After reading this board, I think it is safe to say that the majority of its members agree or are proponents of diversifying the Bahamian economy.
Right now we have Toursism and a 'distant' second Banking/financial services, (correct me if I am wrong). And truthfully, I am not sure what else is after that and how close in percentage is that industry in the grand scheme of the Bahamian industries.

So my issue is this....Can LNG be a 3rd industry? If it can, then why aren't we seriously considering it and is there any other alternative to our dilemma?

After reading this board, I think it is safe to say that the majority of its members agree or are proponents of diversifying the Bahamian economy.
Right now we have Toursism and a 'distant' second Banking/financial services, (correct me if I am wrong). And truthfully, I am not sure what else is after that and how close in percentage is that industry in the grand scheme of the Bahamian industries.
So my issue is this....Can LNG be a 3rd industry? If it can, then why aren't we seriously considering it and is there any other alternative to our dilemma?

That whole LNG thing and the way it was handled left me wary and uneasy. But then most of the things our government(s) does has the same effect on me. Too much is done in the shadows and not enough in the sunshine.

As a general point though:

Freedom!

I think freedom will be our answer in the long run. (Throw in honesty and efficiency.)

Simple example...

A long time ago I wen down to get a business license for my new business.

Long story short...

I was told I could not get a license for my business because they did not have a category for it.

Moral?

The Bahamas does not want any innovation here.

Some places suffer from the NIH syndrome. (Not Invented Here) We suffer from the opposite.

They should have a category called "Other" on the form. We should be Free to do Anything that is not specifically illegal. (And some of the things that they currently have illegal need to come off that list but that is another discussion.)

all the best,

drew
http://zotzbro.blogspot.com/

That whole LNG thing and the way it was handled left me wary and uneasy. But then most of the things our government(s) does has the same effect on me. Too much is done in the shadows and not enough in the sunshine.
As a general point though:
Freedom!
I think freedom will be our answer in the long run. (Throw in honesty and efficiency.)
Simple example...
A long time ago I wen down to get a business license for my new business.
Long story short...
I was told I could not get a license for my business because they did not have a category for it.
Moral?
The Bahamas does not want any innovation here.
Some places suffer from the NIH syndrome. (Not Invented Here) We suffer from the opposite.
They should have a category called "Other" on the form. We should be Free to do Anything that is not specifically illegal. (And some of the things that they currently have illegal need to come off that list but that is another discussion.)
all the best,
drew
http://zotzbro.blogspot.com/
I find your story line somewhat.... well i will leave it like that . you can get a busines licence just under genral trading or simply trading as.example john doe trading as ---------------- unless of course you wanted a licence to produce firearms i just cant see you being denied. now if you were in freeport proper the port has a way of killing new ideas only to have them past later on to a freind or one of there other partners .

We, as a nation, really need to step up and start talking about fisheries and agriculture again. That they we can both export and learn to be self-sufficient at the same time.

After reading this board, I think it is safe to say that the majority of its members agree or are proponents of diversifying the Bahamian economy.
Right now we have Toursism and a 'distant' second Banking/financial services, (correct me if I am wrong). And truthfully, I am not sure what else is after that and how close in percentage is that industry in the grand scheme of the Bahamian industries.
So my issue is this....Can LNG be a 3rd industry? If it can, then why aren't we seriously considering it and is there any other alternative to our dilemma?


If the BTC issue can be resolved and the technology updated, there is a possibility of call center type work, but that doesn't really put a lot of $$ into the economy. People are used to hearing an Indian or Pakistani on the other side of tech support, so the Bahamian accent should be a relief!

Personally, a fully transparent agreement for LNG is a good way to support the economy. The US will always need energy and the Bahamas will always be near the US. Because of the previous disclosure issues (as referred to by zotz) any new agreement must be shown in its entirety to the people of the Bahamas. Once we're sure there is no environmental or security dangers, the people will understand.

At one time, the Bahamas was an outlet for US researchers to work on stem cells (now banned by the current Republican administration). Bio-medical research is big bucks. If only we could tell Big Brother America to mind their own policies and let us start working on the cure for cancer / parkinsons / common cold and AIDS.

If the BTC issue can be resolved and the technology updated, there is a possibility of call center type work, but that doesn't really put a lot of $$ into the economy. People are used to hearing an Indian or Pakistani on the other side of tech support, so the Bahamian accent should be a relief!
Personally, a fully transparent agreement for LNG is a good way to support the economy. The US will always need energy and the Bahamas will always be near the US. Because of the previous disclosure issues (as referred to by zotz) any new agreement must be shown in its entirety to the people of the Bahamas. Once we're sure there is no environmental or security dangers, the people will understand.
At one time, the Bahamas was an outlet for US researchers to work on stem cells (now banned by the current Republican administration). Bio-medical research is big bucks. If only we could tell Big Brother America to mind their own policies and let us start working on the cure for cancer / parkinsons / common cold and AIDS.


I concur. Being close to the US would be an enticement for US research scientist to set up labs in FPO and Nassau to conduct stem cell reserach. It could also be a HUGE boost to the fortumns and prestige of COB as they could connect such research labs to their Science and Technology School.

Imagine the cure for AIDS/Parkinson's/Cancer coming out of little ole COB? Yippee!:bouncy:

I find your story line somewhat.... well i will leave it like that . you can get a busines licence just under genral trading or simply trading as.example john doe trading as ---------------- unless of course you wanted a licence to produce firearms i just cant see you being denied. now if you were in freeport proper the port has a way of killing new ideas only to have them past later on to a freind or one of there other partners .

I know it is hard to believe, but that's how it went down.

I got a license alright, but the license was to do something else. Not to do what I wanted. There was not category! Believe it or not, that was how it played out.

Later on with the same business, they changed the license. More then once.

Also, with the same business, I was refused renewal on more than one occasion. Why? *I needed to supply proof of qualifications? What did they need to see? They couldn't tell me, but I had to provide it or they would not renew my license. As I recall, that took a letter from my lawyer to the Attorney General or somewhere like that to sort out.

I told them I wanted a license for a business that dealt in:

"Ideas, Information, and Information Technology."

They tried to give me one for "Hardware Consulting" We settled on "Hardware and Software Consulting." This did not "technically" cover everything I did from my point of view. My point is, they had not choice of "other" and said that if you did not fit one of their pre-existing categories you could not have a license for such a business.

I ran that business for a good number of years. I shut it down due to such hassles in part but mostly because I seriously disliked the bookwork necessary to satisfy the government requirements on the forms and in general really. I was a one man operation and did not want to expand due to shortcomings in my management abilities / skills. I used to joke sometimes that I was having employee problems and I was the only employee. This was only partly in jest. ~;-)

all the best,

drew
http://zotzbro.blogspot.com/

I concur. Being close to the US would be an enticement for US research scientist to set up labs in FPO and Nassau to conduct stem cell reserach.

You think that particular research would run into less problems here than there? Doesn't seem likely to me.

One thing though. We always seem to be behind the curve.

Computers and software should have been duty free back in the 80's and we should have been trying to attract software firms for one. Mytake is that the time has passed for that.

We should be looking ahead and trying to get in early on some areas with a big upside.

all the best,

drew
http://zotzbro.blogspot.com/