Bahamas updates
Arbitration & ADR
Supreme Court identifies its jurisdictional limits to assist in trust arbitration proceedings
- Bahamas
- 05 September 2019
The Supreme Court recently clarified its jurisdictional limits to assist in trust-related arbitrations, ruling that it has no such jurisdiction to allow service outside an action's jurisdiction. Given this ruling, parties to trust arbitration agreements must be cognisant that, notwithstanding whether their trust deeds provide for the seat of any arbitration to be The Bahamas, the court can provide only limited assistance where the arbitration is not held and the parties or assets are not in The Bahamas.
Aviation
Contributed by Callenders & CoGateway to The Bahamas: runway rehabilitation project
- Bahamas
- 16 October 2019
In recent years, there has been significant growth in air traffic to and from The Bahamas. As a result, the government has taken proactive steps to support this growth – notably, with upgrades to several of the country's busiest airports. For example, the Nassau Airport Development Company recently commenced a major rehabilitation project at the Lynden Pindling International Airport. This project will, among other things, include an asphalt upgrade to increase the runway's lifespan.
Government reopens negotiations on overflight fees and airspace management
- Bahamas
- 19 June 2019
The Bahamas' flight information region airspace comprises tens of thousands of miles and is subject to significant overflight activity. Moreover, it is one of the most important airspaces and is worth millions in revenue. To further enhance the civil aviation sector, the government is seeking to create a self-funded and sustainable management programme in order to collect overflight fees, while paying the US Federal Aviation Administration a fee for the management of its airspace.
Great strides made towards enhancing aircraft registry and ratifying Cape Town Convention
- Bahamas
- 27 March 2019
The Bahamian government continues to make progress towards enhancing its aircraft registry and ratifying the Cape Town Convention. For example, the Aviation Steering Committee (ASC) recently presented draft legislation to implement the Cape Town Convention to the Attorney General's Office. The ASC expects this draft legislation to be approved and presented to the Cabinet before the next government budget communication in Summer 2019.
Change is in the air: implementation of national aviation policy and ratification of Cape Town Convention
- Bahamas
- 19 December 2018
For the first time, The Bahamas has embarked on an ambitious project to develop a national aviation policy to better coordinate and facilitate civil aviation activities to, from and within the country. Further, the ratification of the Cape Town Convention will better position The Bahamas as a key player in the global industry in terms of financing and leasing aircraft and will allow the country to compete in the aviation industry on a global level.
Offshore drones: a broadening horizon
- Bahamas
- 24 October 2018
The Bahamas is ripe with opportunity and well positioned in what has become a new global industry within the civil aviation sector. The numerous remote islands in the country afford many possibilities regarding the operation and testing of drones as they become more sophisticated and start to be used for various operations. Drone operators, whether commercial or recreational, must be mindful of privacy, data collection and use and nuisance.
Insolvency & Restructuring
Privy Council determines extraterritorial reach of clawback claims in insolvency proceedings
Lennox Paton- Bahamas
- 23 August 2019
The Privy Council has determined that, notwithstanding the absence of express statutory provisions permitting service out of the jurisdiction of fraudulent preference claims, such claims are to have extraterritorial effect. This decision clarifies the law as it relates to the extraterritorial effect of fraudulent preference claims; however, it also creates difficulties for subscribers to mutual funds that may be held liable for investments made on behalf of third-party beneficiaries that are the ultimate recipients of payments.
Litigation
Supreme Court identifies its jurisdictional limits to assist in trust arbitration proceedings
- Bahamas
- 03 September 2019
The Supreme Court recently clarified its jurisdictional limits to assist in trust-related arbitrations, ruling that it has no such jurisdiction to allow service outside an action's jurisdiction. Given this ruling, parties to trust arbitration agreements must be cognisant that, notwithstanding whether their trust deeds provide for the seat of any arbitration to be The Bahamas, the court can provide only limited assistance where the arbitration is not held and the parties or assets are not in The Bahamas.
Supreme Court evaluates scope of trustees' protection in contentious trust litigation
Lennox Paton- Bahamas
- 07 August 2018
The Supreme Court recently assessed the protection afforded to trustees by virtue of Section 83 of the Trustee Act 1998, which provides that a trustee cannot be bound or compelled by way of discovery to disclose information and documents about a trust. In Dawson-Damer, a trustee had used Section 83(8) as a basis to refuse a disclosure request. The applicant's case was built primarily on the allegation of a breach of duty (ie, the trustee had failed to consider the applicant's needs).
Private Client & Offshore Services
Contributed by Lennox PatonSpecial tax relief for Abaco and Grand Bahama
- Bahamas
- 30 January 2020
To encourage the rebuilding effort in Abaco, Grand Bahama and the surrounding Cays after Hurricane Dorian, tax relief is now available for real property tax, value added tax (VAT) on the conveyance of real property, business licence tax and certain import duties and VAT, provided that certain conditions are met.
Supreme Court identifies its jurisdictional limits to assist in trust arbitration proceedings
- Bahamas
- 29 August 2019
The Supreme Court recently clarified its jurisdictional limits to assist in trust-related arbitrations, ruling that it has no such jurisdiction to allow service outside an action's jurisdiction. Given this ruling, parties to trust arbitration agreements must be cognisant that, notwithstanding whether their trust deeds provide for the seat of any arbitration to be The Bahamas, the court can provide only limited assistance where the arbitration is not held and the parties or assets are not in The Bahamas.
Privy Council determines extraterritorial reach of clawback claims in insolvency proceedings
- Bahamas
- 22 August 2019
The Privy Council has determined that, notwithstanding the absence of express statutory provisions permitting service out of the jurisdiction of fraudulent preference claims, such claims are to have extraterritorial effect. This decision clarifies the law as it relates to the extraterritorial effect of fraudulent preference claims; however, it also creates difficulties for subscribers to mutual funds that may be held liable for investments made on behalf of third-party beneficiaries that are the ultimate recipients of payments.
New tax reforms in effect
- Bahamas
- 18 July 2019
In the 2019/2020 Budget Communication the government announced various tax reforms which came into effect on 1 July 2019. Among other things, the cap on owner-occupied property has increased from B$50,000 to B$60,000 per year and stamp duty on real property has been replaced by value added tax (VAT) at the same rates. Further, any party that is required to become a VAT registrant must have a business licence.
Extinguishment of purchasers' rights – importance of priority in unregistered land systems
- Bahamas
- 20 June 2019
The Bahamas has an unregistered land system that is based on the conveyancing laws of England and Wales issued before 1925. Therefore, deeds and documents should be recorded in the Registry of Records in The Bahamas as soon as possible. Priority becomes particularly important in high-net-worth commercial and condominium development transactions.
