South Beach locations will all be open until 1pm on
Emancipation Day. Golden Gate, Winton and Mackey Street will stay open until 3pm, and both the Super Value and Quality Supermarket locations at Cable Beach will be open until 5pm.
Ms Symonette said rising Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) bills and costs have “played a significant role” in the closure decision involving the four stores. “Any time we see those costs go up that’s a hit for for us,” she added. “We cannot help but use electricity because it’s not like we can turn off the lights when there are customers in the store or turn-off the refrigeration.
“The air conditioning, the lights, the refrigeration, they all play a great role in running up the bill. Even when the customers are gone that refrigeration has to keep running to keep the food fresh. The air conditioning you can turn off at times but then you have to run them for a while to get it to where you need it to be at a certain point.”
Bank ‘stands firm’ on extended loan rehab
And, with the commercial banking industry’s combined mortgage and consumer loan portfolio at end-2024 still $137.8m below that which existed five years previously just
before the global pandemic struck, Mr Bowe said “an extended period to rehabilitate the structural challenges” that previously existed and reverse this contraction is still required.
“The bank has not been overwhelmed by any panic to arrest contractions
through assuming greater risk, particularly in light of emotional pressures associated with criticisms on financial performance in the prior year. It has remained focused on executing its strategies that were devised taking into consideration the traditional lending
Super Value recently told Tribune Business that energy costs “seem out of hand” after its electricity bill increased by almost $200,000 in just two months. Ms Symonette had told Tribune Business that, following a 29.3 percent month-over-month jump in its electricity costs from April to May 2025, the company sustained a further 24 percent month-over-month rise in energy costs via its bill for June.
This had resulted in a near-40 percent increase in power bills expenses for the 2025 half-year, with a $194,184 rise in electricity costs in just two months. While the Nassau Street location had enjoyed a 2 percent decrease in electricity costs, Super Value’s stores at Golden Gates, Robinson Road, Prince Charles Drive and East Street had seen their bills surge by between 64 percent and 75 percent.
Meanwhile, Michela Barnett-Ellis, the Opposition senator, yesterday hit back at the Prime Minister’s
activity would be subdued for an extended period,” he told shareholders.
“In the initial months of fiscal year 2025, certain competitors have taken extraordinary actions to arrest their respective contractions in loan portfolios, and offered new credit facilities with interest rates and tenors that do not match the credit risk of the borrowers.
“However, these offers appear to have been introductory offers, albeit not transparently described as such, reverting to market interest rates following certain triggers. These actions do require the attention of the bank, but as mentioned previously, discipline and focus are critical as opposed to panic.”
Mr Bowe also pointed to the competitive challenge presented by other credit providers, such as pay-day lenders, who are willing to take on more risky borrowers than commercial banks and are less heavily regulated. He added that the interest rates, and associated fees, they charge Bahamians are also increasingly attracting the Government’s attention.
“Lenders that are not regulated by the Central Bank also continued to take credit risks that the bank is not willing to pursue, as the bank fully understands its fiduciary responsibilities to depositors and shareholders, and is acutely aware that death by a thousand cuts - that is, loan losses - is protracted but still results in demise,” the Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) chief wrote.
“These lenders are not subject to the same prudential norms as the bank, in part because these lenders do not accept deposits from the general public but are financed strictly by investors. The spotlight
assertion that BPL’s rates have not increased - only energy consumption due to the hot summer months.
Directly challenging Philip Davis KC, she said in a statement: “Electricity bills in The Bahamas have doubled under the Davis administration, and despite the Prime Minister’s claims, Bahamians are not fooled. The data is clear, the pain is real, and the Government’s excuses are running on empty.
“Since 2021, electricity bills have soared by nearly 100 percent under the PLP. This isn’t speculation; this information is based on official BPL fuel charge data. For households using less than 800 kilowatt hours, fuel charges rose from 10 cents to 17.4 cents [this month], a 74 percent increase. For those using more than 800 kilowatt hours, the increase was even worse, rising to 21.4 cents, a staggering 114 percent hike.”
Mr Davis, though, has argued that the true comparison should be with BPL
on the operations of these lenders in relation to levels of fees and other charges levied, including interest rates, continued to intensify during the current year, and in fiscal year 2025 the Consumer Protection Commission has also taken an interest in the business practices of these lenders.”
Mr Bowe said Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) had enjoyed “temperate growth” in both its mortgage and loan portfolios during 2024. However, standing at $40.9m and $326.9m at year-end 2024, respectively, they remained $14.2m or 25.77 percent, and $64.1m and 16.39 percent, below the $55.1m and $391m attained as at December 31, 2019, just before COVID19 struck.
And, when assessed from an industry perspective, total consumer loan and mortgage portfolios of $2.088bn and $2.518bn as at end-December 2024 represented contractions of $126.5m or 5.71 percent, and $111.3m or 4.23 percent, when compared to five years prior at December 31, 2019.
“The lending environment of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas experienced significant contraction during the peak of the global pandemic, COVID-19. However, there were defects in the lending environment that existed prior to this period that simply got exacerbated,” Mr Bowe wrote.
“The quality of borrowers and related borrowing capacity, particularly in the traditional markets of the bank, will require an extended period to rehabilitate the structural challenges and reverse the accentuated contraction during the global pandemic. By standing firm, the bank achieved its budgeted net income and total comprehensive income of $18 million.”
And, while the Bahamian banking industry also reflected Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) performance with modest consumer and mortgage portfolio growth in 2024, Mr Bowe added that the industry data confirms the need for
bills from the same time in 2024, not 2021. The Government last week tabled in the House of Assembly an Order that appears to both give legal effect to BPL’s new base tariff rates that were unveiled in summer 2024 and pave the way to reinstate the fuel hedging that was previously abandoned.
The Electricity (Tariff Rate for Electricity Services) Order 2025 implements the base tariffs set out in BPL’s Equity Rate Adjustment, including the 14.9 percent increase for the first 900,000 KWh consumed by the utility’s largest customers - the likes of hotels and food stores. This tariff is being increased from 8.7 cents per KWh to 10 cents, while the rate for “all remaining units” is to jump by 45.2 percent - from 6.2 cents per KWh to 9 cents. All other BPL customer classes, including households and commercial, as well as temporary supply, will see their base rates either decrease or remain constant.
an “extended period of rehabilitation”.
Noting that general elections, with one due by September 2026, always “bring fervent activity by incumbent governments”, with investment projects and other initiatives being announced, Mr Bowe said:
“Whether or not these factors materialise, the optimism being inspired by them bodes well for the confidence of citizens and residents, which [all things being equal] could lead to a more buoyant lending environment.
“However, the uncertainties that exist due in large part to factors external to The Bahamas, such as threats of recession in the US and possibly the rest of the world, wars over commercial activity and sovereignty, and the general persistence of inflation and consequent high interest rates serve to dampen optimism and confidence.
“This is largely because of the continued deferral of the development and implementation of a National Development Plan that would formulate strategies for The Bahamas to execute to leverage structural strengths and take advantage of opportunities; and address structural weakness and mitigate against the effects of threats,” he added.
“Operating a business in an environment without the clarity of purpose and actions provided by a National Development Plan is becoming increasingly challenging, as businesses seek to align themselves with national strategies given that being misaligned carries a much lower risk of success...
“Through its discipline in standing by credit risk management policies and practices, and incorporating the new strategies devised, the bank demonstrated it is resilient. More importantly, it did not fall for the temptation to take erratic steps, but rather focused on execution of strategies notwithstanding the more gradual process, as this approach is more likely to be sustained.”
‘Make
it easier for stopovers to spend in The Bahamas’
Pointing out that this is the sector that generates most jobs and economic activity for The Bahamas, Mr Alexiou told this newspaper: “I can only speak primarily for our place and what I have heard. Especially at this time of year, a lot our guests are pre-paid guests.
“We’ve had little cancellations as far as we are concerned. Places like Bimini, which are closer to the US and have more boats coming over, have had more cancellations... They’ve felt it the most immediately. If our guests were not pre-paid, I don’t know what would happen. Some of them have already sent letters saying they don’t know if they will do it next year.”
With July’s month-end due later this week, Mr Alexiou said the 2025 summer boating season is now largely over as many vessels’ insurance policies require them to return to the US by early August to
escape hurricane season. They then return for the winter around November, and the Promotion Board chief said this is when he expects the fall-out from the fees to be felt far more widely on other islands.
“The impact is going to be felt next year. That’s when the serious effect will be,” Mr Alexiou told Tribune Business. “We’ve already started pulling back on capital expenditure because we expect a downturn. We’re watching our staffing levels, and if there’s a downturn it impacts everybody.”
Pointing out that fewer boating passengers and crew will create reduced economic activity allaround, which is likely to translate into reduced VAT receipts for the Government from marinas, food stores, restaurants and the like, he added: “We’ve put that to the Government and said: ‘We need to make plans’. We need to know if this is not going to be reversed. We need to make plans.
“We were planning to do a major 40-room expansion. We’ve put it off. I’m not even going to think about it. I am worried we’re not going to fill what we have got. That would be an almost $9m investment. I wanted it to start next August. This year we were going to spend the money to do the architectural work and getting the Hotels Encouragement Act [incentives] and everything.
“I’m going to push it off for a year and see where it’s going. It’s not like overnight with Hotels Encouragement Act and the design and the permits. I’m continuing with the permits, but am not seeing any sign of anybody thinking this [the boating fees fall-out] is going to be a problem. I don’t think they understand the industry.”
Confirming that the tourism industry is scheduled to meet Mr Cooper today, Mr Alexiou said: “We have a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister on all related issues, but that’s [the boating fees] part of
it. The fact they’re making concession to the Junkanoo community when they complain, but are not making concessions to the country’s major industry...
“They’ll make concessions to the cruise industry, but not to the segment” that brings in the highest-spending and yielding visitors.
The Promotion Board chief continued: “We should be making it cheaper to spend money here in The Bahamas if you come by boat or plane.”
Mr Alexiou, suggesting more analysis should have gone into the revised fee structure, said the $300 fishing permit fee - which he added must be paid monthly - was unlikely to appeal to casual fishers and second homeowners more interested in the wider “lifestyle” and other Abaco attractions that appeal.
And, while backing the 12-month cruising permit, he argued that The Bahamas should also have retained a shorter option - such as the three-month permit - for summer boaters wishing to cross over from Florida just once or twice during that period. But “now they have to pay $500 just to think about coming to The Bahamas”, Mr Alexiou added, with vessels 500 feet and other charged more than that.
The Promotion Board chief added that, in contrast to the Bill presented to Parliament, boats are also being charged for when they anchor in a marina although it was stipulated that this would only be levied on vessels docking/mooring outside such facilities.
And there have also been complaints that Customs officers are charging boaters attendance fees when they arrive to clear their vessels to enter The Bahamas, even though these levies were supposed to be built into the cruising permit fees according to the regulations. Officers are said to justify this on the basis that Customs and the Government are late in paying them their due fees. The Government is forecasting the reforms will more than triple annual revenues generated by this earnings stream compared to the old fee structure. The 2025-2026 Budget estimates disclose that cruising permit fees generated a combined $6.223m in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, and were forecast - under the old structure and levies - to produce $5.518m in the just-closed 2024-2025 Budget period.
That represented a yearover-over decline of 11.3 percent, although $4.064m or 73.7 percent of the 20242025 full-year target had been collected during the first nine months of the last fiscal year through March 2025.
However, with the addition of the two-year frequent digital cruising card (FDCC) and new anchorage fees in particular, the Ministry of Finance is forecasting that the Public Treasury during the current 2025-2026 fiscal year will generate a total $17.868m from cruising permits and related levies.
This represents a 224 percent increase upon, or more than tripling of, the $5.518m cruising permit revenues projected for the 2025-2025 fiscal full-year. The Ministry of Finance is forecasting that the FDCC, which permits vessels “unlimited entry” for a period of two years upon payment of a fee ranging from $1,500 to $8,000, which is linked to vessel size, will generate $9m alone during 2025-2026.
And the new anchorage fees, ranging from $200 to $1,500 “for foreign pleasure vessels not mooring at a marina”, and again linked to vessel size, are projected to deliver $2.8m in new revenues. Together, the FDCC and anchorage fees are predicted to produce $11.8m for the Public Treasury, with the new “temporary” 12-month permit for boats below 50-feet forecast to produce $4.417m
And the Ministry of Finance, despite all the dire predictions and warnings, is clearly anticipating that The Bahamas’ boating and yachting market will continue to expand as it is forecasting steady growth in the FDCC, anchorage fees and temporary cruising permit revenues through the next two Budget cycles to the close of the 20272028 fiscal year. In particular, FDCC income is forecast to rise from $9m this fiscal year to $10m in 2026-2027, and then to $11.65m in 20272028, while anchorage fees are also projected to move from $2.8m to $3.08m and $3.452m over the same timeframe.
None of those voicing concern about the revised boating fees and their impact are disputing that The Bahamas has a sovereign right to determine and set these levies at the level it deems appropriate, or that visiting boaters should pay their fair share in taxes and fees in return for commercial exploitation of this nation’s waters and environment. Instead, the main issue has been the zero consultation with boaters and industry, coupled with the lack of notice and time to adjust, as well as the scale and breadth of the changes and how they have been implemented in practice. This has led to significant uncertainty and confusion, with The Bahamas not providing a timely or coherent message to its visitors.
Balanced approach urged on vacation rental taxation
Government should be collecting from the sector, but is failing to do so, he added that it is a joint initiative with the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation.
The latter ministry’s priority is to ensure vacation rental properties are safe, and meet certain standards, in a bid to safeguard the visitor experience in The Bahamas.
However, the taxation clampdown has already been met with push back. Bruce Raine, who told Tribune Business he is exiting the vacation rental business, described the Department of Inland Revenue’s move as little more than a “fishing expedition” given that persons receiving the letter appear to be targeted based on suspicions rather than actual evidence.
Arguing that the Government is “going into every nook and cranny to get every cent is can”, due to The Bahamas’ fiscal woes, he challenged whether it should be targeting vacation rentals because the sector is “not big business”. Mr Raine added that many Bahamian vacation rental owners are using the industry to either supplement their earnings or generate money for their retirement.
The businessman said the tax compliance bid, and effort to generate more revenue for the Public Treasury, needed to be balanced with other concerns. Suggesting that vacation rental owners should receive tax breaks akin to those granted to major resorts, and be able to reclaim or net-off the VAT paid on their inputs, he warned that any crack down could deter other Bahamians from entering the sector.
This, Mr Raine and others warned, would have a negative impact on both Bahamian entrepreneurship and ownership in the tourism industry, the country’s largest sector, and the supply of available room inventory for visitors at a time when hotel accommodation in
both New Providence and Grand Bahama is down by hundreds of rooms compared to pre-COVID levels.
The Department of Inland Revenue letter makes clear the initiative is being handled by Avenu Insights, the US-based consultancy that was hired several years ago to specifically target the Bahamian short-term rental market, and which advises local and state administrations in the US on where to generate revenues from.
Titled “delinquent shortterm rental tax notice”, the letter advises: “Avenu Insights & Analytics has been retained by the Department of Inland Revenue, Ministry of Finance, to conduct a review on taxpayers’ compliance with the tax laws applicable to short-term rentals.
“The primary purpose of this evaluation is to identify properties that may be operating without obtaining a Business Licence and/or collection of Value Added Tax (VAT). The VAT regulations 2014 indicate that the rental of any residential dwelling, single family residence, apartment, residential condominium or other residential real estate for less than 45 consecutive days is a commercial rental establishment and, therefore, VAT is payable on the rentals and must be remitted to the Department of Inland Revenue.
“The Business Licence Act 2010 also requires Business Licence tax to be paid on the rental of properties that are commercial rental establishments. You are receiving this notice because a recent review indicates that you may own, or have listed, a short-term rental property without registering with the Department of Inland Revenue/Ministry of Finance,” the document adds.
“If you do not have a Business Licence, are not registered for VAT or have failed to report tax, then you are out of compliance with the short-term rental requirements.” The
letter then gave recipients options for how to reply depending on whether they actually have a Bahamasbased short-term vacation rental property and/or are tax compliant.
“If you feel you are not subject to Business Licence and VAT, we still require a response to remove you from future mailings. Please provide a written statement describing your circumstances.... Upon review, you will be cleared from our system or contacted for additional information,” the Department of Inland Revenue/Avenu letter added.
“If you are currently in compliance with the Business Licence Act and VAT Act in relation to short-term rentals, please reply to this notice with a copy of your short-term rental remittance forms for the year(s) in question.” Thus it appears short-term vacation rental owners who are both registered and tax compliant must prove they are so all over again.
As for those who are non-compliant, they must register their properties with the Government within seven business days; provide a copy of their rental agreement; real property tax certificate; and a “consent letter” from their community’s developer or copy of its “ordinance”. Only once this registration process is complete will they be able to apply for a Business Licence.
As with the recent boating fees controversy, The Bahamas has a sovereign right to determine who, where and how it taxes and set the rates accordingly. The Ministry of Finance has been targeting the short-term vacation rental industry for some time, viewing it as an untapped lucrative source of new revenue, especially multi-million foreign-owned homes rented out for thousands of dollars per say.
Some have also blamed short-term vacation rentals for creating shortages of local housing, especially longterm rentals and particularly
in the Family Islands, as
landlords opt for the greater yields available from tourists. This is also seen as having driven up long-term rental rates and priced Bahamians out of the market.
However, there have also been calls for a balanced approach amid fears that the Government, in its desire to attract more revenue from short-term vacation rentals, could over-tax visitors and owners and, in so doing, shrink a valuable tourism market segment that helps to spread tourism dollars at much lower community level.
Mr Williams, the Department of Inland Revenue’s spokesman, confirmed to Tribune Business: “What persons are receiving from Avenu is correct. That’s not a fake document. Essentially, there’s a database that Avenu is working from.
“They’re sending out letters to persons on that database. They’ve either assessed what you’re doing as operating a short-term vacation rental or you may be operating a short-term vacation rental. The idea is to target persons and get their short-term vacation rentals registered. We’re trying to get persons who are not registered, registered, and those delinquent in any way, the letter is going out as well.”
Asked how much revenue is currently being collected from short-term vacation rentals, and how much the Department of Inland Revenue assesses it is missing out on, Mr Williams said he did not have actual numbers or statistics to hand.
However, he added: “It’s something we need to regulate because a lot of persons are doing it and are not collecting the revenue from it and are not on the Government site. The fact we’ve married with [the [Ministry] of Tourism to do this initiative, I would say it shows that there needs to be regulation and there’s a substantial amount of money we should be collecting from it.”
But Mr Raine, who told Tribune Business he had been contacted by several persons who have received the letter, countered: “Yes, this is a fishing thing. It galls me that we’re paying all
these civil servants, and have people there that can do the work - this is not hard or difficult work - and they have to go to someone in Alabama to do it.”
Avenu is headquartered in Virginia, although the letter bears a Birmingham, Alabama, address, which is where one of its offices is located. Mr Raine, who said he has exited the shortterm rental business himself, added of the Government’s approach: “I still believe the Government should not need to get that revenue;.
“This country is not being run correctly. Too much money is being wasted and, because of that, they’re going into every nook and cranny to get every cent they can get. Vacation rentals are not big business. If they charge you VAT as an owner, you should be able to net it off against the input VAT. You would need to have a taxpayer identification number and no property owner has that.”
Warning that short-term vacation rental owners may be driven from the market, and new entrepreneurs deterred from joining, Mr Raine also warned that an over-zealous tax crackdown by the Government could increase the already-high cost of a Bahamian vacation and price this nation out of the market.
“Airbnbs bring people in,” he added. “I think people will get to the point where they will say it’s not worth it. I’m just working for the Government. It may dry up. There’s going to be an impact on tourism because a segment of that market prefers vacation rental accommodation rather than a hotel. Once you take that away and water it down, the room inventory will be less and less.”
A Bahamian financial services professional, speaking on condition of anonymity and who has friends who own short-term vacation rental properties, told Tribune Business that the Government must adopt an approach that balances its revenue and regulatory needs with providing an avenue for Bahamians to own a piece of the tourism industry.
And they questioned whether identifying properties as “commercial” short-term vacation rentals will lead to them being reclassified as commercial for real property tax purposes, and paying a higher rate, even if the owners are actually living there, too, and only renting out a portion of the site. This would still mean it retains its owneroccupied status.
“The Government is going after it, but they’re not doing it from a holistic point of view,” the source said. “You have persons living in their residences and renting out a portion of their properties. You shouldn’t declare their whole house commercial. They’re living there, and have decided to rent out one or two rooms and make it an Airbnb.
“One person said they received a letter and don’t even own an Airbnb. They’re casting the net wide. I think the Government needs to really understand that persons see this as a way to get a few extra dollars. The majority of people doing these Airbnbs are below the $100,000 VAT registration threshold.
“Bahamians have always screamed that the hotels have all these concessions and so forth. We have an opportunity where Bahamians can have access to persons visiting the island on a much smaller scale; some have been doing these low-scale accommodations before Airbnb,” they continued.
“I do agree there does need to be some form of regulation to ensure we don’t have bad people doing bad things. We need something like that, but the point is that should not be used as a major source of income for the Government.”
Shunda Strachan, the Department of Inland Revenue’s acting controller, said in April 2023 that some 7,500 vacation rental owners had registered with the Government. Officials later that same year said they had compiled a database of close to 10,000 Bahamas-based vacation rental properties from information available via the likes of Airbnb and VRBO.
US-EU deal sets a 15% tariff on most goods and averts the threat of a trade war with a global shock
By WILL WEISSERT
Associated Press
THE United States and the European Union agreed on Sunday to a trade framework setting a 15% tariff on most goods, staving off — at least for now — far higher imports on both sides that might have sent shock waves through economies around the globe.
The sweeping announcement came after President Donald Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen met briefly at Trump's Turnberry golf course in Scotland. Their private sitdown culminated months of bargaining, with the White House deadline Friday nearing for imposing punishing tariffs on the EU's 27 member countries.
"It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it's going to be great for both parties," Trump said. The agreement, he said, was "a good deal for everybody" and "a giant deal with lots of countries."
Von der Leyen said the deal "will bring stability, it will bring predictability, that's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic."
Many facets will require more work
As with other, recent tariff agreements that Trump announced with countries including Japan and the United Kingdom, some major details remain pending in this one.
Trump said the EU had agreed to buy some $750 billion worth of U.S. energy and invest $600 billion more
than it already is in America — as well as make a major military equipment purchase. He said tariffs "for automobiles and everything else will be a straight across tariff of 15%" and meant that U.S. exporters "have the opening up of all of the European countries."
Von der Leyen said the 15% tariffs were "across the board, all inclusive" and that "indeed, basically the European market is open." At a later news conference away from Turnberry, she said the $750 billion in additional U.S. energy purchases was actually over the next three years — and would help ease the dependence on natural gas from Russia among the bloc's countries.
"When the European Union and the United States work together as partners, the benefits are
tangible," Von der Leyen said, noting that the agreement "stabilized on a single, 15% tariff rate for the vast majority of EU exports" including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.
"15% is a clear ceiling," she said.
But von der Leyen also clarified that such a rate wouldn't apply to everything, saying that both sides agreed on "zero for zero tariffs on a number of strategic products," like all aircraft and component parts, certain chemicals, certain generic drugs, semiconductor equipment, some agricultural products, natural resources and critical raw materials. It is unclear if alcohol will be included in that list.
"And we will keep working to add more products to this list," she said, while also stressing that the
Meta will cease political ads in European Union by fall, blaming bloc's new rules
By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer
FACEBOOK and Ins-
tagram owner Meta said Friday that it will stop all political advertising in the European Union by October, blaming legal uncertainty over new rules designed to increase transparency in election campaigns.
The social media giant said in a blog post that it
will no longer allow ads for political, electoral and social issues on its platforms, which also include Threads, starting in early October.
The company said it was making the decision because of the 27-nation EU's "unworkable" Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising regulations. The rules introduce "significant operational
challenges and legal uncertainties," Meta said.
It's not the first Big Tech company to make such a move. Google said last year that it would stop serving EU users political ads before the rules take effect,
"framework means the figures we have just explained to the public, but, of course, details have to be sorted out. And that will happen over the next weeks."
Further EU approval needed
In the meantime, there will be work to do on other fronts. Von der Leyen had a mandate to negotiate because the European Commission handles trade for member countries. But the Commission must now present the deal to member states and EU lawmakers, who will ultimately decide whether or not to approve it.
Before their meeting began, Trump pledged to change what he characterized as "a very one-sided transaction, very unfair to the United States."
in an announcement that cited similar reasons.
Under the regulations, which are set to take effect on Oct. 10, platforms will have to label political ads, disclosing who paid for them, and what campaign, referendum or legislative process they're connected to. Ads will have to be preserved in a database, and they can only be targeted to users under strict conditions.
The rules introduce "significant, additional obligations to our processes
LEGAL NOTICE
G. HOLDINGS LTD.
"I think both sides want to see fairness," the Republican president told reporters.
Von der Leyen said the U.S. and EU combined have the world's largest trade volume, encompassing hundreds of millions of people and trillions of dollars and added that Trump was "known as a tough negotiator and dealmaker."
"But fair," Trump said.
Trump has spent months threatening most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners. More recently, he had hinted that any deal with the EU would have to "buy down" a tariff rate of 30% that had been set to take effect.
But during his comments before the agreement was announced, the president was asked if he'd be willing to accept tariff rates lower than 15%, and he said "no."
First golf, then trade talk
Their meeting came after Trump played golf for the second straight day at Turnberry, this time with a group that included sons Eric and Donald Jr. In addition to negotiating deals, Trump's five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name.
A small group of demonstrators at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who
and systems that create an untenable level of complexity and legal uncertainty for advertisers and platforms operating in the EU," Meta said.
Violations can be hit with fines worth up to 6% of a company's annual global revenue.
The rules are part of Brussels' wider efforts to counter foreign influence and manipulation in elections, and dovetail with the bloc's other regulations designed to protect citizens' privacy and hold platforms
plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday.
Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting "Trump! Trump!" as he played nearby. On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course.
The U.S. and EU seemed close to a deal earlier this month, but Trump instead threatened the 30% tariff rate. The deadline for the Trump administration to begin imposing tariffs has shifted in recent weeks but is now firm and coming Friday, the administration insists.
"No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set, they'll go into place, Customs will start collecting the money and off we go," U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told "Fox News Sunday" before the EU deal was announced. He added, however, that even after that "people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen."
Without an agreement, the EU said it was prepared to retaliate with tariffs on hundreds of American products, ranging from beef and auto parts to beer and Boeing airplanes.
more accountable for internet users' online safety. But those moves clash with President Donald Trump's administration, which has lashed out at the EU's digital rulemaking. Meta said its decision won't affect users who want to debate politics on its platforms or prevent politicians, candidates and officer holders from "sharing political content organically." "They just won't be able to amplify this through paid advertising," it said.
NOTICE International Business Companies Act (No. 46 of 2000) JOUSTER LTD. Registration No. 210823 B In Voluntary Liquidation
CALVINA SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED (In Voluntary Liquidation)
Notice is hereby given in pursuance of Section 138(8) of Te International Business Companies Act, 2000 (as amended), the Dissolution of the above-named company has been completed, a Certifcate of Dissolution has been issued and the above-named company has therefore been struck of the Register. Te date of the completion of the dissolution was the 7th day of July 2025.
Bennet R. Atkinson Liquidator
NOTICE
Duo Bros Inc.
Incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 2000 of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Registration number 210676 B (In Voluntary Liquidation)
Notice is hereby given that the above-named Company is in dissolution, commencing on the 25th day of July A.D. 2025. Articles of Dissolution have been duly registered by the Registrar. The Liquidator is Ms. Maria Mendes Laborne, whose address is Rua Montevidéu, 411, APTO. 701, Sion, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 30315-560, Brazil. Any Persons having a Claim against the above-named Company are required on or before the 24th day of August A.D. 2025 to send their names, addresses and particulars of their debts or claims to the Liquidator of the Company, or in default thereof they may be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such claim is proved.
Dated this 25th day of July A.D. 2025.
MARIA MENDES LABORNE LIQUIDATOR LEGAL NOTICE
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMPANIES ACT (No.45 of 2000)
In Voluntary Liquidation
Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act, No.45 of 2000, the dissolution of G. HOLDINGS LTD. has been completed, a Certifcate of Dissolution has been issued, and the Company has therefore been struck of the Register. Te date of completion of the Dissolution was 31st day of December 2024.
Notice is hereby given that in accordance with Section 138 of the International Business Companies Act, (No. 46 of 2000), JOUSTER LTD. was put into voluntary liquidation pursuant to a resolution passed by the Members of the Company on the 6th day of March, 2025 Te date of Commencement of dissolution was June 18, 2025 when the Plan and Articles of Dissolution were submitted to the Registrar.
We, Redcorn Consultants Limited of Suite 205A – Safrey Square, Bank Lane & Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas, are the appointed Liquidators of JOUSTER LTD
It is estimated that the winding-up and dissolution of the Company will require approximately thirty (30) days.
Terefore, any person having a Claim against JOUSTER LTD. is required on or before July 31, 2025 to send their name, address and particulars of the debt or claim to the Liquidator of the Company, or in default thereof they may be excluded from the beneft of any distribution made before such claim is approved.
Redcorn Consultants Limited Liquidator
PRESIDENT Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shake hands after reaching a trade deal at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland Sunday, July 27, 2025.
Photo:Jacquelyn Martin/AP
US-EU trade deal wards off further escalation but will raise
costs for companies, consumers
By DAVID McHUGH AP Business Writer
PRESIDENT Donald
Trump and European Commission
President Ursula von der Leyen have announced a sweeping trade deal that imposes 15% tariffs on most European goods, warding off Trump's threat of a 30% rate if no deal had been reached by Aug. 1.
The tariffs, or import taxes, paid when Americans buy European products could raise prices for U.S. consumers and dent profits for European companies and their partners who bring goods into the country.
Here are some things to know about the trade deal between the United States and the European Union: What's in the agreement?
Trump and von der Leyen's announcement, made during Trump's visit to one of his golf courses in Scotland, leaves many details to be filled in.
The headline figure is a 15% tariff rate on "the vast majority" of European goods brought into the U.S., including cars, computer chips and pharmaceuticals. It's lower than the 20%
Trump initially proposed, and lower than his threats of 50% and then 30%.
Von der Leyen said the two sides agreed on zero tariffs on both sides for a range of "strategic" goods: Aircraft and aircraft parts, certain chemicals, semiconductor equipment, certain agricultural products, and some natural resources and critical raw materials. Specifics were lacking. She said the two sides "would keep working" to add more products to the list.
Additionally, the EU side would purchase what Trump said was $750 billion (638 billion euros) worth of natural gas, oil and nuclear fuel to replace Russian energy supplies, and Europeans would invest an additional $600 billion (511 billion euros) in the U.S.
What's not in the deal?
Trump said the 50% U.S. tariff on imported steel would remain; von der Leyen said the two sides agreed to further negotiations to fight a global steel glut, reduce tariffs and establish import quotas — that is, set amounts that can be imported, often at a lower rate.
NOTICE is hereby given that FINALIA SAINT-HILAIRE of Kim Crescent, New Providence, 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 28th day of July, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
Trump said pharmaceuticals were not included in the deal. Von der Leyen said the pharmaceuticals issue was "on a separate sheet of paper" from Sunday's deal.
Where the $600 billion for additional investment would come from was not specified. And von der Leyen said that when it came to farm products, the EU side made clear that "there were tariffs that could not be lowered," without specifying which products.
What's the impact?
The 15% rate removes Trump's threat of a 30% tariff. It's still much higher than the average tariff before Trump came into office of around 1%, and higher than Trump's minimum 10% baseline tariff.
Higher tariffs, or import taxes, on European goods mean sellers in the U.S. would have to either increase prices for consumers — risking loss of market share — or swallow the added cost in terms of lower profits. The higher tariffs are expected to hurt export earnings for European firms and slow the economy.
The 10% baseline applied while the deal was negotiated was already sufficiently high to make the European Union's executive commission cut its growth forecast for this year from 1.3% to 0.9%.
Von der Leyen said the 15% rate was "the best we could do" and credited the deal with maintaining access to the U.S. market and providing "stability and predictability for companies on both sides."
What is some of the reaction to the deal?
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal which avoided "an unnecessary escalation in transatlantic trade relations" and said that "we were able to preserve our core interests," while adding that "I would have very much wished for further relief in transatlantic trade."
The Federation of German Industries was blunter. "Even a 15% tariff rate will have immense negative effects on exportoriented German industry," said Wolfgang Niedermark, a member of the federation's leadership.
While the rate is lower than threatened, "the big
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that KELISHA ANNISHA GRAHAM of Taylor Street, Nassau Village, Nassau The 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 twentyeight days from the 28th day of July, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
caveat to today's deal is that there is nothing on paper, yet," said Carsten Brzeski, global chief of macro at ING bank. "With this disclaimer in mind and at face value, today's agreement would clearly bring an end to the uncertainty of recent months. An escalation of the US-EU trade tensions would have been a severe risk for the global economy," Brzeski said. "This risk seems to have been avoided."
What about car companies?
Asked if European carmakers could still sell cars at 15%, von der Leyen said the rate was much lower than the current 27.5%. That has been the rate under Trump's 25% tariff on cars from all countries, plus the preexisting U.S. car tariff of 2.5%.
The impact is likely to be substantial on some companies, given that automaker Volkswagen said it suffered a 1.3 billion euro ($1.5 billion) hit to profit in the first half of the year from the higher tariffs.
Mercedes-Benz dealers in the U.S. have said they are holding the line on 2025 model year prices "until further notice." The German automaker has a partial tariff shield because it makes 35% of the Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold in
the U.S. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but the company said it expects prices to undergo "significant increases" in coming years.
What were the issues dividing the two sides?
Before Trump returned to office, the U.S. and the EU maintained generally low tariff levels in what is the largest bilateral trading relationship in the world, with some 1.7 trillion euros ($2 trillion) in annual trade. Together the U.S. and the EU have 44% of the global economy. The U.S. rate averaged 1.47% for European goods, while the EU's averaged 1.35% for American products, according to the Bruegel think tank in Brussels.
Trump has complained about the EU's 198 billioneuro trade surplus in goods, which shows Americans buy more from European businesses than the other way around, and has said the European market is not open enough for U.S.-made cars.
However, American companies fill some of the trade gap by outselling the EU when it comes to services such as cloud computing, travel bookings, and legal and financial services. And some 30% of European imports are from American-owned companies, according to the European Central Bank.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that SATENAY SAINT-HILAIRE of Kim Crescent, New Providence, 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 28th day of July, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that CASLY LOUIS of Sunset Drive, New Providence, 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 July, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE
of
and
that
for
Naturalization as a
and that any person who
reason why registration/naturalization should not be granted, should send a written and signed statement of the facts within twenty-eight days from the 28th day of July 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
Wall Street’s winning week ends with more records for US stocks
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer
U.S. stocks capped another strong week with more records on Friday.
The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to set an all-time high, the fifth time it did so this week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 208 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.2% to its own record set the day before.
Deckers, the company behind Ugg boots and Hoka shoes, jumped 11.3% after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the spring than analysts expected. Its growth was particularly strong outside the United States, where revenue soared nearly 50%.
Edwards Lifesciences rose 5.5% after likewise topping Wall Street's expectations for profit in the latest quarter. It said it saw strength across all its product groups, and it expects profit for the full year to come in at the high end of
the forecasted range it had given earlier. They helped offset a drop of 8.5% for Intel, which fell after reporting a loss for the latest quarter, when analysts were looking for a profit. The struggling chipmaker also said it would cut thousands of jobs and eliminate other expenses as it tries to turn around its fortunes. Intel, which helped launch Silicon Valley as the U.S. technology hub, has fallen behind rivals like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices while demand for artificial intelligence chips soars.
All told, the S&P 500 rose 25.29 points to 6,388.64. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 208.01 to 44,901.92, and the Nasdaq composite added 50.36 to 21,108.32.
The pressure is on companies to deliver solid growth in profits in order to justify big gains for their stock prices, which have rallied to record after record in recent weeks. Wall Street has zoomed
higher on hopes that President Donald Trump will reach trade deals with other countries that will lower his stiff proposed tariffs, along with the risk that they could cause a recession and drive up inflation. Trump has recently announced deals with Japan and the Philippines, and the next big deadline is looming on Friday, Aug. 1.
Besides potential trade talks, next week will also feature a meeting by the Federal Reserve on interest rates. Trump again on Thursday lobbied the Fed to cut rates, which he has implied could save the U.S. government money on its debt repayments.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell, though, has continued to insist he wants to wait for more data about how Trump's tariffs affect the economy and inflation before the Fed makes its next move. Lower interest rates can help goose the economy, but they can also give inflation more fuel.
Lower rates also may not lower the U.S. government's costs to borrow money, if the bond market feels they could send inflation higher in the future. In that case, lower shortterm rates brought by the Fed could actually have the opposite effect and make it more expensive for Washington to borrow money over the long term.
The widespread expectation on Wall Street is that the Fed will wait until September to resume cutting interest rates.
In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following Trump's latest attempt to push Powell to cut interest rates. Trump also seemed to back off on threats to fire the Fed's chair.
"To do that is a big move, and I don't think that's necessary," Trump said. "I just want to see one thing happen, very simple: Interest rates come down."
If Trump fired Powell, he'd risk a freak-out in financial markets by raising the possibility of a
less independent Fed, one unable to make unpopular choices necessary to keep the economy healthy. The yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.38% from 4.43% late Thursday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for what the Fed will do, held steady at 3.91%, where it was late Thursday. In stock markets abroad, indexes slipped across much of Europe and Asia. Stocks fell 1.1% in Hong Kong and 0.3% in Shanghai.
MARINE FORECAST
TRADERS DREW COHEN, foreground, and Dylan Halvorsan work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, July 21, 2025. Photo:Richard Drew/AP
The Tea app was intended to help women date safely. Then it got hacked
By PAUL WISEMAN AP Business Writer
TEA, a provocative dating app designed to let women anonymously ask or warn each other about men they'd encountered, rocketed to the top spot on the U.S. Apple App Store this week. On Friday, the company behind the app confirmed it had been hacked: Thousands of images, including selfies, were leaked online.
"We have engaged thirdparty cybersecurity experts and are working around the clock to secure our systems," San Francisco-based Tea Dating Advice Inc. said in a statement.
404 Media, which earlier reported the breach, said it was 4Chan users who discovered an exposed database that "allowed anyone to access the material" from Tea.
The app and the breach highlight the fraught nature of seeking romance in the age of social media.
Here's what to know:
Tea was meant to help women date safely
Tea founder Sean Cook, a software engineer who previously worked at Salesforce and Shutterfly, says on the app's website that he founded the company in 2022 after witnessing his own mother's "terrifying'' experiences. Cook said they included unknowingly dating men with criminal records and being "catfished'' — deceived by men using false identities.
Tea markets itself as a safe way for women to anonymously vet men they might meet on dating apps such as Tinder or Bumble — ensuring that the men are who they say they are, not criminals and not already married or in a relationship. "It's like people have their own little Yelp pages,'' said Aaron Minc, whose Cleveland firm, Minc Law, specializes in cases involving online defamation and harassment.
In an Apple Store review, one woman wrote that she used a Tea search to
A PERSON uses a smartphone in Chicago, Sept. 16, 2017.
investigate a man she'd begun talking to and discovered "over 20 red flags, including serious allegations like assault and recording women without their consent.'' She said she cut off communication. "I can't imagine how things could've gone had I not known," she wrote.
A surge in social media attention over the past week pushed Tea to the No. 1 spot
on Apple's U.S. App Store as of July 24, according to Sensor Tower, a research firm. In the seven days from July 17-23, Tea downloads shot up 525% compared to the week before. Tea said in an Instagram post that it had reached 4 million users.
Tea has been criticized for invading men's privacy
A female columnist for The Times of London
newspaper, who signed into the app, on Thursday called Tea a "man-shaming site'' and complained that "this is simply vigilante justice, entirely reliant on the scruples of anonymous women. With Tea on the scene, what man would ever dare date a woman again?'' "Over the last couple of weeks, we've gotten hundreds of calls on it. It's blown up," attorney Minc said. "People are upset. They're getting named. They're getting shamed.''
In 1996, Congress passed legislation protecting websites and apps from liability for things posted by their users. But the users can be sued for spreading "false and defamatory'' information, Minc said.
In May, however, a federal judge in Illinois threw out an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit by a man who'd been criticized by women in the Facebook chat group "Are We Dating the Same Guy," Bloomberg Law reported.
State privacy laws could offer another avenue for
bringing legal action against someone who posted your photograph or other personal information in a harmful way, Minc said.
The breach exposed thousands of selfies and photo IDs In its statement, Tea reported that about 72,000 images were leaked online, including 13,000 images of selfies or photo identification that users submitted during account verification. Another 59,000 images that were publicly viewable in the app from posts, comments and direct messages were also accessed, according to the company's statement. No email addresses or phone numbers were exposed, the company said, and the breach only affects users who signed up before February 2024. "At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that additional user data was affected. Protecting tea users' privacy and data is our highest priority," Tea said.
BOEING’S FIGHTER JET WORKERS IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA REJECT A CONTRACT OFFER
By JOHN HANNA Associated Press
BOEING Co. expects more than 3,200 union workers at three St. Louisarea plants that produce U.S. fighter jets to strike after they rejected a proposed contract Sunday that included a 20% wage increase over four years.
The International Machinists and Aerospace Workers union said the vote by District 837 members was overwhelmingly against the proposed contract. The existing contract was to expire at 11:59 p.m. Central time Sunday, but the union said a "cooling
off" period would keep a strike from beginning for another week, until Aug. 4. Union leaders had recommended approving the offer, calling it a "landmark" agreement when it was announced last week.
Organizers said then that the offer would improve medical, pension and overtime benefits in addition to pay.
The vote came two days before Boeing planned to announce its second quarter earnings, after saying earlier this month that it had delivered 150 commercial airliners and 36 military aircraft and helicopters during the quarter, up from
130 and 26 during the first quarter. Its stock closed Friday at $233.06 a share, up $1.79.
The union did not say specifically why members rejected the contract, only that it "fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices" of the union's workers. Last fall, Boeing offered a general wage increase of 38% over four years to end a 53-day strike by 33,000 aircraft workers producing passenger aircraft.
"Our members are standing together to demand a contract that respects their work and ensures a secure
future," the union said in a statement.
Dan Gillan, general manager and senior Boeing executive in St. Louis, said in a statement that the company is "focused on preparing for a strike." He described the proposal as "the richest contract offer" ever presented to the St. Louis union. "No talks are scheduled with the union," said Gillan, who is also vice president for Boeing Air Dominance, the division for the production of several military jets, including the U.S. Navy's Super Hornet, as well as the Air Force's Red Hawk training aircraft.
Photo:File/ap
THE BOEING logo is displayed at the company’s factory, Sept. 24, 2024, in Renton, Wash. Photo:Lindsey Wasson/AP
