Monthly Archives: August 2017

Riot Oceania appoint TLA Worldwide as exclusive sponsorship sales agency – The Roar

Posted: August 18, 2017 at 5:39 am

Legacy play against the Chiefs during the 2016 Oceanic Pro League final (Chiefs eSports)

Riot Games Oceanias latest agency appointment suggests that the Oceanic Pro League is here for good.

Across the Pacific Ocean, the North American LCS enters its final playoff tournament before the league enters franchising.

The numbers are considerably bigger over in Santa Monica Riot are asking teams for a $US10 million buy-in, and while revenue sharing will certainly help to offset that initial fee, its clear that the NA LCS is now at a point where Riot can choose to be much more judicious about who they choose to partner with.

What about in Australia? Well, were not quite there yet. Only this year did all eight OPL teams move into team houses, and the cost of relocation and housing was still absorbed in part by Riot Oceania as part of their move to a live studio broadcast.

Riots relationship with esports was born from a desire to meet player demand for high-level competition, and the mantra of player value first guided the global establishment of League of Legends esports across the world in the face of financial loss.

And yes, regardless of whether you want to attach more self-seeking motives to Riots shameless declaration that esports is a significant investment that [theyre] not making money from, the fact stands that it isnt a profitable venture for many developers at least for now.

World of Tanks devs Wargaming are just one of many other companies willing to allow their esports departments to go into the red, either out of some altruistic love for their player base or, more realistically, the belief that esports will become a future cash cow.

Yet, the path to monetisation (and, ultimately, profitability) isnt the same for every company. Valve have capitalised on the success of their tournaments by creating exclusive in-game content gated behind battle passes and compendiums, while stickers and themed skins anchor Counter-Strike: Global Offensives esports monetisation. Riot and Blizzard have struck sponsorship deals, but the financials around their esports ventures are anything but transparent.

So it might not come as a surprise that Riot Oceania have appointed TLA Worldwide as their exclusive sponsorship sales agency. Formerly Elite Sports Properties, TLA are a global sports marketing agency that have dipped their toes into just about every major sports league around the world, and theyll be connecting sponsors with the OPL on Riots behalf.

Riot Oceania arent the first owners of a major esports league to employ a sponsorship agency to find them sources of revenue. Showdown (Twitchs exclusive distributor of owned media in Australia and New Zealand) and Seven West Media (who recently launched screenPLAY, a new esports platform) have been connected to McDonalds and St George Bank thanks to the efforts of sports marketing agency The Gemba Group.

The OPL has danced with big league sponsors before apart from the very esportsy Logitech and Red Bull, Dominos and Uber have entered partnerships with Riot in the past. And unless Riot find a way to move cash from their viewers pockets into their coffers a la Valve, sponsors will likely be their major source of esports revenue moving forward.

Endemic sponsors will always be there. You dont need to do a lot of work to sell a core gamer a Logitech mouse or a four-pack of Red Bull. The challenge lies in the non-endemic sponsors brands that sit on the fringe, like PwC and Streets. Esports fans are fickle. There are only so many brand activations they can tolerate before a clever partnership becomes annoying marketing. It is this question that Riot will have to navigate if the OPL is to see long-term success.

Riot see the OPL as a competitor to the AFL or any other major sports league in the Oceanic region. If the sleek analyst desks, sideline interviews and prized tipping contests didnt tip you off, the aggressive sponsorship deals should. Theyve convinced us that League of Legends and the OPL are here to stay. For their sake, lets hope theyre right.

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Intimacy, adventure and more at Seychelles properties – Travel Weekly

Posted: at 5:38 am

With so many islands and regions in the Seychelles, visitors can expect a plethora of resort styles. Here's an overview of the properties I visited during my recent trip:

As the country's most populated island, Mahe provides travelers resorts and hotels of all sizes and star ratings. It's also the island on which all visitors land; therefore, at least a few days should be spent on Mahe.

Only 30 minutes from the international airport, the Kempinski Seychelles is a five-star property on Baie Lazare beach, which can be seen from most of its luxury suites. Tropical design includes just the right amount of contemporary flair, especially in the panoramic open-air lobby that overlooks a centrally located swimming pool and a toes-in-sand beach bar that grills up on-demand seafood and meats.

With its exceptional dining most notably the fusion of flavors at L'Indochine and the bountiful buffet breakfast (unlimited bloody marys and mimosas!) the Kempinski is the perfect starting point for an island-hopping Seychelles tour and a great choice for pre- and post-exploring.

Nightly rates begin at $300, double; see http://www.kempinski.com.

No matter how many options there are, some people just want to stay put. For them, the best choice on Mahe is the five-star Constance Ephelia Resort, where guests can stay for two weeks and never get bored. Over 260 rooms and suites, 47 villas, 10 restaurants and bars, an entire spa village, two unique beaches, a range of activities and a kids club, all on almost 300 acres, create a little world of tropical luxury.

The resort is so large, in fact, that there's an entire ziplining course. Service, cuisine and amenities are top-notch, and weekly events provide guests with cultural dinners and entertainment.

Nightly rates begin at about $700 to $1,000, depending on season. See http://www.constancehotels.com.

For a more intimate experience on Mahe, there's Carana Beach Resort, a locally owned, design-driven boutique property.

With 40 contemporary chalets and a stunning infinity pool overlooking one of Mahe's most picturesque beaches, this brand-new resort is the perfect in-between.

Nightly rates begin at about $480; see https://caranabeach.com.

Some of the Seychelles' most exceptional resorts reside on otherwise uninhabited, self-sufficient islands, where travelers get the quintessential private island experience.

The newest and most lavish is undoubtedly Six Senses Zil Pasyon. Thirty ultra-private villas, each with plunge pools and breathtaking views, were designed with the brand's full commitment to wellness and sustainability in mind, and come with a personal guest experiences maker, aka GEM. Nothing at the resort has been overlooked, and it is setting a new standard for eco-luxury. For more information, see http://www.sixsenses.com.

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Intimacy, adventure and more at Seychelles properties - Travel Weekly

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Air Seychelles launches new scenic flights offering a bird’s eye view of Mah’s breath-taking spots – eTurboNews

Posted: at 5:38 am

The Seychelles national airline is now offering scenic flights in a bid to offer more products especially for tourists holidaying in the island nation.

Air Seychelles panoramic flights at low altitudes will allow guests to experience a birds eye view of some of the most beautiful spots of the Seychelles main island Mah.

The 30-minute flight departing the Seychelles International Airport, is designed to take guests on a tour of either North Mah or South Mah.

On the North Mah tour for example, Cerf Island, Moyenne and Ste Anne islands will be visible to the right. The flight then continues past the capital of Victoria, following the coastline around the northern point of Mah to Beau Vallon beach. Heading past Anse Major, the Baie Ternay marine park and Port Launay, it also provides unparalleled views of the Morne Seychellois national park, before circling back at Grand Anse beach.

Air Seychelles said the airline has received the cooperation of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority to develop the scenic flights by assisting to design the low altitude routes.

The airline is also working with the travel trade and Destination Management Companies (DMCs) who will be key distributors of the new product.

A group of travel agents and representatives from the tourism industry were in fact the first to board the inaugural scenic flight on Wednesday August 16 and they were taken on a scenic tour of South Mah.

Guests wanting to avail of the experience can book their scenic flights with the local DMCs as well as directly with Air Seychelles.

Air Seychelles Head of Sales for the Home Market, Mrs. Kathleen Payet said the scenic flights which have to be booked 24 hours in advance will be sold on a charter basis instead of selling individual seats as is the case for normal flights.

We are targeting large groups who before had to charter two or three helicopters for such scenic flights, including guests from cruise ship who are very eager to embark on such experiences, said Mrs Payet.

The scenic flights using a Twin Otter DHC-6 400 aircraft with 19 seats among which 11 are window seats, can be available daily between 1.30 pm to 3.00pm based on demand and the DMCs can also choose to have a guide accompany the guests on the scenic tours.

Air Seychelles Chief Executive Roy Kinnear said the experience will allow travellers to appreciate the unparalleled beauty of Seychelles from a whole new angle.

Flying at a low altitude on a Twin Otter aircraft, our service will provide breath-taking views of many famous sights and landmarks of north Mah, from stunning beaches to the verdant rolling hills of the national park, all framed by the Indian Ocean, said Mr Kinnear.

Air Seychelles is confident that the new scenic flights will appeal to both international visitors and residents looking to explore Seychelles from the air.

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Tropical Storm Harvey forms east of the Caribbean, forecasters say – Sun Sentinel

Posted: at 5:37 am

A patch of churning clouds and storms east of the Caribbean formed into Tropical Storm Harvey on Thursday evening.

It has been given a 100 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone over the next two days.

Its also expected to become a hurricane by Monday morning. At this point it is no threat to Florida.

But that was just one tropical hot spot being monitored in the Atlantic as we enter the busiest time of the Atlantic hurricane season.

We have entered the peak of the season, which is mid-August through late October, said Dennis Feltgen, spokesman for the National Hurricane Center, in an email.

Hurricane Gert was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone Thursday evening. It was heading north in the Atlantic off Canada, was no threat and was expected to dissipate. But there were two other disturbances in the Atlantic as well that could become tropical cyclones.

The other two systems are too far out to determine if there will be any impacts onto the U.S. and Florida, Feltgen said.

Tropical Storm Harvey is headed toward the Windward Islands at 18 mph and is expected to bring two to four inches of rain with it. Maximum winds are gusting up to 40 mph, forecasters said.

By Monday morning it is expected to be Hurricane Harvey. Maximum wind speeds for hurricanes start at 74 mph and can exceed 155 mph.

Advisories issued by the National Hurricane Center for Tropical Storm Harvey show its so-called cone of error, which depicts on a map the range of impact zones. The cone has it moving straight west through the Caribbean Sea before making landfall as a hurricane anywhere between Nicaragua and Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula.

If it stays to the southern end of the cone, closer to Nicaragua, it could make landfall on Monday. If it stays to the north, closer to Mexico, landfall could be Tuesday.

The two disturbances in the Atlantic are still at least 2,000 miles from Florida. Those include:

-- A low pressure system about 1,200 miles east of the eastern perimeter of the Caribbean. This one has been given a 70 percent chance of formation over the next 48 hours. But atmospheric conditions will be hostile to its survival, forecasters say.

-- A wave of showers and thunderstorms near the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa has been given a 30 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone over the next 5 days.

Although its early, forecasts show them tracking in the general direction of Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Neither disturbance poses an immediate threat to Florida.

An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter was scheduled to investigate the potential cyclone that could become Harvey on Thursday afternoon.

The Potential Tropical Cyclone advisories are new in 2017. Formerly, disturbances would have to become at least a depression before advisories were issued. The reason for the potential-cyclone advisories is to give people more warning, giving them more time to prepare.

National Hurricane Center

(National Hurricane Center)

Meanwhile, The Weather Channels Bryan Norcross noted Thursday on Twitter that 25 years ago today, Tropical Storm Andrew was named. Seven days later, Hurricane Andrew would bring catastrophic damage to parts of then-Dade County (now Miami-Dade), especially the southern portion of the county.

[T]he NHC track forecast for Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, highly likely to become Tropical Storm Harvey (we'll know soon in the 5 p.m. advisory)

is to move across the Caribbean Sea and well south of Florida. The other two systems are too far out to determine if there will be any impacts onto the U.S. and Florida.

We have entered the peak of the season, which is mid-August through late October.

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Tropical Storm Harvey forms east of the Caribbean, forecasters say - Sun Sentinel

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Bonnie Tyler to sing ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ on Royal Caribbean cruise during total solar eclipse – Fox News

Posted: at 5:37 am

Just as the moon crosses over the sun on August 21, passengers aboard Royal Caribbeans Total Eclipse Cruise will be directly aligned with another star: Bonnie Tyler, singing her 1983 hit Total Eclipse of the Heart."

The cruise line announced yesterday that the 66-year-old Welsh crooner will be the special guest on its Oasis of the Seas, performing the ballad that launched her to fame during the once-in-a-lifetime celestial phenomenon.

Its going to be so exciting. It doesn't happen very often, does it? Tyler toldTime.

DEAD WHALE FOUND STUCK TO BOW OF PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP ENTERING ALASKA PORT

The ship departs on August 20 from Florida, and will cruise through Caribbean towards St. Maarten for the seven-day Total Eclipse Cruise." Arriving at an optimal spot in the path of totality at sea, Tyler will belt out her song in the ships outdoor theater, backed by Joe Jonas band DNCE during the eclipse. President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, Michael Bayley, called Tyler a natural choice for this special event.

SEA PRINCESS CRUISE PASSENGERS SPEND 10 DAYS IN BLACKOUT FOR FEAR OF PIRATES

"The eclipse of the sun lasts 2 minutes and 40 seconds, Im told," Tyler said. "Unlike my song.

"It had to be chopped about, because it was so long.

An ever popular go-to amongst karaokists and talent show contestants, whats lesser known about Total Eclipse of the Heart is that the song was penned by Meat Loaf composer Jim Steinman, exclusively for Tyler.

While Tylers performance will certainly be an anticipated event on the Total Eclipse Cruise experience, Royal Caribbean has plans to keep the celestial fun going all week. Guests onOasis of the Seaswill be treated to a full slate of eclipse-themed activities, including dance parties, trivia, enrichment lectures, interactive science fun for kids, and tasty cocktails and dishes with names like the Cosmic Cosmo, Planetary Punch and Moon Pie, the cruise line said in a press release.

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But the first class festivities dont stop there. Guests can also go zip-lining, enjoy Broadway entertainment, and feast on meals from James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz.

In other words, it's fun for the whole family, even after Tyler's song is cut short.

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Hero Caribbean Premier League brings top-tier cricket to Lauderhill – Sun Sentinel

Posted: at 5:37 am

Thousands of cricket fans were recently treated to a taste of the Caribbean at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill.

The Hero Caribbean Premier League stepped up to bat with professional cricket play involving four teams as the Guyana Amazon Warriors took on the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots and the Jamaica Tallawahs faced off against the Barbados Tridents in a home and away series.

National pride was at stake as fans attended the action wearing supportive team colors and waving signs and flags. Lauderhill with its large Caribbean influence embraced the event with gusto.

The St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots gave their supporters plenty to cheer about as they came away with two victories over the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

The Patriots took the Saturday afternoon match 132/3 over the Warriors 128/8 and came back the next day for a closely contested victory over the Warriors 124/6 to 123/7.

Patriots fans were treated to a strong performance in the second match by Carlos Brathwaite, who conceded only four runs and took three Warriors wickets. It was a dramatic come-from-behind win that shocked the dismayed Warriors fans.

Cricket fans were able to watch arguably the greatest batsmen in limited-overs cricket as the Patriots Chris Gayle's 66 runs guided the club to victory.

A large Jamaican fan base came out in force to root on the Jamaica Tallawahs, only to witness a batting collapse by the middle order and accurate bowling by the Barbados Tridents, who secured a 142-7 to 130-6 victory in the first match between the clubs.

The Tallawahs gained some retribution by avenging the earlier defeat with a 154-5 to 142-10 triumph over the Tridents to split their series.

Lauderhill's Central Broward Regional Park's 110-acre multipurpose facility has the only sanctioned international cricket stadium in North America, giving it the ability to attract international tournaments like the Hero Caribbean Premier League. Cricket is second only to soccer as the most watched sport in the world.

The Hero Caribbean Premier League put on six matches last year at the Lauderhill complex and returned for the recently contested four matches.

The league's communication and public relations director, Peter Miller, was pleased to be back in Lauderhill for another year.

"The support we have from Broward County and the City of Lauderhill has been second to none. It's fantastic," Miller said. "(Central Broward Regional Park) is such a great facility. The fans get to view some of the best cricket players in the world and the Jamaican fans got to celebrate their independence day here as well."

Futurevest@aol.com

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Royal Caribbean CEO: College taught me the right way to protest – CNBC

Posted: at 5:37 am

It's no surprise that the head of one of the world's largest cruise line operators wanted to travel far when it was time for college.

"It was my dream," Richard Fain, CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., said of his decision to enroll at the University of California, Berkeley.

The 69-year-old Fain, who was born in Boston and grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, surrounded by family, said he craved something different.

"California was about as far away as I could get from the East Coast. It felt good to me as a young, rebellious man," he said.

"I made my choice more on emotion than on any scientific analysis."

His undergraduate experience outside the classroom was affected by the California sun and sea and the free speech movement in the 1960s.

Of the student activism on campus at the time, Fain says he learned an important lesson about how to work together to accomplish great things. "I really saw the value of working with other people." he said. "If people really do work toward a common goal, nothing stops them."

More from College Game Plan: WNBA's president: 'I got called racial slurs every day' Scrub Daddy CEO credits college for his clean start Girl Scouts CEO urges girls to try STEM careers

After graduating with a B.S. in economics, Fain went on to get an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business. He became CEO of the cruise line company in 1988. Royal Caribbean has grown tremendously since then, with nearly 50 shipsthat travel to over 500 destinations.

Going forward, Fain says he sees smooth sailing, as shares, which stand at an all-time high, continue to outperform on average the S&P 500.

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Royal Caribbean ramping up China efforts with new super-ship – Asia Times

Posted: at 5:37 am

Construction of the new Royal Caribbean super-ship Spectrum of the Seas has begun in Papenburg, Germany. This is part of Royal Caribbeans hopes to open up the Chinese market to luxury cruise experiences by offering cutting-edge experiences and amenities.

There is little word yet on the particulars of the new ships features, but the companys latest well-publicized announcement signals that Royal Caribbean is still very much focused on the Chinese cruise market, which has experienced some instability this year with the South Korean travel ban in the wake of the dispute over deployment of a missile-defense system. The confusion and tumult created a temporary drop in demand for Royal Caribbeans China cruise offerings.

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In response to thediplomatic row, Royal Caribbean temporarily removed South Korean destinations from its China itineraries, replacing them with Japanese ports such asNagasaki and Kumamoto. Next year, some Royal Caribbean itineraries will include more Japanese ports, such as Fukuoka and Naha.

Koreas Jeju island, a popular destination for Chinese tourists because of its lax visa policy, is available as a stop on a single itinerary departing from Shanghai in mid-November. However, this itinerary is unavailable on the Chinese version of the Royal Caribbean site.

While Royal Caribbean has demonstrated its long-term interest in the Chinese market, it is a market that is subject to dramatic flux in the event of diplomatic and political conflicts. With the continued rise of China economically and its willingness to exercise its ability to project both political and economic power, such conflicts will continue. This necessitates flexibility and responsiveness on the part of companies catering to Chinese tourists.

When Royal Caribbean announced its intent to increase its Asia-Pacific efforts with the creation of tour packages and the building of ships to cater to luxury-oriented Chinese consumers, it was considered by some to be a gamble. No doubt challenges in China remain for Royal Caribbean, but the construction of the Spectrum of the Seas indicates that the companyis very optimistic about the long-term prospects of the cruise industry in China and its popularity among wealthy Chinese consumers.

This article was originally published on Jing Travel.

Mason Hinsdale is a China expert who has done research on modern Chinese business history and consumer culture. He studied in both Taiwan and mainland China and received his master's degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

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Bahamas Bounces Back With Win Over Suriname – Bahamas Tribune

Posted: at 5:36 am

Bahamas forward Shaian James drives to the basket against her Suriname defender.

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER losing the opening game of the FIBA U17 Centrobasket Championship for Women 53-39 to Costa Rica, the Bahamas bounced back on Thursday to take their frustration out on Suriname with a 86-69 rout.

Leading from start to finish, the Bahamas had four players in double figures as forward Valicia Demeritte led the attack by scoring a game high 20 points on 9-for-17 from the field and 2-for-6 from the free throw line in 34 minutes and 43 seconds. She also had eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Guard Alana Pinder, in a team-leading 36:45 minutes, was next with 17 points, hitting with 3-for-6 shots from the field and behind the three-point arch and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe, to go along with six assists, five rebounds and five steals. Team captain Tanea Bowleg, in 30:15 minutes, also had 7 points on 5-for-12 from the field, 2-for-7 from the three-point line and 5-for-6 from the foul line.

Centre Brionte Riley, playing 21:36 minutes, contributed 12 points with 12 rebounds, three steals and two assists. All but two of the Bahamian players, scored in the game. Centre Ulrica Butler had eight points, three rebounds and two steals and centre Michell Butler had six points and five rebounds.

The Bahamas, coached by Varel Davis and assisted by Terrarance Red Eye McSweeney and Deven Johnson, opened an impressive 22-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. By the half, Suriname cut the deficit to single digits as they trailed 43-35. Both teams scored 22 points in the third as the Bahamas stayed ahead 65-57. But, on a 21-14 spurt in the fourth, the Bahamas coasted to the win.

Suriname also had four players in double figures with captain Jolaine Nijman scoring 17 points with four rebounds and three steals.

The Bahamas led in all of the shooting categories, except for three-point, which saw both teams shoot 40 per cent. Surinam had a 28-15 advantage on the offensive rebounding, but the Bahamas made up the difference with a 37-23 edge on the defensive end for a total of 52-41 total.

A 20-16 margin put the Bahamas ahead in assists, but Suriname had 28-35 difference in turnovers, 22-16 in steals and 2-1 in block shots. The Bahamas, however, committed 25 fouls compared to just 19 by their opponents.

Both teams had just eight fast break points, but the Bahamas enjoyed its biggest lead of 19-0, had a 54-44 advantage in points in the paint and a 12-7 edge in points off the bench.

Surinam scored 37 points from turnovers with the Bahamas only getting 28. The Bahamas was also 14-11 against Surinam in second chance points but both teams had 12 points each in their biggest scoring attacks.

The Bahamas led for 39:43 minutes of the 40-minute game.

Today, the Bahamas will have their hands full as they take on hosts Puerto Rico in the feature game at 7pm. Puerto Rico leads Group B with a 2-0 win-loss record, while the Bahamas is sitting in second at 1-1, the same record of Costa Rica, whom they will play on Friday to complete the round robin.

Mexico tops Group A at 2-0 with El Salvador and Guatemala trailing 1-1 for second and third respectively. The British Virgin Islands are 0-2 as are Surinam in fourth place in Group B.

The competition system of the tournament consists of two phases. In the Group Phase, the eight participating teams are divided into two groups of four teams. Teams play in the round-robin format for three days.

The best two teams from each group will advance to the next phase, where the first place of Group A will play against the second place in Group B and vice versa. The winners of the Semi-Finals will advance to the Gold Medal Match, while the losers will play for the bronze of the continental event.

The top-three teams from the tournament will qualify to the FIBA U18 Womens Americas Championship 2018.

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Bad Loans Crippling Bank of the Bahamas – Caribbean360.com (subscription)

Posted: at 5:36 am

NASSAU, The Bahamas, Thursday August 17, 2017 The Bank of the Bahamas (BOB) is facing an uphill battle to get out of the red as it continues to rack up millions of dollars in losses due to bad loans.

According to a report on the banks financial performance for the fourth quarter ended June 30, 2017, the bank recorded net loan loss provisions of about $35.4 million during the final quarter of the fiscal year 2016 and $49.2 million since the start of 2017

This was up by $20.1 million from the same quarter last year and up by $24.7 million year to date compared to the prior year. As a result of the increased credit loss expenses, the bank recognized a net loss of $32.8 million for the quarter and $43.8 million year to date, the report stated.

BOB acknowledged that the situation was worrying, stressing that its ultimate return to profitability is largely dependent on the performance of its loan portfolio.

It was at pains to point out that it would have earned $2.5 million in net income for the reporting quarters and $5.4 million to date barring the losses from bad loans.

As such, a great part of the banks profitability will be contingent on resolving its non-performing loans.

The Bahamas Government has expressed concern about the banks continuing troubles.

It recently announced that it would allow BOB to release itself of $166 million of non-performing loans to a special purpose vehicle Bahamas Resolve Limited.

The bank said this transaction would provide substantial relief for its credit portfolio and overall financial position.

Meanwhile, BOB said it would continue to focus on transforming its business by focusing on initiatives around corporate governance, collections, cost optimization and customer care.

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