(Eleuthera, Bahamas) – Officer in Charge of the Eleuthera Division, Superintendent Christopher Wright, issued a very strong statement on Thursday, March 19th, 2015, warning the business community in Eleuthera about having current and valid documentation to operate their businesses.
 
“The issue here is breach of the Business License Act”, he explained, and continued, “The police have identified a vast number of business places who are operating without a valid business license.  I want to sound the alarm that all business licenses within the Commonwealth of the Bahamas expire on the 31st of January every year.  There is a grace period which expires at the end of March every year.  We have identified that persons have not been renewing their licenses, and there are even persons who are operating without any license at all.  This is a total no-no, and it will no longer be accepted.”

Superintendent Wright, then said firmly, “I encourage all those persons who are in breach of this Act to visit the Department of Inland Revenue (located at the Ministry of Finance on island), which is responsible for business licenses, and bring themselves current.”
 
The OIC was resolute in how his team would respond to the situation, saying, “Effective immediately, officers will go into an aggressive approach, inspecting various business places to see if their licenses are valid.  Persons found in breach will be shut down, items confiscated, and they will be prosecuted.  This serves as the only and final warning!”
 
He also communicated a reminder, that licenses should be displayed at all times for inspection when requested.
 
Superintendent Wright also addressed another troubling concern, saying, “We have also in recent times seen an influx of applications for persons wanting approval for fundraisers, especially during homecomings and regattas.  They make the application under the terms that they are having fundraisers to assist with community efforts. We have discovered that this does not happen [in many instances], and nothing is filtered back into the community, but rather for their personal gain.  The police will no longer be encouraging or approving these applications.”
 
Restaurant operators were also reminded that all persons working in their environment must have a valid health certificate, which is good for a six month period and must be kept up to date.
 
Finally, OIC Wright, commented on businesses who required music and dancing licenses, saying, “I want to remind persons with music and dancing licenses, that all music and dancing licenses in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas expires at 2am each morning, provided that the music is not a public nuisance.  If you are found in breach, the police will visit your premises and shut you down.   We have noticed that nightclub operators are constantly making the request for extended hours until 4am.  That will no longer be endorsed by the police.”

NOTE: Ministry of Finance locations and service hours on island

Lower Bogue (Main Office): Mon – Fri 9am-4pm
Rock Sound (Admin. Office): Wednesdays 9am-12pm
Governor’s Harbour (Admin. Office): Wednesday 1pm-4pm
Spanish Wells (Admin. Office): Thursdays 9am-4pm