‘smartest thing I have heard’
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president yesterday branded the Opposition’s pledge to eliminate the payment of VAT on foreign yacht charter fees as “the smartest thing I’ve heard”.
Peter Maury, reacting to Michael Pintard’s House of Assembly promise over some of the reforms a government led by himself would enact, told Tribune Business that the hiked fees and taxes on the boating industry are still “just causing havoc” as he hailed the Opposition leader for actually listening to the concerns of Bahamian entrepreneurs and businesses.
Mr Pintard, in an interview with this newspaper, justified the proposal to eliminate the yacht charter fee VAT implemented by the Davis administration on the basis that The Bahamas would “make more money on the back end” by removing a financial burden blamed for driving high-end boating and yachting traffic away from this nation’s shores. Rather than levy taxes prior to a vessel actually starting its charter, he argued that removing the VAT would help attract more boats to The Bahamas and, in so doing, boost taxable spending by passengers and crews with local businesses such as food stores, gas stations, restaurants, transportation providers and other industries. This would then offset the VAT foregone upfront while boosting business for Bahamian companies.
And, noting that the fall-out from reduced boating traffic extends beyond just Bahamian marinas, Mr Pintard said he and other Free National Movement (FNM) members had been informed by aviation operators, car rental companies, janitorial/cleaning firms and others that their trade has “fallen off a cliff”
‘owner’ complaint to Data Protection regulator
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
A BAHAMIAN investor yesterday refuted complaints made to data protection regulators in The Bahamas and US that he has “misrepresented” himself as the owner and/or purchaser of the former Ginn project.
Shane Coakley, managing partner of US-based Coakley International, told Tribune Business he would “never, never do that” in response to accusations by the West Endbased project’s current owner which is also on the process of reclaiming management of the Old Bahama Bay property that it also owns.
He hit back after Michael Scott KC, the Bahamian attorney for Lubert Adler-Old Bahama Bay (LRA-OBB) and Resort Holdings, the two entities that hold the 2,000-acre plus Ginn sur mer site, launched a formal complaint with the Bahamas Data
Protection Commission about promotional material posted on Coakley International’s website.
“A Bahamian national, one Shane Coakley, who purports
to be a promoter and developer of real estate projects, is representing to the public at large through the name of his US company, Coakley International, that he is a
developer and/or investor at my client’s property and facilities at Old Bahama Bay,” Mr Scott told Michael Wright, the data protection commissioner, in a February 21, 2025, letter.
“His website, under the name of his company, Coakley International, advertises that in some considerable detail. This is entirely false without the least scintilla of truth in any way whatsoever.” Mr Scott asserted that Mr Coakley had not replied to his earlier February 12, 2025, letter demanding that the offending material be removed from the website. Coakley International’s website yesterday described the former Ginn development as a “current project” with the relevant page featuring numerous photos. However, Mr Scott informed Mr Wright that “the continuing operation of the website uncorrected constitutes materially false
Failed $7m BPL deal was for LNG terminal
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
THE Opposition’s leader yesterday blamed the Davis administration for squandering $7m of the Bahamian people’s money by failing to complete the land purchase for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal.
Michael Pintard, confirming that the deal was for the Clifton Pier-based LNG regasification terminal proposed under the Minnis administration’s energy reforms, told Tribune
Business that the failure to either close the acquisition or recover the funds paid-out “lies at the feet” of the current government. Asserting that he was “amazed” that the Davis administration would both seek to raise the controversy and blame it on the former administration, he reiterated his stance that it was the one that “messed up” and effectively gave a private landowner a $7m windfall for doing nothing at the expense of the Bahamian peopleeither as taxpayers or BPL customers.
Mr Pintard, while revealing there were two Clifton Pier landowners involved in the LNG terminal deal, declined to name them. Well-placed
By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
SUPER Value’s owner yesterday said the imminent VAT rate cut for all uncooked foods is “more complicated” than previous adjustments because only 50 percent of products will be impacted.
Rupert Roberts, who was joined by BISX-listed AML Foods in pledging that The Bahamas’ two largest supermarket chains will be ready to implement 5 percent VAT on all “edible” foods by the Tuesday, April 1, target, told Tribune Business that this change is more complex for merchants to effect because not all goods they sell will be impacted.
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
THE Attorney General yesterday revealed that the Government plans to meet with senior Trump administration officials over “unfair” US criticisms of The Bahamas’ anti-financial crime regime.
Speaking to Tribune Business, Ryan Pinder KC reiterated that the narrative being pushed about the strength of The Bahamas’
sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested one was The Source River, the entity founded by the late former Cabinet minister, Tennyson Wells, and the other either Arawak Homes or Sunshine Holdings. Mr Wells’ entity, which owned 12 of the 14 acres sought, kept the $7m. The row over the failed land purchase erupted in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, when Jobeth Coleby-Davis, minister of energy and transport, accused the Minnis administration
This has meant they have had to divide their inventory into different categories so that scanners and point-of-sale systems can accurately detect which goods are subject to the new 5 percent rate and
financial regulatory regime is “dated” so the meeting will allow the Davis administration to explain this nation has a robust compliance regime that is “tighter” than the US’ own.
“We want to do a high level delegation to Washington, hopefully to meet with the treasury secretary, hopefully meet with State Department, certainly the Securities & Exchange Commission and some other high level financial services representatives, to
MICHAEL PINTARD
GAVIN WATCHORN
OLD BAHAMA BAY
WHAT LENDERS LOOK FOR WHEN EXTENDING CREDIT
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Specific Funding Needs
MULTIPLE JOB SEEKERS ATTEND FAIR SEEKING TO FILL 600 POSTS
NUMEROUS job seek-
ers attended the first day of the Ministry of Labour and Public Service’s three-day job fair in Grand Bahama on Wednesday.
The Government has partnered with Grupo Anderson’s Bahamas to give citizens the chance to fill the 600-plus openings in the food and beverage department, ranging from entry-level to management positions, for Carnival Corporation’s Celebration Key project.
The job fair is being held at the Ministry of Labour and Public Service Office in the Winn Building, downtown Freeport, from 9am to 4pm until today. Princess Flowers, officer in charge of the public services unit in Grand Bahama, said the event is open to those who are unemployed, contemplating changing careers and seeking re-employment.
“We are quite impressed with the turnout today. We expect that a lot of people will be coming out and that’s just what’s happening here today. The persons are coming and they’re ready. They have all of their documentation and they’re ready to be interviewed,” she said.
One of the requirements for attending the job fair is
of entering a $14m deal to acquire land on BPL’s behalf for an unspecified purpose. She asserted that the Government never received the land while paying out $7m, or 50 percent, of a purchase price it cannot now recover.
“One thing I want to say about their plan, if they want to call it a plan,” Mrs Coleby-Davis said of the Minnis administration’s
to register with the Department of Labour, which automatically enters the applicants into its skills bank, allowing for a smoother transition to the interview process with representatives from Grupo Anderson’s Bahamas.
Grupo Anderson’s head of human resources, Holman McDonald, said the company’s role in the job fair is to identify talent to fill more than 600 hospitality positions at Celebration Key. “We need persons that are passionate about service, and we want persons that are flexible and persons that are willing to work most importantly,” he said.
Grupo Anderson’s is also seeking young people who are willing to start their career in the food and beverage industry and be trained based on industry and company standards. Mr McDonald said each applicant is shortlisted following the interview and will be informed via e-mail by the end of each day whether they were successful.
Rhyvae Lewis, who has a culinary degree but is employed in a different field, said she is grateful for the opportunity and did not want to miss out on a chance of pursuing her career in the industry.
proposed energy reforms that were never implemented. “When I got BPL under my portfolio, I picked up on plans that were on the table, but one thing that I did was I looked at the entire concept.
“BPL is financially strapped. If the FNM had looked at the entire transformation of BPL, they would not have entered into a land purchasing deal and paid $7m out of BPL’s
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Alternatives Exhausted
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* Significant Funding Needs: If you need a large amount of capital that you cannot finance through other means, you may need to seek a loan from a bank or other financial institution. Funding is often not easily accessible. Here
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Credit History
Lenders will assess your company’s creditworthiness, including its past borrowing history and payment performance.
Collateral
If you are seeking a loan, lenders may require collateral, such as assets or property, to secure the loan.
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Lenders will analyse your company’s cash flow to determine its ability to repay the loan.
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a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organisations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@ coralwave.com.
already cash-strapped bank book to a company who was selling land and never closed the deal.
“The cost was $14m. They paid $7m and we got no land. The person is still holding the land. We paid $7m. The deal never closed, and this was a part of their energy reform plan.” The Prime Minister’s Office later doubled down on Mrs Coleby-Davis’ accusations, stating: “A $7m deposit
was paid to a landowner for BPL to acquire land, but the balance was unpaid, so the landowner kept the $7m and the land.”
Few details were provided, but both Mr Pintard and well-placed contacts, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the deal was initiated to acquire the Clifton Pier site that would house the terminal responsible for converting LNG from its liquid form back
to gas when it was transferred from ship to shore. It is unclear if the same property will be required for the LNG terminal contemplated by the Davis administration’s reforms.
“The bottom line was that land was being acquired for the planned LNG regasification terminal facility that BPL would have been responsible for building. That was being bought. The Davis administration was made well aware of that deal and what the requirements were for closing that deal. Just like the fuel hedging, the ball was dropped,” one contact, backing Mr Pintard, confirmed.
“It was something that both governments were well aware of. The first one signed off on it, and the incoming administration was made aware of the deal and the obligations. It was just a transition failure.”
The Clifton Pier land deal was thus already initiated, and in motion, when the Davis administration was elected to office in mid-September 2021, making it a transaction that it inherited.
“That is correct,” Mr Pintard confirmed, when asked if the transaction involved acquiring the Clifton Pier LNG terminal site. “A portion of the funds - halfwere already paid, and this is the $7m that the Government is referring to. The deadline for that particular contract was December 31, 2021, and if the Government needed an extension before it completed the acquisition of the land, then it had the option to seek an extension.
“The Government messed up the acquisition because they
went incommunicado. They were simply not communicating with the attorneys or owners in order to close the deal or arrange what those final payments were going to be. It was amazing to me that they were jumping up and down when they knew what the facts were.... It was under the PLP, not the FNM. We initiated the process and they messed up.” Of the deal itself, Mr Pintard added: “We know there are at least two different owners. One owner had two acres, and the other - who had the majority - was who the $7m was paid to. It wasn’t paid in a lump sum. It was agreed what the terms were per acre and continued payments resulted in $7m being turned over.
“The Government, they know the facts, and I call on them to lay the documents and to also answer whether or not they continued the payment in terms of the land or did they go missing in terms of communication? If they don’t have the land or the money in hand, it’s at their feet. They are responsible.” Alfred Sears KC, who was originally works and utilities minister, would have been responsible for BPL at the time.
Mr Wells and The Source River are understood to have owned the 12-acre majority balance of the 14-acre LNG terminal site. Asked to confirm the two owners’ identities, Mr Pintard simply said: “Let’s just this. They are two owners, both of whom the Government knows well; very, very well. I’m going to leave it there.”
LPIA’S $10M RUNWAY OVERHAUL COMPLETED
By NEIL HARTNELL
A $10M overhaul of one of Lynden Pindling International Airport’s (LPIA) major runways has been completed ahead of schedule in time for the Easter holidays and peak winter tourism.
Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD), LPIA’s operator, in a statement said completion of the Runway 14/32 rehabilitation project, which started on February 3, 2025, occurred within the projected two-month timeline.
The upgrades involved the replacement of approximately 484,000 square feet of asphalt pavement, which aims to extend Runway 14/32’s lifetime, and strengthen the safety and reliability of LPIA’s airside operations. NAD had aimed to complete the project ahead of the busy Easter travel period and rainy season, which typically lasts from May 1 to November 30.
Jonathan Hanna, NAD’s vice-president of operations, said: “Upgrading Runway 14/32 is a significant step in enhancing LPIA’s operational efficiency today while positioning us to meet future demand. Our priority remains the safety of our passengers, and that starts with maintaining and upgrading critical airport infrastructure.
“While there is never an ideal time to take a runway out of service, for continued safe operations we could
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’S (LPIA) RUNWAY IMPROVEMENTS
not defer the upgrades any longer, and we determined that completing the project before the rainy season and ahead of the peak Easter and summer travel periods was the most strategic approach.”
Mr Hanna added: “We’d like to thank all stakeholders, passengers and the general public for their support during these critical upgrades. This effort would not have been possible without the dedicated work of our partners including the Bahamas Air Navigation Services Authority, the Civil Aviation Authority of The Bahamas, IATA and NAD’s dedicated airside team lead by Frank Walker, director, airside operations.
“In particular, we wish to acknowledge and thank our many commercial airline
partners and the private aviation community for their ability, in most cases, to manage their operations and still deliver a positive customer experience throughout a project of this magnitude.”
The runway works completion will come as welcome relief to both airlines and passengers due to the temporary delays, which lasted close to two months, as a result of LPIA being reduced to just one major runway. Travellers had been warned to brace for flights to take up to three times’ longer than normal due to the “unusual delays”.
Western Air, in an advisory to passengers issued earlier this month, said a flight from Freeport to Nassau “that typically takes 35 minutes” is “now
AG slams US regulatory critique as ‘really shameful’
By FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
THE Attorney General yesterday slammed the US “really shameful” criticisms of The Bahamas’ antifinancial crime regulatory regime when its own is far weaker.
averaging up to one hour and 30 minutes”.
The carrier, which said it even had “to divert flights” in some cases because it took too long to obtain clearance to land in Nassau, was backed by Anthony Hamilton, the Bahamas Association of Air Transport Operators president, who told Tribune Business this newspaper would be “amazed” by the impact of the increased air traffic congestion that has resulted from runway 14/32’s closure.
He disclosed that flights are having to carry extra fuel to cover the extra time they are now circling New Providence waiting to be cleared for landing, or spending on the taxiway waiting to take-off.
This, Mr Hamilton said, means airlines are incurring extra costs while also losing customer “goodwill” due to the travel delays and inconvenience many are experiencing during The Bahamas’ peak winter tourism season.
Sherrexcia ‘Rexy’ Rolle, Western Air’s president, chief executive and general counsel, in a subsequent response to Tribune Business inquiries prior to NAD’s announcement, confirmed: “The closure of Runway 14/32 at LPIA has resulted in unusual delays for our operations. Western Air operates on a dense and tightly scheduled flight plan to accommodate a number of the outer islands that have similar time preferences. “However, with only one runway in use, flights are taking twice as long to complete. Ground wait times before take-off can extend over an hour, and obtaining clearance to land can take an additional 30-40 minutes longer than usual.
“This creates a backlog and a ripple effect on
the rest of the schedule. While most flights are still operating within a reasonable timeframe, we experience delays in some capacity daily, but the severity depends on the congestion level for the day.”
Ms Rolle added: “These extended wait times also impact flight crews. With flight times doubling, the longer they wait, the fewer flights they can complete within their regulated duty hours. This further limits crew availability and poses challenges with our usual high frequency schedule. To manage this, we have had to reduce and consolidate some flights where necessary to ensure they are completed efficiently.
“While these delays do result in increased operational costs for the airline, including higher fuel consumption, more crew, reduction of flights offered, reaccommodations, logistical adjustments, our primary focus remains on minimising inconvenience for passengers. We understand the importance of keeping flights on schedule, and every effort is being made to mitigate disruptions.
“Runway improvements are necessary but we hope in the future that work is completed outside operational hours if possible, and more pre-planning with each carrier schedule is done to help mitigate the specific impact on its operations. We look forward to it reopening by March 28 as planned.” That has now been achieved.
strides that The Bahamas has made in strengthening its anti-money laundering regime, describing the INCSR report as something that “holds no credibility”.
trying to accomplish with that?”
those that remain at 10 percent VAT. Most previous adjustments have involved an across-the-board VAT rate change, apart from when the Minnis administration eliminated the levy on so-called ‘breadbasket’ foods and medicines.
“It would be so nice for us to go all across the board, or 7 percent across the board. This 50 percent is more complicated,” Mr Roberts told this newspaper. “This is more difficult because it is only half of the goods. It’s only affecting 50 percent that are edible, and we carry all the kitchen and bathroom tissue. Bathroom tissue is not going to be 5 percent. Half the stock will remain at 10 percent.
“We had to do it by category. We want to assure the public we will be scanning at 5 percent the ones that will be reduced and, of course, that will bring some relief. We have it all set for April 1. It’s peculiar because it’s happening on a Tuesday, so we don’t change over on Sunday night. We change on Monday night.”
Debra Symonette, Super Value’s president and chief financial officer, explained that the 13-store supermarket change has temporarily discontinued applying prices to actual products because the imminent switch to 5 percent VAT would force these to be quickly replaced and corrected.
“I think it’s important to say that I held up a mirror and showed it to the US and said: ‘Why don’t you look into it’ because, frankly, that’s one of the most hypocritical reports that I’ve seen. If you just look at what the US does with respect to prevention of money laundering, its black and white to what we actually do,” said Mr Pinder.
“They have a FATCA regime that is contrary to global standards on automatic exchange of
Speaking at a Securities Commission industry briefing, Ryan Pinder KC said the US international narcotics control strategy report 2025, which criticised the lack of prosecutions and convictions for money laundering and other financial-related crimes, was “hypocritical” especially since the US has decided to stop collecting beneficial ownership information for its own domestic companies.
“Currently, we have discontinued putting individual labels on the items and we are just ensuring that the tags are kept upto-date,” she said. “On April 1, we will commence putting labels on the items again at either the 5 percent or 10 percent - whichever is appropriate. At this time we will also begin to change shelf tags which need to be changed from 10 percent to 5 percent VAT.
“Consumers do not have to worry if individual items are not priced or prices have not yet been adjusted on the shelf tags immediately after April 1. The system will have the correct prices, and the system price is what they will be charged. There will also be price checkers in the stores which customers can use if they wish to check a price before going to the register.”
Ms Symonette added of the transition: “We are in
information. They have made a decision now under this current administration that they’re not going to collect beneficial ownership for companies. That is the underlying predicate of the fight against money laundering.”
Lat week, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an interim final rule removing the requirement for US companies and persons to report beneficial ownership information to it under the Corporate Transparency Act, effectively exempting all US entities from this reporting requirement.
Mr Pinder said the decision by US regulators to
the process of preparing our point of sale (POS) system for the Government-mandated reduction in VAT from 10 percent to 5 percent on edible items. This involves ensuring that each item in the system is flagged correctly so that, when April 1 rolls in, we will be able to make the switch at the ‘click of a button’ and customers will be charged the correct amount at the register.
“We will close at 10% on that [Monday] night and open next morning at 5 percent. On the other hand, the items on the shelves also have to be changed if they fall into the ‘edible’ category. This is not so easy, because our practice is to tag the shelf for every item that is on the shelf as well as put a label on every individual item that is on the shelf. This involves a lot of time and manpower.”
Mr Roberts, echoing Ms Symonette, told this newspaper: “We’ve suspended temporarily pricing those products because, if we price them now, after April 1 we have to price them again. We don’t want two prices on the products. That will confuse the customer. If it scans it will be at the right price.
“We’re trying to make sure the customer doesn’t get confused. I hope all the actors, all the merchants, get it right. If merchants start chipping the consumer on certain items by not giving it there will be problems. If they start giving away gross profit by giving away items the Government does not give them credit for there will be another problem.”
choose to only collect beneficial ownership information on foreign shareholders of foreign companies operating in the US brings the “credibility” of their judgments of other countries into question.
“They will only collect beneficial ownership information on foreign companies that are registered to do business in the United States and, in those circumstances, only for foreign shareholders not US shareholders,” said Mr Pinder. “So, you tell me how taking that position as a regulator in the United States they can hold any credibility when they talk about anti-money laundering activities of other jurisdictions.”
He said it is “unfortunate” that the US chose to continue to publish the annual report without acknowledging the
Mr Roberts said the VAT adjustment has come at a difficult time for Super Value. “We are in the process of putting in a new point-of-sale system right across the board,” he added, “and don’t know if 100 percent of the stores have the new one. If this was three months from now it would be easier for us. It’s come at a bad time for us.
“Seventy-five percent of the stores have new scanning and I don’t think the others have it. We’re also transitioning from paper
“It’s unfortunate that they keep publishing the same report year after year, effectively with the same language year after year, without taking into consideration any of the progress the country has achieved with respect to anti-money laundering,” said Mr Pinder.
“Of course, it’s not helpful. Of course, it’s damning. And what’s really not helpful is when some of our local journalists put provocative headlines in the press that describes a report that really, in my mind, holds no credibility. That’s a shame as well. Our journalists really have to look in the mirror themselves, and ask themselves what are they
stamps to digital stamps. We’re busy but we can do it.”
Gavin Watchorn, AML Foods president and chief executive, said: “I am happy to report that all of our grocery brands and stores, Solomon’s, Cost Right, Fresh Market and Exuma Markets will be ready when we open on April 1 to pass on the VAT savings on all of the items identified for reductions.
“All items now classified for 5 percent VAT have been flagged in our
Mr Pinder added that the US decision to not collect beneficial ownership information on US companies attracts illicit actors, and it is “shameful” to condemn the Bahamas’s anti-money laundering regime while taking steps to reduce the strength of their own.
“It’s really unfortunate when these countries don’t recognise what we do when they look in their backyard and they’re designing their regulatory framework to create clear regulatory arbitrag; to attract illicit funds to their jurisdiction, and that’s what they’re doing. For them to condemn a country like The Bahamas when that’s actively what they’re doing is really shameful,” said Mr Pinder.
point-of-sale and, on the day the programme launches, our price shelf labels will reflect the reductions. We are extremely happy to support the Government in their quest to find ways to reduce costs to customers and businesses, and are excited to pass on these savings. Our goal remains to provide customers with greater savings in their overall basket.” Prices, Mr Watchorn added, will be lower on thousands of products.
JONATHAN HANNA
RUPERT ROBERTS
YACHT CHARTER VAT REMOVAL ‘SMARTEST THING I HAVE HEARD’
as foreign yachts and charters choose rival destinations to escape higher taxes and overly-bureaucratic permit processes.
Unveiling what are likely to be elements of the Free National Movement’s (FNM) general election economic manifesto, Mr Pintard pledged in the House of Assembly on Wednesday: “We will reverse the 10 percent fee imposed on yacht charters, which has driven away nearly 49 percent of that business south of us.
“Turks and Caicos must have sent the Bahamian government a thank you card, and St Maarten is surely thanking us for increasing their revenue generation from an industry that poor policies have nearly destroyed here in The Bahamas.”
Responding to the pledge, Mr Maury told Tribune Business: “That is the smartest thing I’ve heard. It’s [the VAT on yacht charter fees] just causing havoc. I have a VAT certificate that I applied for on January 9 for a yacht, and today I still don’t have it. I sent them an e-mail. It’s a matter of urgency now. I sent it again today [yesterday].
“They [the boat] have sent the money to pay the VAT. I need to pay it. It’s now almost three months. I challenge anybody to say otherwise because all the boats, all the captains, are saying the same thing. It just takes too long to get anything done. It’s not just Bahamian businesses complaining about the backlog of Business Licences and everything else. It just causes havoc. Anything would help right now.
“It’s just hurting Bahamians right now. Their big push to get all this money did nothing except send business out of this country and hurt the Bahamian people. I’ve got friends who got into this industry who have had to close their businesses. I know of two or three that have left The Bahamas, Bahamians that had businesses here, and have gone elsewhere. They money doesn’t come here, doesn’t get spent here.”
Mr Pintard told Tribune Business that eliminating the VAT on foreign yacht charters would not result in the Public Treasury losing revenue but, instead, the tax take could ultimately increase by driving increased in-destination spending by visiting crews and their guests.
“A part of removing the tax is we make the money on the back end,” the Opposition leader argued. “They’re shopping in the food stores, they’re renting cars, they’re hiring planes to take people working on the vessels to the Family Islands. They order parts from the US.
“Aviation persons we have consulted with say it’s [the VAT imposition] negatively impacted their business. A car rental business is saying they’re going to give back some of their plates. They increased their business because they had a strong demand. Now that demand has fallen off a cliff.”
Mr Pintard added that janitorial and cleaning companies, who expanded staffing levels and became certified in cleaning different types of boat surfaces, including hulls, due to the previous increase in demand, as well as Bahamians actually hired as vessel crews, have also been hit as a result of “boats no longer coming here and going south”.
“There’s a lot of spin-off enterprises, and I sat with several of them who mentioned massive reductions in their business,” Mr Pintard added. “It’s affected
Ginn ‘owner’ complaint to Data Protection regulator
advertising and is subject to the appropriate investigation and action by your office.
“In the circumstances I should be grateful if you would investigate this pursuant to section 12 of the Data Protection Act with the view to such remedial action as you deem appropriate in the circumstances.” And, in his previous letter to Mr Coakley, the attorney for LRA-OBB also warned he will file a similar complaint on his client’s behalf with the Data Protection Commission’s US regulator in the US.
“Our clients, having owned and occupying the property for nearly 20 years, and having administered the Sur Mer project, are unaware of any legitimate legal interest you or your company possess, nor are they aware of any role you have played, or would play, as a developer, operator or investor in the property or future projects,” Mr Scott told Mr Coakley.
Describing any claim to the contrary as “illegitimate with no foundation in fact or reality whatsoever”, he added: “In the circumstances, your website under the name Coakley International LLC is materially false and misleading in that it represents to the public the existence of a project in which you’re involved through your company in some capacity, undoubtedly as a promoter, which is patently false....
“Lastly, my clients are aware of your outreach to financiers, brokers, marketing agencies and others in the hospitality and real estate industry in which you have purported to be an owner of the subject property or having it under valid contract for purchase, and claiming to have received guarantees by an elected official of the Government of The Bahamas who you claim to be family by marriage.”
Mr Scott, asserting that such claims “may damage our clients”, demanded that Mr Coakley cease and desist. However, the latter
denied to Tribune Business ever representing himself or his company as LRAOBB and Resorts Holding are alleging, and added: “I never told anyone I was under contract. The Government was selling it [the Ginn project]. It can’t be under contract.”
Mr Coakley also countered by alleging that his problems with LRA-OBB, which is controlled by the investment bank, Lubert Adler, and Florida-based Kingwood International Resort, began when he submitted a bid to acquire the Ginn project’s real estate after it was advertised for sale by the Government in an attempt to recover $26m in unpaid real property tax.
The sale never occurred, after LRA-OBB and Resorts Holdings disputed both the appraised value of the West End real estate and the amount of real property tax owed, although well-placed sources have suggested that the Government may soon seek to advertise it for sale again once the necessary
attorneys. A number of them [boats] have retained attorneys, local professionals to provide services to them. It’s impacted those professionals in the legal fraternity because of the fall-off in boats from the taxes.”
The Davis administration, though, has sought to justify the boating-related fee increases by accusing many foreign yacht charters of evading and avoiding the 4 percent Port Department fee that had been in place for years. As a result, these vessels - and their owners and operators - were enjoying a ‘free ride’ by using The Bahamas maritime environment, in particular, for their business will contributing nothing to its upkeep.
Michael Halkitis, minister of economic affairs, argued in the wake of VAT’s introduction in the 2022-2023 Budget that the foreign yacht charter industry had for years “enjoyed a windfall at The Bahamas’ expense” by using this country’s marine environment and natural resources to earn millions of dollars without paying its fair share to the Public Treasury.
And Dexter Fernander, the Department of Inland Revenue’s operations chief,
corrections have been made.
“When it went up to bid, I raised the money, I got the money and they’ve been attacking me ever since,”
Mr Coakley told this newspaper. “They’ve tried to block me from coming on to their property. It’s just been a fight with these guys.
“I don’t want to give up. I’m a Bahamian. I want to develop. We have been in this fight, we had [hotel] flags interested to come in. They are upset we got the money but it was open to public bidding. I didn’t do anything wrong. I want to see jobs for Bahamians, I want to see this happen. It’s a great project. That project will change that whole island; it will change that whole island.
“We’re committed to The Bahamas. I’m not giving up. I’m a Bahamian. I’m going to fight with every breath in my lungs to have that project develop.” Sources familiar with the former Ginn project and West End Grand Bahama yesterday confirmed they were aware of Mr Coakley’s interest in acquiring the development but voiced doubts about his ability to obtain the necessary financing.
The ongoing battle between LRA-OBB and Mr Coakley is yet another controversy to embroil
told Tribune Business recently he is “baffled” at assertions that yacht and boat charters are facing significant delays in obtaining TINs because there is a “fast track process” for their issuance given that this represents “easy money” for the Government.
However, Mr Pintard argued that vessel owners, charter companies and others in the industry are comparing the taxes and fees they pay in The Bahamas to rival destinations. Suggesting that the Government had not done its research, he added: “When they compare what we have lost to taxes gained they can see there is a big differential and spread.
“They should not have made that decision without making the analysis... We have not tackled it by properly crunching the numbers. I think we have made a mistake and we need to rethink it.” The Opposition said it was a fallacy to believe boats will not bypass The Bahamas because of the higher fuel costs associated with going to the southern Caribbean, as increased charter business can more than compensate.
Besides eliminating the yacht charter fee VAT, Mr Pintard also pledged to
the former Ginn project. Tribune Business revealed yesterday how a group of Old Bahama Bay condo owners are resisting moves to replace them as the management company for the property.
John MacDonald, president of Island Ventures Resort and Club (IVRC), the entity formed by the 73 condo owners to keep the hotel open following Ginn’s 2011 default, urged Old Bahama Bay’s owner/ management company not to proceed with its planned takeover today as it “will not be vacating said premises”.
And, warning that IVRC would involve the police and launch Supreme Court legal action, he accused LRA-OBB of inflicting “emotional distress” on 100 staff, vendors and the condo owners due to the uncertainty created by its ambitions to take back management control from IVRC.
However, Michael Scott KC, LRA-OBB’s attorney, in a March 26, 2025, letter to Lennox Paton, legal representatives for IVRC, countered that the latter’s failure to smoothly handover Old Bahama Bay and its amenities - despite being given more than the required four weeks’ notice that its licence was to be
AG: BAHAMAS TO MEET LEADING TRUMP OFFICIALS ON ‘UNFAIR’ REPORT
really give them an idea on the level of compliance of The Bahamas, on how we excel in areas of anti-money laundering regulation, and to give them some of the objective opinions and determinations on The Bahamas so we can try to change this narrative,” said Mr Pinder.
“We think the narrative is unfair. We think it’s dated, and we certainly don’t think that it is indicative of who The Bahamas is. We raise the point that we have a tighter regulatory framework and regime than the United States does in and of themselves on antimoney laundering. And I think that’s a message that has to be communicated to try to change the narrative coming out of Washington on The Bahamas.”
Mr Pinder said the meeting will also allow the Government to discuss the Bahamas becoming the preferred country for USbased businesses looking to expand to and create a “near shore presence”. He added that as this nation
improve the ease of doing business for visiting boaters when it came to clearing/ entering into The Bahamas and when persons or supplies have to be brought or temporarily leave the jurisdiction.
Alongside making it easier to obtain cruising and foreign yacht charter permits via a “really simple, seamless process”, he promised that an FNM administration would also remove “impediments” to boats bringing in essential mechanical parts and personnel from overseas so that repairs can be effected in The Bahamas. Immigration challenges with persons having to temporarily exit The Bahamas will also be addressed.
“They’re out of touch with the average person in business,” Mr Maury said yesterday of policymakers.
“I’m glad to hear Pintard said that because maybe someone finally listened to the average Bahamian who wants to own a company, who wants to be in business, and not live off the Government. All businesses, every industry, are just complaining about the lack of getting things done - the Business Licence, VAT compliance.”
terminated by March 28, 2025 - is responsible for the “chaos and discord” now occurring.
Pointing out that IVRC had been granted a ‘bare licence’, and not a lease, to operate Old Bahama Bay, its marinas, restaurants and other facilities, he demanded that it “fulfill their legal employer obligations” and accused it of owing almost $600,000 in unpaid VAT, real property tax and marina dockage fees.
Orlando-based Kingwood, which has previously attempted to acquire Old Bahama Bay and the former Ginn development in Grand Bahama’s West End, has been lined up to take over the property’s management and operations according to promotional material seen by Tribune Business Describing Kingwood as “a proven leader in hospitality”, the brochure sent to all Old Bahama Bay condo owners confirms: “Old Bahama Bay Resorts & Yacht Harbour Rental Management is the official on-site management company for villas located within Old Bahama Bay Resort and Yacht Harbour, managed by Kingwood International.”
has a “long-standing cooperative framework” with the US, and close geographic proximity, there exists an opportunity to advance business relations.
“We also think that there are opportunities when we have this diplomatic trip to speak to the policymakers in the United States on how The Bahamas is well positioned to advance the promotion of business here, and especially business between The Bahamas and businesses in the United States. I call it a near shore experience, or near shore presence,” said Mr Pinder.
“We want to be that near shore option for businesses doing business in the United States. When they have to expand their business abroad or have an international presence, The Bahamas should be that international presence where they have operations.
“We have a long-standing cooperative framework with the United States. And we think those are some opportunities that we can leverage by going to Washington and by having
high-end policy and diplomatic communications” Mr Pinder said he expects the discussions to be “fruitful” as members of the Trump administration have ties to The Bahamas and will likely be “receptive” to their opinions.He added that reports such as the recent International Narcotics Control Strategy Report 2025 are not “high-end policy driven” but “technician and bureaucratic driven” so speaking to the Trump administration at a policy level will help change the narrative.
“I think they would be very fruitful. It’s no secret that the treasury secretary has a house in The Bahamas and spends a considerable amount of time in The Bahamas and, frankly, he loves The Bahamas. It’s also no secret that Marco Rubio is from South Florida and has a lot of engagement and knowledge about The Bahamas. I think we would have some receptive ears in the room at that level,” said Mr Pinder.
“I think the tragedy is that a lot of these reports that come out of Washington, such as the most recent report, are not highend policy driven reports. They’re technician and bureaucratic-driven reports. So I think it’s important that we speak to our friends, speak to those who would appreciate The Bahamas at that senior policy level, and I think that will go a long way of changing the narrative.”
RYAN PINDER KC
FAA ACKNOWLEDGES IT MUST DO BETTER AFTER DEADLY DC AIR COLLISION
By JOSH FUNK Associated Press
THE head of the Federal Aviation Administration told Congress during a hearing Thursday about a midair collision over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people that the agency must do more to ensure flying remains safe.
The FAA's artificial intelligence-led review aimed at identifying safety threats at other airports with similar helicopter-airplane congestion should be finished in a couple weeks, said Chris Rocheleau, the agency's acting administrator.
During the hearing, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board and members of Congress again questioned how the FAA hadn't noticed an alarming number of close calls near Ronald Reagan National Airport and addressed the problem before the January collision between an Army helicopter and a jetliner. The collision over the Potomac River was the nation's deadliest plane crash since November 2001.
"We have to do better," Rocheleau said. "We have to identify trends, we have to get smarter about how we use data, and when we put corrective actions in place, we must execute them."
How the FAA is using AI
The FAA is using AI to dig into the millions of reports it collects to assess other places with busy helicopter traffic including: Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and along the Gulf Coast. Rocheleau promised to take immediate action if risks are found.
Investigators have highlighted 85 close calls around Reagan airport in the three years before the crash that should have signaled a growing safety problem. Rocheleau told the aviation subcommittee of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation that every close call is investigated and all the data was reviewed before, but this alarming trend was missed.
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said there clearly was an issue with identifying trends in the data the FAA collects.
Dailey Crofton, whose brother Casey Crofton died in the collision, attended the hearing. "I was surprised at the lapses of safety protocols that led to this crash," he said in a statement afterward.
Collision alarms keep going off
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said he learned that the Secret Service and U.S. Navy triggered a rash of collision alarms in planes around Reagan Airport on March 1 while testing anti-drone technology that used a similar frequency to the one used by planes' warning systems. Cruz said that happened despite a warning from the FAA against doing it.
"This is deeply disturbing that just a month after 67 people died while on approach to DCA (Reagan Airport), that the Secret Service and Pentagon would inadvertently cause
ChatGPT’s viral Studio Ghibli-style images highlight AI copyright concerns
By MATT O'BRIEN and SARAH PARVINI AP Technology Writers
FANS of Studio Ghibli, the famed Japanese animation studio behind "Spirited Away" and other beloved movies, were delighted this week when a new version of ChatGPT let them transform popular internet memes or personal photos into the distinct style of Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki.
But the trend also highlighted ethical concerns about artificial intelligence tools trained on copyrighted creative works and what that means for the future livelihoods of human artists. Miyazaki, 84, known for his hand-drawn approach and whimsical storytelling, has expressed skepticism about AI's role in animation. Janu Lingeswaran wasn't thinking much about that when he uploaded a photo of his 3-year-old ragdoll cat, Mali, into ChatGPT's new image generator tool on Wednesday. He then asked ChatGPT to convert it to the Ghibli style, instantly making an anime image that looked like Mali but also one of the painstakingly drawn feline characters that populate Miyazaki movies such as "My Neighbor Totoro" or "Kiki's Delivery Service." "I really fell in love with the result," said Lingeswaran, an entrepreneur who lives near Aachen, Germany. "We're thinking
PUBLIC NOTICE
INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL
The Public is hereby advised that I, NELLY J. OLIVACOLLINS, of Paradise Island, New Providence, The Bahamas, P.O. Box N-1087. intend to change my name to NELLY J. OLIVA MURALLES If there are any objections to this change of name by Deed Poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Offcer, P.O.Box N-742, Nassau, The Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that JOEL PUBIEN of General Delivery #54 4th Street, The Grove New Providence, The Bahamas 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 19th day of March, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that DELIS CARME NESTHAN of Sir Lyden Pindling Estate, New Providence, The Bahamas 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 March, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
multiple flights to receive urgent cockpit alerts recommending evasive action," Cruz said.
Helicopter traffic around Reagan National has been restricted since January any time planes use the same runway the American Airlines plane that crashed was approaching when it collided with the helicopter.
At the NTSB's urging, the FAA permanently banned that particular helicopter route under most circumstances. If a helicopter does use the route, planes are prohibited from taking off or landing on that runway.
The Army still wasn't broadcasting helicopter locations
paper posted Tuesday, the company had said the new tool would be taking a "conservative approach" in the way it mimics the aesthetics of individual artists.
of printing it out and hanging it on the wall."
Similar results gave the Ghibli style to iconic images, such as the casual look of Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec in a T-shirt and one hand in his pocket on his way to winning a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics. Or the famed "Disaster Girl" meme of a 4-year-old turning to the camera with a slight smile as a house fire rages in the background.
ChatGPT maker OpenAI, which is fighting copyright lawsuits over its flagship chatbot, has largely encouraged the "Ghiblification" experiments and its CEO Sam Altman changed his profile on social media platform X into a Ghiblistyle portrait. In a technical
"We added a refusal which triggers when a user attempts to generate an image in the style of a living artist," it said. But the company added in a statement that it "permits broader studio styles — which people have used to generate and share some truly delightful and inspired original fan creations."
Studio Ghibli hasn't yet commented on the trend.
The Japanese studio and its North American distributor didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment Thursday.
As users posted their Ghibli-style images on social media, Miyazaki's previous comments on AI animation also began to resurface. When Miyazaki was shown an AI demo in 2016, he said he was "utterly disgusted" by the display, according to documentary footage of the
PUBLIC NOTICE
INTENT TO CHANGE NAME BY DEED POLL
The public is hereby advised that I, BERNADETTE ROLLE of Edgewater Drive, Lyford Cay, New Providence, Bahamas intend to change my name to BERNADETTE SHELIA BENEBY. If there are any objections to challenge the name by deed poll, you may write such objections to the Chief Passport Offcer, P.O. Box N-742, Nassau, The Bahamas no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the publication of this notice.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that JINTAO WANG of P.O. Box N4137 Robinson Road, New Providence, The Bahamas 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 March, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that NICK JAMES SIMON of Lazaretto Road, Carmichael Road, Nassau, The Bahamas 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 March, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
The U.S. Army's head of aviation Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman acknowledged that as of Thursday morning helicopters were still flying over the nation's capital with a key system broadcasting their locations turned off during most missions because it deemed them sensitive.
Cruz called this "shocking and deeply unacceptable."
Rocheleau then said the FAA will immediately require all aircraft flying near Reagan National to broadcast their locations.
The "ADS-B out data" is designed to help air traffic controllers better track an aircraft's location with position updates every second..
interaction. The person demonstrating the animation, which showed a writhing body dragging itself by its head, explained that AI could "present us grotesque movements that we humans can't imagine." It could be used for zombie movements, the person said. That prompted Miyazaki to tell a story.
"Every morning, not in recent days, I see my friend who has a disability," Miyazaki said. "It's so hard for him just to do a high five; his arm with stiff muscle can't reach out to my hand. Now, thinking of him, I can't watch this stuff and find it interesting. Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is."
He said he would "never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all."
Before that announcement, exceptions in the airspace above Washington allowed Army and other government aircraft to fly without transmitting, or fly in a mode that allowed less information to be transmitted to avoid broadcasting potentially sensitive missions to the public.
Former Black Hawk pilot Tim Lilley, father of airliner copilot Sam Lilley, said he's disappointed that the Army has not taken simple steps to improve safety he recommended in a meeting with Braman, including turning on the locator systems, adding a fourth crew member or barring the use of older Black Hawks on routes around Washington.
"I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself," he added.
Josh Weigensberg, a partner at the law firm Pryor Cashman, said that one question the Ghibli-style AI art raises is whether the AI model was trained on Miyazaki or Studio Ghibli's work. That in turn "raises the question of, 'Well, do they have a license or permission to do that training or not?'" he said.
OpenAI didn't respond to a question Thursday about whether it had a license.
Weigensberg added that if a work was licensed for training, it might make sense for a company to permit this type of use. But if this type of use is happening without consent and compensation, he said, it could be "problematic."
NOTICE is hereby given that KIVELANDE LOZIER of P.O. Box N-10584, #20 Eight Street, Coconut Grove, 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 March, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, Bahamas.
NOTICE
NOTICE is hereby given that WISMAGNE FORMETUS of P.O.Box GT-2216, Cordeaux Avenue, East Street, Nassau, The Bahamas 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 March, 2025 to the Minister responsible for nationality and Citizenship, P.O. Box N-7147, Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas.
NOTICE is hereby given that LISA UTIL of Taylor Street, East Street North, Nassau,
JENNIFER HOMENDY, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, center, stands next to map showing flight restrictions as the Senate Transportation Subcommittee holds a hearing to examine the preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board on the Jan. 29, 2024, midair collision of an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Photo:J. Scott Applewhite/AP
EPA offers industrial polluters a way to avoid rules on mercury, arsenic and other toxic chemicals
By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press
AS part of a push to roll back dozens of environmental regulations, the Trump administration is offering coal-fired power plants and other industrial polluters a chance for exemptions from requirements to reduce emissions of toxic chemicals such as mercury, arsenic and benzene.
The Environmental Protection Agency has set up an electronic mailbox to allow regulated companies to request a presidential exemption under the Clean Air Act to a host of Bidenera rules.
Companies were asked to send an email by Monday seeking permission from President Donald Trump to bypass the new restrictions.
The Clean Air Act enables the president to temporarily exempt industrial sites from new rules if the technology required to meet them is not widely available
and if the continued activity is in the interest of national security.
Environmental groups denounced the administration's offer, calling the email address a "polluters' portal" that could allow hundreds of companies to evade laws meant to protect the environment and public health. Exemptions would be allowed for nine EPA rules issued by the Biden administration, including limits on mercury, ethylene oxide and other hazardous air pollutants. Mercury exposure can cause brain damage, especially in children. Fetuses are vulnerable to birth defects via exposure in a mother's womb.
Margie Alt, campaign director of the Climate Action Campaign, said the request for exemption applications "is a gift to the fossil fuel industry" and further indication of a "polluters-first agenda" under Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
Canada’s new prime minister says he’ll be speaking soon with Trump for the first time
By ROB GILLIES Associated Press
CANADIAN Prime
Minister Mark Carney said
Thursday that he would speak with U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming days after Trump announced 25% tariffs on auto imports. Carney, who hasn't spoken with Trump since becoming Canada's new leader nearly two weeks ago, said that the U.S. president reached out Wednesday night to schedule a call.
"We will be speaking soon, certainly in the course of the next day or two," Carney said, adding that Trump has to respect Canada's sovereignty. "That's not much to ask,
but apparently it's a lot for him," he said.
Trump has declared a trade war on Canada and continues to call for the United States' northern neighbor to become the 51st U.S. state, a position that has infuriated Canadians.
"It is clear that the United States is no longer a reliable partner. It is possible that, with comprehensive negotiations, we will be able to restore some trust, but there will be no turning back," Carney said. "We will need to dramatically reduce our reliance on the United States. We will need to pivot our trade relationships elsewhere."
The former central banker was sworn in as Canada's new prime minister on March 14. It's
"Companies can now apply for a gold-plated, 'get-out-of-permitting free' card,'' she said, adding that the latest action marked at least the third time Zeldin has moved to weaken enforcement of environmental laws since he took office less than two months ago. On March 12, he announced a series of actions to roll back landmark environmental regulations, including rules on pollution from coal-fired power plants, climate change and electric vehicles.
unusual for a U.S. president and Canadian prime minister to go so long without talking after a new leader takes office. Carney, who replaced Justin Trudeau as Canada's leader and the head of the Liberal Party, is at the start of a five-week campaign after calling an early election for April 28.
The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared a trade war and challenged Canada's sovereignty. The crisis has created a surge in patriotism among Canadians, with many in the country feeling that Carney is the best person to lead the country at the moment.
Trump has acknowledged himself that he has upended Canadian politics.
Carney called the tariffs unjustified and left the election campaign to chair his special Cabinet committee on U.S. relations in Ottawa.
"We will fight the U.S. tariffs with retaliatory trade
actions of our own that will have maximum impact in the United States and minimum impacts here in Canada," Carney said.
He said many Canadians are feeling worried and anxious about the future.
He said over the coming years Canadians must fundamentally reimagine the economy in a drastically different world. More than 75% of Canada's exports go to the U.S.
"The old relationship we had with the United States based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation is over," he said.
Carney is asking Canadians for a clear and strong mandate given "the biggest crisis in our lifetimes."
Automobiles are Canada's second-largest export and the sector employs 125,000 Canadians directly and almost another 500,000 in related industries.
Last month, Zeldin said he would push for a 65% spending cut at the agency, saying, "We don't need to be spending all that money that went through the EPA last year."
Trump and Zeldin, aided by billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, have also pushed to drastically reduce EPA staffing, and the agency is considering a plan to eliminate its scientific research office. About 1,000 scientists and other employees who help provide the scientific foundation for EPA rules safeguarding human health and the environment could be fired.
The EPA's offer for companies to request exemptions was first reported by The New York Times.
"Submitting a request via this email box does not entitle the submitter to an exemption,'' the EPA said in a statement. "The
President will make a decision on the merits." Authority for exemptions "solely rests with the president, not EPA,'' added EPA spokeswoman Molly Vaseliou.
Former President Joe Biden offered similar exemptions after issuing a rule last year tightening emission standards for ethylene oxide from commercial facilities that sterilize medical equipment, she noted.
Vickie Patton, general counsel for the Environmental Defense Fund, called EPA's action "an invitation to pollute" and an abuse of power by Zeldin. Coal-fired power plants have long used scrubbers and other devices to limit mercury and other toxic pollution and can continue to do so, she said, adding that hundreds of companies nationwide could potentially apply for exemptions that are neither needed nor legal.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act 2000, notice is hereby given that the above-named Company has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to a Certifcate of Dissolution issued by The Registrar General on the 4th day of March, 2025.
Dated the 28th day of March A.D., 2025.
Gustaaf A. Meijers
Liquidator of
EXXONMOBIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION EQUATORIAL GUINEA (OFFSHORE) LIMITED
EXXONMOBIL EQUATORIAL GUINEA (OFFSHORE) REGION LTD
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 138 (8) of the International Business Companies Act 2000, notice is hereby given that the above-named Company has been dissolved and struck off the Register pursuant to a Certifcate of Dissolution issued y The Registrar General on the 18th day of March, 2025.
Dated the 28th day of March A.D., 2025.
Gustaaf A. Meijers
Liquidator of
EXXONMOBIL EQUATORIAL GUINEA (OFFSHORE) REGION LIMITED
ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin speaks, Feb 3, 2025, in East Palestine, Ohio.
Photo:Gene J. Puskar/AP
PRIME Minister Mark Carney arrives on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Carney will chair a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Canada-U.S. Relations and National Security.
Photo:The Canadian Press/AP
By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press
THE Trump administration's use of a popular messaging app to discuss sensitive military plans — with a journalist on the text chain — is raising questions about security and the importance of safeguarding the nation's secrets.
It's also highlighting the differences between classified and public information, and demonstrating that even encrypted apps like Signal can lead to embarrassing leaks if the humans doing the texting don't follow basic security tips.
What's the difference between 'classified' and 'top secret'?
President Donald Trump's administration says no classified material was leaked when senior officials used Signal to discuss upcoming attack plans against the Houthi rebels in Yemen — even though a journalist was on the chat.
But even if the information had been declassified by the Pentagon, it contained details that would have been highly valuable to the Houthis or other
adversaries, showing how sometimes the decision of what to classify is a judgment call.
The federal government routinely classifies vast amounts of information pertaining to military and intelligence operations. The material ranges from top secret nuclear programs or the identities of undercover agents all the way to mundane records that would be of little interest to anyone, let alone America's adversaries. In 2011, for example, the CIA finally declassified its recipe for invisible ink — from 1917.
Advocates for open government have long complained that the push for secrecy goes too far, by protecting information that could shine a light on government activities or matters of public interest, including about UFO sightings and a 60-year-old presidential assassination.
While the public typically calls any information withheld by the government "classified," that term only refers to the three broad categories used to "classify" information based on the need for secrecy:
confidential, secret and top secret.
While files marked "confidential" contain information that's not meant to be released, the need for security or access restrictions isn't as great as for material considered "top secret," which includes the nation's nuclear secrets and other material that, if released, could pose a grave danger to national security.
While the Pentagon hasn't offered classification details about the information in the Signal chats, information about upcoming military strikes is typically tightly guarded to ensure adversaries don't have advance warning that could jeopardize the mission or put American service members at risk.
The Pentagon closely guards even some publicly available information. Material categorized as "controlled unclassified information," while not secret, is still considered sensitive enough that military service members are prohibited from discussing it on unsecured devices like personal phones.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe were asked about that policy during a Senate hearing this week as they were grilled over the Signal chat. Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona noted that Department of Defense policy "prohibits discussion of even what is called controlled unclassified information on unsecured devices," and asked if Ratcliffe and Gabbard, who oversees the nation's 18 intelligence agencies, were aware of that rule.
"I haven't read that policy," Gabbard said.
"I'm not familiar with the DOD policy," Ratcliffe said.
Who decides to classify or declassify something?
The power to classify or declassify lies in the hands of top federal officials, including the president and Cabinet secretaries. For military information like the attack plans discussed over Signal, the power lies with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has faced demands that he resign over the leak.
The president's ability to declassify information has been invoked when presidents have been accused of mishandling secrets.
Trump ally Kash Patel, now the FBI director, has said he witnessed Trump declassify material that was taken after his first term to the president's Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, but no evidence has emerged to support that claim.
The Pentagon hasn't said whether Hegseth declassified the attack plans before or after the Signal conversation, but Ratcliffe, Gabbard and the White House have all said the chats contained no classified information.
"I haven't participated in any Signal group messaging that relates to any classified information at all," Ratcliffe proclaimed at one point.
That explanation has failed to satisfy Democrats who say that plans for imminent military strikes are regularly classified.
National security experts agree. They say it would be highly unusual for the Pentagon to publicize such information and that any lower-level officer caught
leaking such material on Signal would face serious repercussions.
There's secure, and then there's secure enough forclassified secrets
For many consumers, encrypted apps like Signal can offer greater protections for everyday conversations. But that doesn't mean they're secure enough for government secrets, or immune to human error, as the inclusion of a reporter on the text chain shows.
Senior federal officials who handle classified data receive extensive training about the need to use approved devices and platforms to discuss government secrets. Intelligence and national security agencies have whole departments devoted to cybersecurity and the protection of state secrets. Government cybersecurity officials have recommended that federal employees use encrypted apps like Signal, which can offer greater security for routine communication, and Ratcliffe said this week it was a " permissible " app for senior officials to use.
MARINE FORECAST
