JUST IN: Christie charting the way forward after referendum

As a result of yesterday's referendum, Prime Minister Perry Christie said his government will be guided by the vote in charting "the way forward".

Speaking with reporters at his Cabinet office, Mr Christie said he respects the position of the electorate and the policy of his government will be shaped "accordingly".

"I will be conferring with my colleagues in Cabinet on the implications and necessary consequences of yesterday's results.

"I expect to be in a position shortly to make a further communication that will address all pertinent aspects of the way forward. In there interim, it would be inappropriate for me to make any further statements until I canvass my Cabinet colleagues," he said.

Mr Christie did not take any questions form the media following his brief statement.--

Comments

B_I_D___ says...

He's scrambling and scared sh##less!! He knows he was bought out by the numbers racket and after the no vote, he's trying to save his a##. This entire thing has been a fiasco and has made him look like a fool. He's going to have to do some VERY SERIOUS and GOOD work to regain ANY political merit.

Posted 29 January 2013, 11:09 a.m. Suggest removal

BoopaDoop says...

It sounds like the government wasn't prepared for a 'NO' vote. They are just deciding now what to do next. This should have already been planned as a contingency.

Posted 29 January 2013, 11:13 a.m. Suggest removal

B_I_D___ says...

Yeap...the spin doctors are freaking out just now trying to figure out how to save the PM. He's got to meet with colleagues in the cabinet...and the numbers men to figure out how they are going to figure out the 'way forward'...even the way he worded this small blurb, you can get a sense that he is deperatly trying to figure out a way he can explain why he is going to do it anyways and make it look legal and not smell like S###.

Posted 29 January 2013, 11:33 a.m. Suggest removal

jackflash says...

A yes man who runs a web shop here in Abaco just was bragging that Perry can't close him down and that soon Perry and the PLP will say that not enough voters turned out to make a decision and they will vote in parliament and pass that web shops are legal but not the lottery. He says the web shops boys don't want no lottery cause they won't make no money from it. He says the PLP have already been paid to legalize web shops and that they are stronger then the church.
I hope and pray that he is taking fool, but with this group who knows.
Tal - what you say???

Posted 29 January 2013, 11:38 a.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

PM what more is there left to be said by your other cabinet horses colleagues in the 'Vote Yes" race, that could be any more persuasive than what the voters answered you with yesterday at "every" polling station across Bahamaland?

PM there is only two people you should be summoning to your office. The Commish for the policemen's and your Minister for national security? Them is the only two fellas necessary to start shutting down the numbers "bosses" illegal operations.

PM you can order BEC to bust the web-shops lights services. You try running them gambling computers with no power? Then, sit back and wait for their high-priced lawyers to sue the government. Put the shoe on the numbers "bosses" foots to prove before the judge, that they are indeed no more than internet cafe's running legitimate neighborhood businesses?

http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2013…

Posted 29 January 2013, 12:03 p.m. Suggest removal

exgraphix says...

lol, what? Anyway I already see how this is going to play out.

Posted 29 January 2013, 12:11 p.m. Suggest removal

reverendrichlive says...

You do not give narrow-minded, religious thinking population options.
This is what happens when you do not govern as you were elected to. When people elect you to govern they expect you to govern, this Referendum should not have been bought to public. The Governing party should have decided and make it Law...end of story.
The majority of those who voted "NO" are right now playing the numbers. When they travel to the states they buy Lotto and gamble in the casinos...including the so-called religious leaders. Bunch of Hypocritical bastards.

Posted 29 January 2013, 12:43 p.m. Suggest removal

Concerned says...

Sound like you mad because they voted No. Which makes you one in the bunch of compulsive gambling bastards. Suck your sour grapes and stay in ya corner. You will still be able to sneak and gamble illegally just like you were always doing.

Posted 29 January 2013, 1:25 p.m. Suggest removal

pilgrimagerock says...

To say that the majority of those who voted "NO" are right now playing the numbers are the words of a bitter sore loser. I don’t support NO FORM OF GAMBLING and I proudly voted NO because it the MORAL THING to do, and the vast majority of those who voted NO feel the same way too.

Posted 29 January 2013, 2:21 p.m. Suggest removal

vigilant_citizen says...

But pilgrimagerock, the question of gambling is not one of morality it is one of choice. In all honesty choosing to gamble should not make you a criminal. Laws should not be made to please the church because this would only seek to shelter, limit and control the population. Laws should be made to ensure the safety and protection of the public.

Posted 29 January 2013, 4:08 p.m. Suggest removal

pilgrimagerock says...

Gambling is and always will be morality.

Posted 29 January 2013, 5:21 p.m. Suggest removal

Rontom says...

And so is buying a diamond ring, or buying and apple product made in China or denying children health care, or cheating on your taxes when returning home, or coming late to work...But we do it anyway

Posted 31 January 2013, 6:32 a.m. Suggest removal

jackflash says...

Jones and Co on the raido right now saying web shops don't need to close. Talking about law suits and priviy consol and all.

More money wasted,

PLP just needs to collect all them deadbeat NIB and BEC monies not been paid since May...

Posted 29 January 2013, 12:44 p.m. Suggest removal

hj says...

The people have spoken. the law needs to be enforced. There is nothing to figure out now.

Posted 29 January 2013, 12:59 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

If the Pindling government had taken the casino licensing question to the people in the 1960s', they would have gotten a resounding "NO!", not ulike the Christie government got today. Then we may not have had the Atlantis, the Crystal Palace, the Resorts Internationsl, and Carnivals and Merv Griffins of the past and the Bah Mar, currently being constructed, or Our Lucaya other hotels in Freeport The differnce is The Pindling government knew an unpopular decision had to be made and they went ahead and made it. The Christie government tried to do a ( Perry) shuffle and now find themselves between a bigger rock and slabs of concrete (aka a really hard place)

Posted 29 January 2013, 1:14 p.m. Suggest removal

Concerned says...

I thought the PM said that he brought in the South Africans to prepare for a Yes and a No vote. Why does our Prime Minister lie so much? The truth always come out, especially when you mouth off in front of TV cameras.

Posted 29 January 2013, 1:27 p.m. Suggest removal

mynameis says...

This is what happens when you lack gumption to make the hard and unpopular decisions. I refused to participate in the farce because I knew that no referendum was needed to change the law. Christie wanted to impress somebody with his self-aggrandizing claim of being the PM of inclusion and consultation. Then because he is a coward, he proclaimed that his government had no "horse in the race"! Hogwash! He wanted to play in the pig pen without smelling like ****! The end result is that he looks like an ass!

Posted 29 January 2013, 1:28 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

I have enjoyed reading several well written claims that yesterday's vote was a referendum on democracy. Perhaps but maybe it was more about being a reminder to our younger generation, that Bahamians must never allow fear to become their excuse, not to face-off against a well financed campaign, which also was openly supported by sitting PLP House of Assembly MP's.

The numbers "bosses" may have had their numbers rackets millions to peddle untruths and to offer rosy jobs figures, that when examined closely against facts available at the National Insurance Board's payroll accounting offices, simply made little sense.

What referendum lesson did our new generation of Bahamians learn? I think the most obvious has been that money and Flat Screen TV's, does not change anything that will make a Bahamian vote against the best interests of their Bahamaland.

I for one, do not believe that the church alone could have won, without the youth votes?

http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2013…

Posted 29 January 2013, 2:15 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

If the current game shop bosses were applying for gaming licenses in the United States few, if any, would qualify. Check their (criminal) resume's: Drug smuggling, human cargo smuggling Customs (tax) evasion, links to crime syndicate and terrorists and the rip of of a public corporation in the millions of dollars.

Posted 29 January 2013, 3:01 p.m. Suggest removal

hellorg says...

Brave has been awfully quiet and non committal (at least publicly) during this entire referendum campaign...hummmm....makes you wonder. He's a smart political. Perhaps he's positioning himself should there be a fall out with the PM who has clearly spent so much political capital of a "yes" vote????Just sayin.......

Posted 29 January 2013, 3:03 p.m. Suggest removal

hj says...

I was also expecting statements such as "It is a beatutifull day in the Bahamas" and " A wonderfull expression of democracy" Well i guess i was wrong.

Posted 29 January 2013, 3:17 p.m. Suggest removal

242 says...

If the Yes vote did win Perry would have been right on Clifford park Shufflin and talkin bout the voice of the people is the voice of God. But now since the people actually used their voice and say No he gotty figure out what to do next and confer with colleagues. They should make him explain why he fly in and paid people from S Africa before the vote? Maybe he owed the South Africans a favor too.

Posted 29 January 2013, 8:24 p.m. Suggest removal

Log in to comment