Prime Minister the Right Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham has been confirmed as keynote speaker at **Bahamas Business Outlook (BBO) 2009**.

Under the theme *“Effective Strategies For A Strong Economic Rebound”*, BBO is scheduled to take place Thursday, January 15, 2009 at the Wyndham Nassau Resort, Cable Beach. An impressive list of other dynamic speakers will present on a range of timely subjects, including tourism, investments, health and higher education. Joan Albury, President of The Counsellors Ltd. – BBO hosts – says the event will place strong emphasis on strategies for moving ahead and putting collective Bahamian talents together to effect positive change.

*“There is no doubt that economies around the world, and certainly that of The Bahamas, are being shaken by the double blow of the meltdown in the sub-prime mortgage market and constantly fluctuating oil prices. We also accept that both of these developments are fuelling the rising cost of consumer items. That is the reality and it is understandable that people are concerned. It is not our intention, however, to focus on what has happened but on what can be done to help our economy and individual businesses to rebound for the benefit of Bahamians generally. The Bahamas Business Outlook theme for this year was chosen specifically to reflect our company’s optimism that there is hope. There is much we can do to realize that hope, but we must be willing to stop the hand-wringing at this point and put our shoulders to the wheel,”* Mrs. Albury said.

Now in its 18th year, the annual Bahamas Business Outlook is a community development initiative conceived by The Counsellors Ltd. Attracting an attendance drawn from all sectors of the Bahamian economy, the forum brings together local and international business leaders and scholars to analyse trends and provide a forecast of business challenges and opportunities for the rest of the year.