Some of the top men and women in the business arena in The Bahamas are set to explain the way forward for the country in an upcoming business seminar.

The 22nd annual Business Outlook, hosted by the Counsellors Ltd. is set to take place Thursday, January 10 at 8:30am at the Wyndham Nassau Resort.

President of The Counsellors Joan Albury described the seminar as being an outlook as to how businesses have planned out 2013 and recommendations to propel The Bahamas forward in several arenas.

“It’s an opportunity to find out what is going to happen in The Bahamas over the next 12 months. We will be examining the key issues that will confront us as a people for the remainder of 2013,” she said.

“We’ll be talking about the hot issues. We’ll be discussing technology, education, the economy, land and even relationships with businesses around the region,” she added.

For the first time in the seminar’s history, a sitting prime minister will be the keynote speaker.
Prime Minister Perry Christie is expected to give the keynote address at this year’s outlook speaking on the theme, “Building on the Spirit of Independence: New Blueprints for Social and Economic Development.”

One of the speakers scheduled for the one-day seminar is Sharlyn Smith, Attorney-at-Law for Sharon Wilson & Co. who will speak on the topic, “Securing Rights, Titles & Interests in Land: The Need, The Way Forward.”

“We will be examining the laws that relate to the transfer of rights to land in The Bahamas,” she said.

“We will look at the fact that we have not had comprehensive changes in the law relating to the transfer of real property in over 100 years,” she added.

According to Ms. Smith, The Bahamas is one of the few countries left in the Caribbean and the Commonwealth that still use the title ‘unregistered land’ and says there are a number of issues surrounding land that must urgently be discussed.
Smith explains the importance of discussing this issue as soon as possible saying, “If you look at land as the basis of wealth for individuals or families and if they are not able to use or develop their land or even mortgage it because the title of it is not good and marketable then that has a negative impact on that individual or family and that in turn impacts the economy of the country.”

“You can also look at persons seeking to develop property on a large scale, they may often find that a clear title to the land that they may be interested in may not be obtainable,” she added.

A host of other speakers will include, Managing Director for Atlantis George Markantonis, CEO of BTC Geoff Houston; Co-Chairman of the 40th Anniversary Committee Charles Carter and Microsoft Corporation Country Manager George Gobin.
Persons interested in registering can do so by calling the Counsellors at 322-1000 or online at www.tclevents.com.

The registration fee is $150.00.