Business

An online petition in favour of a banking ombudsman for The Bahamas has garnered 1106 signatures from as far away as the United Kingdom, spanning islands throughout the Caribbean, The Bahamas, the United States and Canada as of press time. In that time, a successful town meeting held on March 12 saw an outpouring of support for Spicer while people shared their own banking horror stories. The case has also gained the attention of international, national and local media outlets.

The Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) held their annual financial services conclave at the Pavilion at Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour on March 11 through 12 where senior officers of financial institutions discussed strategies to make the industry more competitive.

A meeting for persons of the entire South Abaco community (which includes Cherokee Sound, Casuarina Point, Bahama Palm Shores, Schooner Bay, Crossing Rocks and Sandy Point) was held on February 26 in the Crossing Rocks Primary School. The goal of the meeting was for the South Abaco community to meet with persons from Schooner Bay Ventures Limited to discuss differences that had risen and make plans for the way forward.

Crystal Tinker opened her new business – World Tour Travel – in November 2015. While World Tour Travel is a home-based business, it operates as a fully-serviced travel agency offering airfare, hotel, car rental or cruise packages. World Tour Travel is open from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Telephone number: 699-2087.

With over a dozen years of experience in real estate throughout the Bahamas, Neil Aberle, Broker with H.G. Christie Ltd, felt it was time to design a new website especially for discerning buyers of higher-end properties in the Bahamas, and so with help from the folks at Thyme Online, Bahamas Island Estates (http://BahamasIslandEstates.com) was born.

Abaco Estate Services has posted the listing offering the Treasure Cay Resort, Marina, and Golf Course along with development properties for sale at $59 million. Ed Newell, Bahamian broker of Abaco Estates Services, articulated that, “The purchaser must be an investor or investment group that has a plan that will utilize the development areas to their maximum potential.”

A Hotel Licensing Seminar was held at the Office of the Prime Minister located in the Bahamas Government Complex on Feb. 23. Persons in attendance were representative of the Ministry of Tourism, Administrator’s Office and a cross-section of the hospitality and hotel sectors on Abaco.

Studio One had its Grand Opening late December 2015 and has continued to grow steadily. Studio One, which is the original building’s name, was once also an art studio home to one of the earliest members of the Sailing Club. Today it hosts the locally famous Hope Town Canvas as well as a bike rental and repair shop.

The Bahamas Institute of Business & Technology (Formerly known as the Success Center for Extended Studies) that has been offering Associate Degree Courses on Abaco for the last several years, donated two laptops to Mr. Ricardo Ferguson, Principal of Abaco Central High School, as an expression of gratitude for the use of the campus.

I wish to thank the recently elected Board of Directors of the Abaco Chamber of Commerce for their confidence in having elected me to serve in the capacity of President.