The honesty in this is very interesting. You acknowledge that gambling destroys families, yet you want to encourage this family destroying behavior? I'm all for allowing people the right to freely choose what they want and don't want for themselves. But you should be the one advocating for gambling in a way that presents the benefits not the detriments to society. I'm beyond astonished that you'd be willing to "work with churches to educate Bahamians on why they shouldn't gamble..." Maybe you're just a very honest individual and I'm not at all speaking against your honesty. However, there is a better way to explain your point. Explaining that you pay your utility bills and NIB is not helping your point. Instead it explains you're an upstanding citizen... except for the fact that you own illegal number houses that you intend to legalise...and these number houses will destroy families and ruin the lives of tens of thousands of Bahamians. Thanks Mr. Bastian!!

If numbers is illegal then he just confess to doing it, I guess there is no enforcing the law in the Bahamas.

'Rather, the matter is one of regulating it vs. ENFORCING the laws against it. It is the ambivalence in the executive, judicial and legislative branches of our government in DEALING with this festering issue which has now exacerbated the situation...' Thanks TIM!!! -

I trust that none of these confessed criminals are allowed to participate in a legalized national lottery.

I agree with Mr. Bastian, i think he means well. we need to get our head out of sand and understand that legal or not numbers will go on, but at least if its regulated we can benefit as a nation from its taxes. I don't gamble so it doesn't matter to me , but if i had to vote i would vote yes , because i believe in the benefits. Numbers being legalized won't make gamblers out of people that don't gamble , because anyone who wants to gamble can by numbers on almost any corner currently. People should have a choice, this is a free country.

He not suggesting we introduce something that doesn't already exist, number has always been in our country. I sure they make more money if it stay the way it is, so i think sharing revenues with government speaks for something.

When we will stop being a hypocritical regressive nation? Every single one of us take part in some sin or another and are in no position to sit in the seat of judgement. The facts are that the law is not being regulated, possibly because and the end of the day it is a matter of choice. Of all the things that destroy MartGM I'm pretty sure Adultery, fornication, and alcoholism are in the top five yet I don't see any of you petition to ban these virus that rip fathers from homes and reduce lawyers to scum. Yes Tim, they are all cancers therefore if you are going to speak against one you should speak against them all! Hypocrits! Your pretty dumb if you don't realize you are already taking part in the benefits of gambling, either through the charity donations they give out, the party promotions, or the taxes that they are paying through utilities, national insurance and licenses. It only makes sense to apply direct taxes so that this money can potentially go toward things, like education, social services, and national security. What I don't understand is why all of you who are so very opposed to the legalisation of gambling haven't marched in front of numbers house shining a light on the illegalities therein? Is it simply that you are opposed to progress? Is it that you benefit from the way things are and could care less about the potential benefits that injection of cash will give the Bahamas as a whole? Don't you just love this country, a person can spend $15 getting sloppy drunk and killing another human being, but they can't spend $15 to potentially get money to pay their bills. Hypocrits!