Tuesday, July 30, 2013
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
WITH six months past since the majority of voters said “no” to legalised web shop gaming, the government is now considering recommendations on whether Bahamians should be allowed to gamble in casinos, said Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday.
While he would not state the direction to which Cabinet was likely to lean, Mr Christie said the government would have to make a decision in that regard as
Bahamians living in the country have expressed concern that those residing elsewhere are granted that privilege.
But Bahamians will not know the government’s intention for amendments to the Gaming Act until Parliament returns from its six week summer recess.
“Our commitment,” Mr Christie said, “is to make it (casino gaming) very competitive and its something that we have as a priority.
“It is the 21 century and we have to review very carefully submissions that are made to us. If we feel that the power and interest of the country is to not allow Bahamians to gamble that would be a consideration that I think will reign supreme.
“If we feel that the time has come where we remove discrimination from our national life, we will move in that way.
“The law enables Bahamians who live abroad, who have lost their right to vote because of residential restrictions to come in and gamble in the casinos. You don’t know whether they can vote or not but you could walk into the casino and see Bahamians lawfully gaming in the casinos. So the question is well ‘If they could do it, why can’t I who live here?’”
But one thing is certain, Mr Christie said, the government will have to make changes to the Act in order for the country to contend with the changing tide of gaming globally.
“We have to put in a new regime in casinos and there are aspects of on-line gaming I’ve said to people whether we make the decision or not we have it before us. Whether people on work permits and people who are permanent residents can game in the casinos. The casino owners have asked for it.
“They point out to us that when these entertainers come out for one night and they want to spend a lot of money in the casino they are unable to do so by law because we have a restriction that even those on work permits cannot gain. Then we have to reconcile the contradictions that exist in the law,” Mr Christie said.
Comments
TalRussell says...
Yes, I still support PM Christie but feel som'thin is wrong. Maybe it's his cabinet colleagues, ain't sure where to point the finger, just yet? But Good God Almighty many a Bahamalander has done come home to met you as their Maker, since the referendum be over and still not one illegal web shop operated has been arrested/charged, or even had his gambling operations put out of business. it can't be cause they gone underground, out of plain view from the policemans? The policemans still can find them "guarded" gambling doors to place their daily bets. Am i telling the truth? Now a full year has passed and the PM is still ducking making a move to regain the controlling shares in BTC. Yet, some in Bahamaland thinks it's cool to trust PM Christie and Nygard, with deciding whose balls should be stem celled. Like most of my Comrade brothers, I was born with my two balls and wants depart this crook called earth, without with the PLP cabinet and Nygard, ever mess'in with how nice and pretty they's been hanging all these long years. Over the first year of PM Christie's mandate, some 5 new shantytowns have sprung up. Not even one shantytown has been raided, much less closed over the PM's new term back in office. Over 60,000 Bahamalanders remain paycheckless, despite PM Christie's cabinet being back in power.
Posted 30 July 2013, 11:43 a.m. Suggest removal
My5Cents says...
^^Perry mussy ain't pay him this week.
Posted 30 July 2013, 11:52 a.m. Suggest removal
banker says...
LOL
Posted 30 July 2013, 1:49 p.m. Suggest removal
concernedcitizen says...
WOULD someone please tell the PM we got Bahamians gambling in casinos ,there called web shops ,,,walk in one and see all the men and women sitting glazed eyed spinning w/ their rent money and school fees ..Please Mr PM no long drawn out debate and consultation on this ,it is nauseating ,i think after the numbers broohaha even the most ardent PLP,s w/ half a brain know you go to the highest bidder ,,come on cool PC ,Baltron ,the funnel ,Bethel ,and Nygard ,the crypt keeper ,negotiating is just too much sleaze for any half way decent person to tolerate ...
Posted 30 July 2013, 3:52 p.m. Suggest removal
JohnDoes says...
I dont know why the government is playing this blind eye toward these web shops It is a MONOPOLY. And now to consider Bahamians gambling in casinos without fixing the main problem with these Webshops, more hell is only going to break loose. Its seems that since these casinos are now interested in online/app gaming, the PM is now reconsidering the legality of the webshops. We the People have voted against it and still it continues to thrive. A sign that this democracy is only for pretty. We the People are not being served efficiently by the present government. Unemployment continues to rise. No investigations into the mishandling and low payment of the Bahamians that do have jobs. Ever since the govt took office, all I have heard and seen was this all of a sudden new agenda to focus on investors, loans and not the people. Do we not know that country is in debt? Do we not know that the more we borrow the more these investors will be entitled to many forms of compensation? This country is a country for sale and already crumbling from all the personal interests of the govt. The foreigners are given chances to come here, buy our lands, and take our much needed jobs, because they are given better opportunities in their own countries and now have a chance to try and take over someone else's. This government finds it hard to invest in the people. They only want the cookies in the jar. That national training agency or whatever it is called was a poor way to spend more money instead of focusing on the development and expansion of BTVI. They are only concerned about the cover of the book, but if anyone dares to read they wouldn't find anything because much of the information that the people need to know is not being accurately given in all aspects/areas of this society.
Posted 31 July 2013, 12:19 p.m. Suggest removal
BahamasGamingAssociation says...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bahamas-…
WHICH ON OF THE BELOW REIGNS SUPREME IN THE BAHAMAS?
The Bahamas Lottery and Gaming Act Chapter 387 Section 50 Persons prohibited from Gaming
Or
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas Chapter III – Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedom of the Individual. Section 26 Protection from Discrimination on grounds of Race, Place of Origin etc.
The Bahamas Gaming Association stands by the Ideology that all human beings who are 18 years or older should be treated equally in all sectors of the Bahamian Economy which is enshrined in the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
Posted 30 June 2014, 4:09 p.m. Suggest removal
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