THE “national disgrace” of illegal gambling has hijacked the Christmas spirit, turning the tradition of gift-giving into an attempt to sway public opinion on the upcoming referendum, Pastor Lyall Bethel charged.

The Grace Community Church leader hit out at the recent trend of numbers operators giving away houses, cars and money at huge holiday events. He also criticised successive governments allowing the underground gambling racket to flourish for decades.

According to Pastor Bethel, the lavish prizes given away by some numbers houses over the last month were nothing more than an attempt to “bribe the Bahamian electorate” into voting for the decriminalisation of gambling.

“During one of their block parties . . . children were seen being given $10 notes in envelopes, while later moneys were thrown into the air for residents to scramble to get.

“How sickening to see Bahamians grovelling on the ground for filthy lucre, encouraged to give in to a spirit of covetousness by these supposed Robin Hoods of the industry.”

Pastor Bethel added: “Successive governments have allowed these crime bosses to flourish unchecked (perverting justice and showing partiality since other crime breakers are arrested for breaking the law) and according to these crime bosses, they have received ‘donations’ for their campaigns.

“And while the Prime Minister continues to assert that he (and presumably his government) has no horse in the race, he only speaks of the money to be made from taxing the illegal industry, not once taking a moment to reflect on the devastation gambling brings about on individuals, families and society.

“We are grateful that at a recent meeting he vowed to change this by speaking to the negatives associated with gambling. Meanwhile the chairman of his party is brazenly posting pro-gambling posters on his Facebook page, seemingly oblivious to narrative the PM wants to maintain that his party is not taking a side.

“Once again we wish to emphasise that we believe and maintain that gambling is inherently dangerous to any people trying to achieve a disciplined and ordered society – something the Bahamas is in desperate need of.

“We are an independent nation that has entered it’s 40th year of independence, we are a people still in the throes of self-determination. We must be careful therefore, not to set a course for ourselves that will spoil any opportunity for greatness that we may wish to achieve.”