Published on Friday, October 24, 2008
by Lindsay Thompson
NASSAU, Bahamas (BIS): In January, 2009, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will open a Consulate General Office in Atlanta, Georgia to alleviate the strain on The Bahamas Consulate General Office in Miami, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Brent Symonette.
The Ingraham Building in Miami houses the Consulate Office, which will be relocated to another floor to accommodate the goals of the Ministry, including processing ePassport applications and other diplomatic functions.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Brent Symonette. (BIS Photo/Raymond
A. Bethel)
“The Miami office is a very busy office where passports and visas are processed. We are looking at upgrading that with a number of changes,” Symonette said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains nine overseas offices – four in the United States (the Embassy in Washington, the Consulate General in Miami and New York, and the Mission to the United Nations), the High Commissions in London, United Kingdom; and Ottawa, Canada; and Embassies in Haiti, China and Cuba.
Ambassador C A Smith is in Washington; former Commissioner of Police Paul Farquharson is The Bahamas High Commissioner to London; former MP Mike Smith is The Bahamas High Commissioner to Ottawa, Canada; ex-Senator Gladys Johnson-Sands is Consul General in Miami; former NEMA Director Carl Smith is Consul General in New York; career diplomat Dr. Paulette Bethel is the Permanent Representative of The Bahamas Permanent Mission to the United Nations; and ex-Cabinet Minister Elma Campbell is Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.
The new ambassadors to Haiti and Cuba will be announced shortly, Symonette said. Carlton Wright served as The Bahamas Ambassador to Cuba, and Dr Eugene Newry as Ambassador to Haiti.
Another area of change on tap for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in the Department of Immigration. Mr Symonette said that a look at immigration policies is underway to determine whether Bahamians are interested in certain areas of the workforce normally sought by foreigners.
“I intend to meet with a cross section of the community to discuss whether we can accept that there are certain levels of the workforce in which Bahamians desire not to work. We have to come to the realisation that certain sectors of the community workforce are not jobs Bahamians traditionally want to go into,” Symonette said.
He noted that work permits are being sought in such areas as gardening, live-in maids, handyman, and similar areas.
“Technically, it is illegal to have a work permit for someone and work for another,” he said. “We want to streamline that process.”
The Immigration Board has been meeting regularly in Grand Bahama and New Providence to look at a number of applications for work permits in order to get rid of the backlog of cases, Symonette said.
For More Information on the Laws and Regulations of the Bahamas please visit our website http://www.islandandresort.com/content/category/38/99/202/
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Royal Caribbean to scrap fuel surcharges in 2010
Finally we are starting to see some relief in fares. Lets hope the airlines follow soon.
Posted on Saturday, 10.25.08 Miami Herald reprint
Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) is scrapping fuel surcharges for its ships from 2010 and may reimburse partial tariffs for some 2009 trips if oil prices remain lower.
Supplements won't be charged on bookings made from Nov. 10, the Miami-based company said.
Royal Caribbean raised fuel surcharges to $10 per traveler per day on Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, and $15 for Azamara Cruises, from June 30, as oil prices soared. It had imposed a $5 fuel surcharge in November and increased it to $8 in April, and earlier this year said it was changing some itineraries to lower fuel consumption.
Every $10-a-barrel drop in oil prices trims $20 million from Royal Caribbean's annual fuel cost, the company said in July. Bunker fuel, used by ships, fell 18 percent in the three months ended Sept. 30, to $590.50 per metric ton
Posted on Saturday, 10.25.08 Miami Herald reprint
Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) is scrapping fuel surcharges for its ships from 2010 and may reimburse partial tariffs for some 2009 trips if oil prices remain lower.
Supplements won't be charged on bookings made from Nov. 10, the Miami-based company said.
Royal Caribbean raised fuel surcharges to $10 per traveler per day on Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, and $15 for Azamara Cruises, from June 30, as oil prices soared. It had imposed a $5 fuel surcharge in November and increased it to $8 in April, and earlier this year said it was changing some itineraries to lower fuel consumption.
Every $10-a-barrel drop in oil prices trims $20 million from Royal Caribbean's annual fuel cost, the company said in July. Bunker fuel, used by ships, fell 18 percent in the three months ended Sept. 30, to $590.50 per metric ton
Monday, October 20, 2008
Caribbeans 10 best resorts
By Ian Keown
Caribbean Travel and Life
updated 9:28 a.m. ET, Fri., Oct. 17, 2008
A night at Antigua’s Curtain Bluff for $80, including breakfast and dinner? How about a suite and all meals at Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda for $125? It’s hard to believe, but those were the going rates in the first edition of my guidebook "Caribbean Hideaways", published in 1978. Thumbing through it recently, I was delighted to discover that many of my favorites from back then have retained their places in the Caribbean pantheon and are still going strong. Three decades at the top is an extraordinary achievement, what with new resorts opening every other month, each hailing itself as the last word in style and service.
So how do the classics do it? Here’s one theory: New resorts have business plans while the classics have innkeepers. Many of the golden oldies are still owned and, in some cases, still managed by their founders, who are tirelessly devoted to their properties. In many ways, these venerable resorts are younger than ever. Along with the perpetual maintenance required to counter the challenges of a tropical climate, these hotels also have to keep pace with the tastes and expectations of the children and grandchildren of their longtime guests, and to attract a new clientele. So they have gradually (and sometimes reluctantly) modernized, installing flat-screen televisions, Wi-Fi and air conditioning and relaxing dress codes while staying true to their original spirit and sense of place.
Since it’s probably safe to say that no one has been rating resorts in the Caribbean longer than I have, I feel qualified to honor the region’s classics. Choosing only 10 wasn’t easy, so I applied this yardstick: The resort must have been around for at least 30 years, remaining at the head of the class for most of them. I also considered the condition of the property; the quality of its cuisine and the ambience of its restaurants; the range of activities available; value for money; and, of course, the standard of service delivered by its staff.
Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia
Bitter End Yacht Club, Virgin Gorda, BVI
The Buccaneer, St. Croix, USVI
Caneel Bay, St. John, USVI
Coral Reef Club, Barbados
Curtain Bluff, Antigua
Jamaica Inn, Jamaica
La Samanna, St. Martin
Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda, BVI
Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Jamaica
For the full article by Ian Kewon,
please visit
http://www.islandandresort.com/content/view/2198/461/
Caribbean Travel and Life
updated 9:28 a.m. ET, Fri., Oct. 17, 2008
A night at Antigua’s Curtain Bluff for $80, including breakfast and dinner? How about a suite and all meals at Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda for $125? It’s hard to believe, but those were the going rates in the first edition of my guidebook "Caribbean Hideaways", published in 1978. Thumbing through it recently, I was delighted to discover that many of my favorites from back then have retained their places in the Caribbean pantheon and are still going strong. Three decades at the top is an extraordinary achievement, what with new resorts opening every other month, each hailing itself as the last word in style and service.
So how do the classics do it? Here’s one theory: New resorts have business plans while the classics have innkeepers. Many of the golden oldies are still owned and, in some cases, still managed by their founders, who are tirelessly devoted to their properties. In many ways, these venerable resorts are younger than ever. Along with the perpetual maintenance required to counter the challenges of a tropical climate, these hotels also have to keep pace with the tastes and expectations of the children and grandchildren of their longtime guests, and to attract a new clientele. So they have gradually (and sometimes reluctantly) modernized, installing flat-screen televisions, Wi-Fi and air conditioning and relaxing dress codes while staying true to their original spirit and sense of place.
Since it’s probably safe to say that no one has been rating resorts in the Caribbean longer than I have, I feel qualified to honor the region’s classics. Choosing only 10 wasn’t easy, so I applied this yardstick: The resort must have been around for at least 30 years, remaining at the head of the class for most of them. I also considered the condition of the property; the quality of its cuisine and the ambience of its restaurants; the range of activities available; value for money; and, of course, the standard of service delivered by its staff.
Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia
Bitter End Yacht Club, Virgin Gorda, BVI
The Buccaneer, St. Croix, USVI
Caneel Bay, St. John, USVI
Coral Reef Club, Barbados
Curtain Bluff, Antigua
Jamaica Inn, Jamaica
La Samanna, St. Martin
Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda, BVI
Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Jamaica
For the full article by Ian Kewon,
please visit
http://www.islandandresort.com/content/view/2198/461/
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Bahamas - EU Partnership
Interesting article on the possibility of the Bahamas joining the EU. It is a small world growing smaller.
Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com
Commentary: EU Economic Partnership Agreement - what it means for the Bahamas
Published on Tuesday, October 14, 2008
By The Nassau Institute
If the proposed Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union covering trade both in goods and services is signed in its present form by the Bahamas, the effects on the country’s economy and way of life will be far-reaching.
The Government should be commended for its efforts to consult stakeholders, as well as members of the public through town meetings, and for its publication last month of a detailed explanatory document about the EPA.
However, it appears that, for the most part, the Government has not entered into a genuine consultation about the fundamental issue of whether it is in the general interest of the Bahamas to sign an EPA at all; and many Bahamians remain uninformed about its likely impact on their lives and welfare.
There has been no formalized national consultation involving political parties, the trades unions, the churches and the private sector as a whole. Instead, the Government has taken a policy position, in line with other CARIFORUM countries, to go along with the EPA. It has sought to explain and justify its decision rather than to debate the overall merits and demerits of the EPA as far as the nation is concerned.
With the Government now set to sign later this month a “goods-only” EPA dealing with market access issues, while deferring its services offer for at most 6 months, it is timely for the Nassau Institute to set out briefly the main issues in a readily comprehensible form and to draw attention to a number of questions which should be examined further.
What is the EPA?
The Lome Convention of 1975 and its successor, the Cotonou Agreement of 2000, provided preferential tariff access into the EU for exports from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states. This, of course, included the Bahamas.
The original intention of the EU was laudable. Its stated purpose was to help eradicate poverty in the context of sustainable development in developing countries with a view also to strengthening democracy and good governance.
Even though cynics suggested that the EU’s real purpose was to secure a steady supply of raw materials or primary products, the fact was that the ACP countries benefited from these trade preferences.
The Cotonou Agreement envisaged that such preferences would eventually be replaced by Free Trade Agreements (FTA). This was necessary in order that the EU could meet its non-discriminatory obligations required by the World Trade Organization (WTO). But the EU itself has now gone further.
Notwithstanding its own protectionist policies, the EU is looking (for its own purposes) to other countries to open their markets to European goods – former EU Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, has publicly stated that the EU, as the largest economy in the world and a major trading bloc, is likely to benefit from more accessible world markets.
So, over and above its commitment to make arrangements for trade in goods that are compatible with WTO rules, the EU has proposed an EPA as a Free Trade Agreement which, on a basis of reciprocity, not only provides for the removal of all tariffs on the export of goods but also covers trade-related matters such as services, investment, e-commerce and capital movements as well as issues like competition, intellectual property and public procurement.
How would the Bahamas benefit from free trade with the EU under the EPA?
The USA and Canada together constitute the largest trading partner of the Bahamas, 83% of whose exports of goods go to them compared to only 13% to the EU.
Professor Norman Girvan of the University of the West Indies states that, since some 72% of the Bahamas’ foreign currency earnings derive from tourism and financial services, and with the preponderance of trade of goods with the USA, just 4% of total export earnings come from Europe.
The Government is keen to preserve the duty-free access for its exports to the EU worth some $90million and thereby to maintain its existing trade surplus. Loss of this access would result, for example, in imposition by the EU of an 8% tariff on crawfish exports.
In return, the EPA requires the Bahamas to give up tariff rates on 85% of EU imports, phased out over a 25-year period. The estimated loss of revenue is $6million. Since the main purpose of import duties is to generate government revenue rather than act as a barrier to trade, this loss will have to be offset by other taxes.
‘Trade-related’ matters
Under this section, a range of services areas will be opened up to EU competition enabling European companies and professionals to set up business here and Bahamians likewise to enter the EU marketplace.
However, Zhivargo Laing, minister of state for finance, has made it clear that the services offer to be presented to the EU “mirrors our current National Investment Policy” which presently reserves 13 areas of the economy for Bahamians.
To some observers, the benefit to the Bahamas of opening up the EU’s services sector is illusory since there are few Bahamian companies or individuals currently equipped or ready to compete in an EU market of 27 countries with over 400 million people and in the face of prohibitive costs, non-tariff barriers, subsidies and other hurdles.
It is not yet clear what the additional cost will be of complying with the EPA obligations; for example, the creation of new institutions, regulatory bodies and laws.
Effect of the EPA on trade with third countries
According to Stephen Lande, president of Washington-based consultants Manchester Trade, the major concern with the EPA is the impact of its Most Favoured Nation (MFN) provision on future relations with the USA.
If signatories enter into an FTA with a developed country which gives more favourable treatment than that provided to the EU under the EPA, they are obliged to consult the EU first. This could interfere with the Bahamas’ ability to enter into FTAs with other major trading countries as well as the USA.
A further consideration is that the USA, Canada and other non-EU trade partners are unlikely to accept that the EU can expect duty-free access to the Bahamas unless they can do so as well.
In the case of the USA, leading attorney Brian Moree argued at a Nassau Institute seminar on the EPA in June that, since MFN status meant no discrimination between countries, the Bahamas would have to offer – at the time it negotiated a replacement of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) – at least the same trade preferences and benefits it offered to the EU.
In practice, this would mean that, because the Bahamas’ level of trade with the USA was greater than with the EU, the starting point in negotiations would be – in his words – the ‘EU EPA plus’. Given that in 2007 the US exported to the Bahamas some $2.5 billion worth of goods, the loss to the latter would be substantial.
Mr. Moree further argued that, in order to meet the WTO’s demands for an end to one-way discriminatory preference regimes such as the Cotonou Agreement, a “goods-only” deal would have been sufficient so that it was not necessary to address trade-related issues such as services, investments, capital movements etc. Nor was it wise to address the so-called Singapore issues before it became necessary to do so (see ‘Further Issues’ below).
Way forward
Signature of a “goods-only” agreement as a first step now appears to be a fait accompli. It will secure tariff-free access to the huge EU market. The reciprocal removal of tariffs on imports from the EU will anyway become necessary as the Bahamas seeks to join the World Trade Organization. Membership of the WTO will require the phasing out of import duties across the board and development of an alternative means of generating government revenue.
Meanwhile, deferral of the Bahamas’ services offer is to be welcomed. This will allow time for debate.
Further issues
Services
An agreement covering services as well as goods seems, prima facie, to be heavily in favour of the EU. It is unnecessary because, if the conditions are suitable, EU investment is likely to continue without an EPA.
The Chamber of Commerce stressed recently the need to build capacity and competitiveness and to develop new ideas and entrepreneurship. But market access to the EU’s services sector does not necessarily lead to market presence.
Moreover, inclusion of the ‘Singapore issues’ – government procurement, intellectual property, trade facilitation, investment and competition policy – is premature since these issues have not yet been settled in WTO global trade talks. Why should the Bahamas allow itself to be cajoled by the EU into jumping the gun and getting ahead of the WTO itself?
Regional integration
One of the stated objectives of the EPA is to promote Caribbean regional integration. It is an exaggeration to claim that the agreement constitutes a commitment to CSME, but its implementation requires some regional cooperation which will result in a higher level of integration than now exists.
History shows that high levels of economic integration cannot be achieved without a significant degree of political integration resulting in the creation of supranational powers vested in regional agencies.
This raises the question whether greater regional economic integration is in the interest of the Bahamas and thus whether it shares this objective with the promoters of the EPA. Has the matter been addressed as a general principle?
There will also be extra costs; for example, in implementing common procedures like customs management. How will regional agencies be funded and will contributions from CARIFORUM member states be based on GDP figures? If so, with the highest GDP in the region the Bahamas is likely to be called upon to pay disproportionately more. Assuming the Government has studied this, will it publish the figures?
Institutional and legal reform
Advocates of the EPA claim that, in order to fulfill its commitments under the agreement, the Bahamas will be forced to carry out much needed institutional reform; for example, the tax system, customs, competition, public services etc. Reform of customs administration is perhaps the most important. A host of new legislation, including harmonization of laws with CARIFORUM countries, will also be required.
Has the cost of all this been assessed? Mr. Laing has spoken of an ‘implementation framework’ which addresses these issues. Will he make this available in order to reassure the public that the Government has the capacity and commitment to fulfill its obligations in this respect and to pay for their implementation? Will he also provide information about plans for the ‘enabling legislation’ which will be required following signature of the “goods-only” EPA this month?
Conclusion
A cautionary note. The EPA is entitled as being “between CARIFORUM states and the European Community and its member states”. But, although the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery has led the way in negotiations, in practice Caribbean countries will sign it individually rather than collectively.
The result will be that, in the event of any dispute, each country will be at a serious disadvantage since it will be pitched individually against the massive resources of the EU. Have Caribbean negotiators considered the need to insist that the region should be able to speak as one in the settlement of disputes affecting individual countries?
The Government should not underestimate the repercussions of a “goods-only” EPA in negotiating trade arrangements with third countries, and it should now initiate a public debate about, in particular, its proposed services offer. It is important that those seeking to question the wisdom of government policy should not be characterized as being insular, unenlightened or opposed to change.
The Nassau Institute is an independent, a-political, non-profit institute that promotes economic growth in a free market economy with limited government, in a society that embraces the rule of law and the right to private property. Web Site: www.nassauinstitute.org
Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com
Commentary: EU Economic Partnership Agreement - what it means for the Bahamas
Published on Tuesday, October 14, 2008
By The Nassau Institute
If the proposed Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union covering trade both in goods and services is signed in its present form by the Bahamas, the effects on the country’s economy and way of life will be far-reaching.
The Government should be commended for its efforts to consult stakeholders, as well as members of the public through town meetings, and for its publication last month of a detailed explanatory document about the EPA.
However, it appears that, for the most part, the Government has not entered into a genuine consultation about the fundamental issue of whether it is in the general interest of the Bahamas to sign an EPA at all; and many Bahamians remain uninformed about its likely impact on their lives and welfare.
There has been no formalized national consultation involving political parties, the trades unions, the churches and the private sector as a whole. Instead, the Government has taken a policy position, in line with other CARIFORUM countries, to go along with the EPA. It has sought to explain and justify its decision rather than to debate the overall merits and demerits of the EPA as far as the nation is concerned.
With the Government now set to sign later this month a “goods-only” EPA dealing with market access issues, while deferring its services offer for at most 6 months, it is timely for the Nassau Institute to set out briefly the main issues in a readily comprehensible form and to draw attention to a number of questions which should be examined further.
What is the EPA?
The Lome Convention of 1975 and its successor, the Cotonou Agreement of 2000, provided preferential tariff access into the EU for exports from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states. This, of course, included the Bahamas.
The original intention of the EU was laudable. Its stated purpose was to help eradicate poverty in the context of sustainable development in developing countries with a view also to strengthening democracy and good governance.
Even though cynics suggested that the EU’s real purpose was to secure a steady supply of raw materials or primary products, the fact was that the ACP countries benefited from these trade preferences.
The Cotonou Agreement envisaged that such preferences would eventually be replaced by Free Trade Agreements (FTA). This was necessary in order that the EU could meet its non-discriminatory obligations required by the World Trade Organization (WTO). But the EU itself has now gone further.
Notwithstanding its own protectionist policies, the EU is looking (for its own purposes) to other countries to open their markets to European goods – former EU Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, has publicly stated that the EU, as the largest economy in the world and a major trading bloc, is likely to benefit from more accessible world markets.
So, over and above its commitment to make arrangements for trade in goods that are compatible with WTO rules, the EU has proposed an EPA as a Free Trade Agreement which, on a basis of reciprocity, not only provides for the removal of all tariffs on the export of goods but also covers trade-related matters such as services, investment, e-commerce and capital movements as well as issues like competition, intellectual property and public procurement.
How would the Bahamas benefit from free trade with the EU under the EPA?
The USA and Canada together constitute the largest trading partner of the Bahamas, 83% of whose exports of goods go to them compared to only 13% to the EU.
Professor Norman Girvan of the University of the West Indies states that, since some 72% of the Bahamas’ foreign currency earnings derive from tourism and financial services, and with the preponderance of trade of goods with the USA, just 4% of total export earnings come from Europe.
The Government is keen to preserve the duty-free access for its exports to the EU worth some $90million and thereby to maintain its existing trade surplus. Loss of this access would result, for example, in imposition by the EU of an 8% tariff on crawfish exports.
In return, the EPA requires the Bahamas to give up tariff rates on 85% of EU imports, phased out over a 25-year period. The estimated loss of revenue is $6million. Since the main purpose of import duties is to generate government revenue rather than act as a barrier to trade, this loss will have to be offset by other taxes.
‘Trade-related’ matters
Under this section, a range of services areas will be opened up to EU competition enabling European companies and professionals to set up business here and Bahamians likewise to enter the EU marketplace.
However, Zhivargo Laing, minister of state for finance, has made it clear that the services offer to be presented to the EU “mirrors our current National Investment Policy” which presently reserves 13 areas of the economy for Bahamians.
To some observers, the benefit to the Bahamas of opening up the EU’s services sector is illusory since there are few Bahamian companies or individuals currently equipped or ready to compete in an EU market of 27 countries with over 400 million people and in the face of prohibitive costs, non-tariff barriers, subsidies and other hurdles.
It is not yet clear what the additional cost will be of complying with the EPA obligations; for example, the creation of new institutions, regulatory bodies and laws.
Effect of the EPA on trade with third countries
According to Stephen Lande, president of Washington-based consultants Manchester Trade, the major concern with the EPA is the impact of its Most Favoured Nation (MFN) provision on future relations with the USA.
If signatories enter into an FTA with a developed country which gives more favourable treatment than that provided to the EU under the EPA, they are obliged to consult the EU first. This could interfere with the Bahamas’ ability to enter into FTAs with other major trading countries as well as the USA.
A further consideration is that the USA, Canada and other non-EU trade partners are unlikely to accept that the EU can expect duty-free access to the Bahamas unless they can do so as well.
In the case of the USA, leading attorney Brian Moree argued at a Nassau Institute seminar on the EPA in June that, since MFN status meant no discrimination between countries, the Bahamas would have to offer – at the time it negotiated a replacement of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) – at least the same trade preferences and benefits it offered to the EU.
In practice, this would mean that, because the Bahamas’ level of trade with the USA was greater than with the EU, the starting point in negotiations would be – in his words – the ‘EU EPA plus’. Given that in 2007 the US exported to the Bahamas some $2.5 billion worth of goods, the loss to the latter would be substantial.
Mr. Moree further argued that, in order to meet the WTO’s demands for an end to one-way discriminatory preference regimes such as the Cotonou Agreement, a “goods-only” deal would have been sufficient so that it was not necessary to address trade-related issues such as services, investments, capital movements etc. Nor was it wise to address the so-called Singapore issues before it became necessary to do so (see ‘Further Issues’ below).
Way forward
Signature of a “goods-only” agreement as a first step now appears to be a fait accompli. It will secure tariff-free access to the huge EU market. The reciprocal removal of tariffs on imports from the EU will anyway become necessary as the Bahamas seeks to join the World Trade Organization. Membership of the WTO will require the phasing out of import duties across the board and development of an alternative means of generating government revenue.
Meanwhile, deferral of the Bahamas’ services offer is to be welcomed. This will allow time for debate.
Further issues
Services
An agreement covering services as well as goods seems, prima facie, to be heavily in favour of the EU. It is unnecessary because, if the conditions are suitable, EU investment is likely to continue without an EPA.
The Chamber of Commerce stressed recently the need to build capacity and competitiveness and to develop new ideas and entrepreneurship. But market access to the EU’s services sector does not necessarily lead to market presence.
Moreover, inclusion of the ‘Singapore issues’ – government procurement, intellectual property, trade facilitation, investment and competition policy – is premature since these issues have not yet been settled in WTO global trade talks. Why should the Bahamas allow itself to be cajoled by the EU into jumping the gun and getting ahead of the WTO itself?
Regional integration
One of the stated objectives of the EPA is to promote Caribbean regional integration. It is an exaggeration to claim that the agreement constitutes a commitment to CSME, but its implementation requires some regional cooperation which will result in a higher level of integration than now exists.
History shows that high levels of economic integration cannot be achieved without a significant degree of political integration resulting in the creation of supranational powers vested in regional agencies.
This raises the question whether greater regional economic integration is in the interest of the Bahamas and thus whether it shares this objective with the promoters of the EPA. Has the matter been addressed as a general principle?
There will also be extra costs; for example, in implementing common procedures like customs management. How will regional agencies be funded and will contributions from CARIFORUM member states be based on GDP figures? If so, with the highest GDP in the region the Bahamas is likely to be called upon to pay disproportionately more. Assuming the Government has studied this, will it publish the figures?
Institutional and legal reform
Advocates of the EPA claim that, in order to fulfill its commitments under the agreement, the Bahamas will be forced to carry out much needed institutional reform; for example, the tax system, customs, competition, public services etc. Reform of customs administration is perhaps the most important. A host of new legislation, including harmonization of laws with CARIFORUM countries, will also be required.
Has the cost of all this been assessed? Mr. Laing has spoken of an ‘implementation framework’ which addresses these issues. Will he make this available in order to reassure the public that the Government has the capacity and commitment to fulfill its obligations in this respect and to pay for their implementation? Will he also provide information about plans for the ‘enabling legislation’ which will be required following signature of the “goods-only” EPA this month?
Conclusion
A cautionary note. The EPA is entitled as being “between CARIFORUM states and the European Community and its member states”. But, although the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery has led the way in negotiations, in practice Caribbean countries will sign it individually rather than collectively.
The result will be that, in the event of any dispute, each country will be at a serious disadvantage since it will be pitched individually against the massive resources of the EU. Have Caribbean negotiators considered the need to insist that the region should be able to speak as one in the settlement of disputes affecting individual countries?
The Government should not underestimate the repercussions of a “goods-only” EPA in negotiating trade arrangements with third countries, and it should now initiate a public debate about, in particular, its proposed services offer. It is important that those seeking to question the wisdom of government policy should not be characterized as being insular, unenlightened or opposed to change.
The Nassau Institute is an independent, a-political, non-profit institute that promotes economic growth in a free market economy with limited government, in a society that embraces the rule of law and the right to private property. Web Site: www.nassauinstitute.org
Monday, October 13, 2008
JetBlue Airways looking to new Caribbean Service
For those of us looking for more expanded service-which leads to better pricing, this bit of news looks hopeful.
Published on Thursday, October 9, 2008
NEW YORK, USA: US budget airline JetBlue Airways is currently conducting a feasibility study to examine potential destinations for new or increased air service in the Caribbean and Latin America.
The study is looking at 24 leisure destinations in the region, with JetBlue evaluating many factors such as existing traffic levels, future hotel development, airport rates and fees, slot availability and access to public and private sector partnerships.
"Ever since JetBlue touched down in the Caribbean some four years ago, our business in the region has grown tremendously thanks to the support of local communities and business leaders," said JetBlue's Vice President of Sales, Noreen Courtney-Wilds. "We look forward to expanding on that success by partnering with new and existing destinations to explore the possibility of new airline service to the United States."
JetBlue will offer more than 70 daily flights this winter to the region's top destinations including Aruba; Bermuda; Cancun, Mexico; Nassau, Bahamas; Aguadilla, Ponce, and San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Puerto Plata, Santiago and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The airline is consistently noted as a leader in customer service and customer satisfaction and operates its award-winning service with a modern fleet of 150-seat Airbus A320 and 100-seat EMBRAER 190 aircraft complete with industry-leading legroom, all-leather seating, and seatback televisions.
Published on Thursday, October 9, 2008
NEW YORK, USA: US budget airline JetBlue Airways is currently conducting a feasibility study to examine potential destinations for new or increased air service in the Caribbean and Latin America.
The study is looking at 24 leisure destinations in the region, with JetBlue evaluating many factors such as existing traffic levels, future hotel development, airport rates and fees, slot availability and access to public and private sector partnerships.
"Ever since JetBlue touched down in the Caribbean some four years ago, our business in the region has grown tremendously thanks to the support of local communities and business leaders," said JetBlue's Vice President of Sales, Noreen Courtney-Wilds. "We look forward to expanding on that success by partnering with new and existing destinations to explore the possibility of new airline service to the United States."
JetBlue will offer more than 70 daily flights this winter to the region's top destinations including Aruba; Bermuda; Cancun, Mexico; Nassau, Bahamas; Aguadilla, Ponce, and San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Puerto Plata, Santiago and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The airline is consistently noted as a leader in customer service and customer satisfaction and operates its award-winning service with a modern fleet of 150-seat Airbus A320 and 100-seat EMBRAER 190 aircraft complete with industry-leading legroom, all-leather seating, and seatback televisions.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Bimini Bay Resort wins International Property Awards
Saturday, 04 October 2008 13:50
Miami, Fla., October 3. 2008 – The 2008 CNBC International Property Awards – in association with The New York Times – has awarded Bimini Bay Resort in two prestigious categories, Best Development and Best Marina Development in the Bahamas. Awards will be presented at a glittering gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando, Fla., in November 2008.
“Winning this award is truly a sign of success," said CEO of the Capo Group Gerardo Capo. “Winning not only one, but two CNBC Awards is something we will cherish within our company for a long time to come.”
Among the hundreds of entries received, Bimini Bay Resort won two of the 21 categories awarded and may automatically be entered in the pool to receive the ultimate World’s Best award that will be announced on November 7 that the gala dinner. These awards are part of the world’s largest and most prestigious property competition and winning is a symbol of excellence.
Entries were judged by a panel of international independent professionals, chaired by Eric Pickles MP, British Shadow Secretary of State. Their collective knowledge of the property industry is second to none and unsurpassed by any other property awards.
Capo continues, “We hope that visitors and potential buyers see this award as a symbol of distinction and realize our product is unlike anything else out there.”
The island of Bimini offers a luxurious getaway for those seeking an unparalleled vacation experience at the island’s first full-service vacation resort, located just 48 miles off the shore of South Florida. Only a short island hop from Fort Lauderdale, part of the adventure is getting there, with daily airlift options available via Continental (continental.com), Bimini Island Air (flybia.com) and Yellow Air Taxi (flyyellowairtaxi.com) which flies four times per week. The ideal setting for a destination wedding, honeymoon or relaxed family vacation, guests will appreciate exceptional suite accommodations designed to provide families with ultimate comfort and space. Fisherman’s Village is the resort’s new retail marketplace and features John Bull Jewelers first Bimini store offering the finest in luxury brand jewelry and gifts, Splash beachwear & accessories boutique and Onda resort wear. Resort dining options include poolside dining, a pizza and Gelateria bistro and casual Mediterranean fare. Other amenities include two pools, complimentary Beach Bums kids activity center with seasonal camps, two marinas (one accommodating mega yachts), and beach and poolside massage services. Guests can look forward to the early 2009 opening of the Bahamas' first Spa Chakra managed by global spa operator Spa Chakra, Inc. On the horizon are the luxury Conrad Hotel and casino, a Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed links golf course and additional restaurants and shops. For more information or for reservations, call your travel agent or visit www.biminibayresort.com.
Miami, Fla., October 3. 2008 – The 2008 CNBC International Property Awards – in association with The New York Times – has awarded Bimini Bay Resort in two prestigious categories, Best Development and Best Marina Development in the Bahamas. Awards will be presented at a glittering gala dinner at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando, Fla., in November 2008.
“Winning this award is truly a sign of success," said CEO of the Capo Group Gerardo Capo. “Winning not only one, but two CNBC Awards is something we will cherish within our company for a long time to come.”
Among the hundreds of entries received, Bimini Bay Resort won two of the 21 categories awarded and may automatically be entered in the pool to receive the ultimate World’s Best award that will be announced on November 7 that the gala dinner. These awards are part of the world’s largest and most prestigious property competition and winning is a symbol of excellence.
Entries were judged by a panel of international independent professionals, chaired by Eric Pickles MP, British Shadow Secretary of State. Their collective knowledge of the property industry is second to none and unsurpassed by any other property awards.
Capo continues, “We hope that visitors and potential buyers see this award as a symbol of distinction and realize our product is unlike anything else out there.”
The island of Bimini offers a luxurious getaway for those seeking an unparalleled vacation experience at the island’s first full-service vacation resort, located just 48 miles off the shore of South Florida. Only a short island hop from Fort Lauderdale, part of the adventure is getting there, with daily airlift options available via Continental (continental.com), Bimini Island Air (flybia.com) and Yellow Air Taxi (flyyellowairtaxi.com) which flies four times per week. The ideal setting for a destination wedding, honeymoon or relaxed family vacation, guests will appreciate exceptional suite accommodations designed to provide families with ultimate comfort and space. Fisherman’s Village is the resort’s new retail marketplace and features John Bull Jewelers first Bimini store offering the finest in luxury brand jewelry and gifts, Splash beachwear & accessories boutique and Onda resort wear. Resort dining options include poolside dining, a pizza and Gelateria bistro and casual Mediterranean fare. Other amenities include two pools, complimentary Beach Bums kids activity center with seasonal camps, two marinas (one accommodating mega yachts), and beach and poolside massage services. Guests can look forward to the early 2009 opening of the Bahamas' first Spa Chakra managed by global spa operator Spa Chakra, Inc. On the horizon are the luxury Conrad Hotel and casino, a Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed links golf course and additional restaurants and shops. For more information or for reservations, call your travel agent or visit www.biminibayresort.com.
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