The Bahamas Investor

...respective opinions. Panelist and Minister of State for Finance, Zhivargo Laing, asserted that borrowing for infrastructure spending was warranted and its benefits “have only now kicked in, and are lowering unemployment.” Halkitis disagreed and advocated a balanced budget amendment, noting that “17 per cent of national revenue goes to debt servicing. That’s absolutely not sustainable.” Laing responded that infrastructure spending is “a quality of......

...he financial sector including Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Zhivargo Laing and Central Bank Governor Wendy Craigg. As a result of these discussions, the head of the IMF team Gene Leon says he is optimistic about the country’s financial future and the stability of the banking sector. “Economic recovery in The Bahamas is gaining strength. The severe economic contraction during 2008-09 and high unemployment resulted in an increase in t......

...antis, Paradise Island yesterday with former Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing saying he believed the economy could grow by 1 per cent simply by improving standards and achieving “service excellence”. Vaughn Roberts, vice president of corporate finance and treasury at Baha Mar, said he would like to see “a culture where there is a national commitment to service” and said the new $3.5 billion Baha Mar development in Cable Beach, combined......

...In an exclusive interview the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Zhivargo Laing talks to The Bahamas Investor about the current investment climate and the future of the financial services industry in The Bahamas. Q: How is the financial services sector in The Bahamas holding up given the economic uncertainties of the last 18 months? A: You have to take into account both the domestic and the offshore environments. On the domestic side, pe......

...th management business,” said Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Zhivargo Laing in his address. “The global economic landscape has been altered, with the new players being the G20 rather than the G7 nations,” he added. “The axis of the global economic community now seems to turn on the fortunes of these G20 countries and the regulatory landscape remains in a state of continuous flux.” The minister went on to say that he believed that the......

...ngaged in serious infrastructure programmes there also,”?continues Grant. “Zhivargo Laing, Minister of State for Finance, has been to Atlanta. He brought back footage of the massive infrastructure works they are doing there, centered on roadworks.” Such projects are undertaken during times of economic slowdown for two main reasons: Firstly, public spending tends to act as an economic stimulus; and, secondly, projects can be a completed at a fracti......

...share The Bahamas value proposition. For the first time, ever, there was a live broadcast from the BFSB Landfall events. The radio show Z-Live hosted by Mr. Zhivargo Laing (Guardian 96.9 FM) broadcasted from Montreal and Toronto for three days.......

...PMG; Joy Jibrilu , director general, Ministry of Tourism; Charlene Lewis-Small, lead investment officer, IDB; Paul Wynn, chief executive officer, The Wynn Group. Zhivargo Laing, Radio Talk Show Host, Z Live: Off The Record will moderate the day-long programme.......

...ote speaker. Former Minister of State for Finance and radio talk show host Zhivargo Laing (pictured, left) will chair the day’s programme. Also pictured: (from left) Andre Knowles, BTC chief commercial officer; KPMG head of management for consulting and data analytics, Dennis D Deveaux; Joan Albury, president of TCL and founder of the seven-island Business Outlook Series and Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) chief operating officer Christina Alston. (......

...Former Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Ministry Zhivargo Laing has been named as the new chief negotiator in talks with the World Trade Organization regarding The Bahamas’ accession to the trade body.......

...t applications from the site. Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Zhivargo Laing commented: “Technology can make us more productive, more efficient, more effective and more competitive. It can make us more prosperous and more affluent. “It will ultimately make us all better off.” The portal is the result of a collaboration between the Finance Ministry and IDA International–the government of Singapore’s technology subsidiary. IDA consultan......

...e and 10 years to implement fully throughout the country. Finance Minister Zhivargo Laing adds: “We envision a Bahamas where technology is the driver in all sectors in our society: tourism, education, financial services, government, health care, transportation and commerce. “A lot of work must be done in terms of trying to get people to understand what e-government is and to understand the benefits that e-government can provide. We really want to......

...and Minister of Finance Hubert Ingraham and Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing are expected to make keynote addresses at the conference. Simon Thompson, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland will tackle the subject of “Rebuilding Trust in Financial Services,” a pertinent topic following the collapse of major US financial institutions. The conference will also examine the issue of trust and accountability from......

...s now. It is going to be great in a year or two–with the US economy and everything coming back.” Additional speakers at the 13th annual Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference included Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Zhivargo Laing, who gave the keynote address; director of the National Insurance Board Algernon Cargill; and director of policy and regulation at the Utilities Regulation and Competiton Authority Kathleen Riviere-Smith.......

...ns. During the ceremony, the Minister for State in the Ministry of Finance Zhivargo Laing said : “The government of The Bahamas welcomes the conclusion of this agreement with India, the world’s largest democracy and one of the emerging giants on the global economic landscape. Both countries are fellow active participants in the ongoing work of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development Global Forum on Transparency and Tax Informatio......