THE RELENTLESS MARCH TOWARD BEING CASHLESS

For the past few weeks, we have described in pretty harsh terms the issue of the Central Bank trying to force this country to become a cashless society.  There seemed to be a temporary respite when the bank seemed to climb down from the fool’s errand of abolishing cheques. But from remarks attributed to the Central  Bank Governor, it appears there was simply a pause in the onward movement.  The Central Bank has failed in its mission to protect the poor of The Bahamas.  They have left islands in the country with no banks.  They abolished the penny which was inflationary.  Andrew Allen, the attorney, tells the story of his going to the parking lot of the Lynden Pindling Airport and being forced to buy a 20-dollar card in order to get out of the parking lot.  He said he refused and told them to take cash or stuff it.  His argument is and we agree that no licensed business in this country can refuse to take cash.  The Bahamian dollars are legal tender for all debts in the country.  We must continue to fight to ensure that in a country where the internet doesn’t work, where the electricity supply is unreliable, and where increasingly there are concerns about privacy, the country must not go cashless.