05202019 BUSINESS

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business@tribunemedia.net

MONDAY, MAY 20, 2019

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Mega BPL refinance eyes November close By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power & Light’s (BPL) nine-figure refinance is eyeing an end-November 2019 closing, Tribune Business can reveal, with the targeted sum “likely” to be less than the original $650m. Geoff Andrews, chairman of the special purpose vehicle (SPV) that will issue the rate reduction bonds (RRB) to restructure BPL’s multiple legacy liabilities, confirmed that a portion of the needed capital “will definitely” be raised from Bahamian investors. While unable to give many details, given that he and the SPV’s Board were appointed within the last few months, Mr Andrews said they planned to seek bids from financial institutions to act as the RRB issue’s adviser, placement agent and arranger before May’s end. He added that the Board, which also includes exRoyal Bank of Canada

• TARGET SUM ‘LIKELY’ BELOW $650M • PORTION ‘DEFINITELY’ RAISED LOCALLY • FINANCIAL ADVISER RFP BY MONTH END

(RBC) executive, Larry Wilson, and Tanya Carey, planned to select a preferred bidder before the end of June. Once that happened, Mr Andrews said they would then be able to tie down the RRB offering’s details, including its structure, pricing (interest rate paid to investors), and how much will be raised locally versus internationally. “We are definitely working very hard to get the issue done by the end of November. We’re all doing our best to meet that target,” he told Tribune Business. “When you look at the history, this [the RRB issue] has been an ongoing discussion since 2013-2014. It is something we are very much stressing the importance of getting done as

CLIFTON PIER POWER STATION quickly as possible to all the international. That will be something discussed with other parties involved.” Asked whether the the lead arranger. We are RRB issue was aiming to certainly looking to have a raise the $650m initially local component, and I am targeted, Mr Andrews comfortable in saying the responded: “I would rather amount is less than originot give the details on that nally planned for.” BPL’s refinancing, while yet, but it more than likely will be less than that origi- essential to its future finannal amount and we will cial health, may provoke definitely be looking for a controversy among some elements of Bahamian socilocal component. “We have not in our ety given that it is ultimately minds decided how the state-owned energy much will be local versus SEE PAGE FIVE

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PRIVATISING NASSAU FLIGHT: FOREIGNERS NEED NOT APPLY By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A CABINET minister has told foreigners to forget about bidding for Nassau Flight Services (NFS) with his ministry today launching the privatisation process for the state-owned ground handler. Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, told Tribune Business that the company’s $8m annual top-line meant it was of “ideal” size to be acquired by Bahamian companies or investor groups as part of the Government’s drive to create a local “entrepreneurial class”.

He reiterated, though, that Nassau Flight Services would not simply be given away by the Government. Mr D’Aguilar said the winning bidder would need to show a credible business plan, together with past expertise, track record and necessary skill set, to convince the Minnis administration they could “ensure the company’s success post-privatisation”. The Ministry of Tourism, in a statement issued yesterday, revealed that the Government will consider a franchise (operating) agreement for Nassau Flight Services as well as its SEE PAGE SIX

BISX INKS ‘WORLD CLASS’ DIGITAL EXCHANGE BOOST By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas International Securities Exchange’s (BISX) goal of becoming a “world class” digital trading player has received a major boost after it secured a partner to launch a new exchange. Keith Davies, BISX’s chief executive, confirmed to Tribune Business that it had signed an agreement with a “major FinTech

(financial technology) company”, which he declined to name for legal reasons, to provide the expertise and trading platform for its proposed digital securities exchange. While the launch date depends on obtaining final regulatory approval from the Securities Commission, Mr Davies said the new digital exchange will place BISX - and The Bahamas - “squarely on the map as SEE PAGE SEVEN

GOVT TARGETS $50M YACHT CHARTER FEES By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Government will target untapped existing revenue sources such as the 4 percent yacht charter fee in the upcoming 2019-2020 Budget, the deputy prime minister has revealed. K Peter Turnquest, addressing the Eleuthera Business Outlook conference, indicated that the Ministry of Finance is focused on improving revenue yields from “low hanging fruit” where past enforcement and collection efforts have been

weak as opposed to new or increased taxes from its main sources. “We are looking at new revenue sources,” he confirmed. “One of the big ones we anticipate is in the yacht registry and chartering industry. We know there are vessels that come here and stay for six months conducting charter business during that time and not registering as commercial entities. “As a result, The Bahamas gets no revenue. There is a 4 per cent charter fee we are supposed to collect but, SEE PAGE EIGHT

LAW SHOULDN’T ‘TAX YOU OUT OF BUSINESS’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Government is “taxing people out of business” via an “unconscionable” Business Licence fee that exacerbates the struggles of loss-making firms, a well-known fiscal hawk is arguing. Rick Lowe, an executive with the Nassau Institute think-tank, told Tribune Business “it cannot be the intent of the law” to have a tax that plunges a company further into loss to

the extent it has to consider shutting down. Pointing to the Taylor Industries closure, where the “ongoing requirement to pay a Business Licence fee to the Government even though the Company had been making losses for several years” was cited as one factor behind the 75 year-old business’s demise, Mr Lowe agreed it was a case study of what many Bahamian-owned firms were still enduring. “It’s unconscionable SEE PAGE NINE

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