By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

DR Bernard Nottage, leader of Government Business, yesterday could not confirm when the controversial Gaming Bill debate will start.

Prime Minister Perry Christie denied that the debate was postponed because of division over the legislation within his Cabinet. However, he said he was concerned about public statements against the Bill made by Fort Charlotte MP Andre Rollins given his position as Gaming Board chairman.

The legislation will be presented in its current form, according to Mr Christie, who did not confirm or deny whether Dr Rollins would be asked to step down as chairman if he opposes the Bill in parliament.

“There is no intrigue,” said Mr Christie, “no unusual consideration going into the delay of the Gaming Bill. The Gaming Bill is still a priority of the government and as soon as we are in a position to deal with it from the parliamentary point of view we will.

“All persons on my side,” he said, “know that there is always the right way to express themselves, obviously when they take another way it is a decision they have made. The only concern I would have is that for Dr Rollins who happens to have a substantive position that is directly connected to the Bill as drafted.”

Mr Christie added: “When you are chairman of the Gaming Board, a consequence is that if you are to speak against an Act that you have to administer, then you have made your position a very difficult one.”

Tabled last month, the Gaming Bill attracted much attention when it was revealed that legislation would permit permanent residents and work permit holders to gamble in casinos while upholding prohibitive clauses for Bahamians. At that time, Mr Christie said he was fully aware of the issues over the discrimination clause and confirmed that his party had not reached a consensus on the Bill or the direction that it should ultimately take.

The Gaming bill was bumped off the parliamentary schedule on Monday, according to Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, who remarked on the sudden change to the National Tripartite Council Bill during her contribution yesterday.

Dr Nottage said: “I’m unable to say exactly when the Bill will come, except to say it will come. It depends on how quickly we progress with the current agenda that we’re on.

He added: “We have a number of Bills affecting the judicial system that the Attorney General has put on the agenda, those are the ones that we will be dealing with next.”

Opposition Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said he was not surprised that debate was postponed given the level of unrest over the issue, and proposed that the debate would likely begin next year. The FNM leader remained tightlipped over his party’s position.

Three PLP MPs, including Gaming Board Chairman Dr Andre Rollins, came out publicly against the legislation this week on the grounds that it discriminates against Bahamians. Following public statements by Fort Charlotte MP Dr Rollins that he would not support the Bill in its current form, Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells, and Mount Moriah MP Arnold Forbes have also expressed a desire for the Bill to be tweaked.

“Clearly [Dr Rollins] has to have thought of all the consequences, all of the implications of the position he has done, and there is no doubt that we will have an opportunity to talk with each other,” Mr Christie said.

“[Dr Rollins] made points that he says he believes in that the discrimination ought not to exist in that Bill,” Mr Christie said. “Clearly this is something that has been agreed to by others, and we’ll see what his position is when the Bill comes for debate.”

Last night, Dr Rollins said he will continue to lobby for the elimination of the discriminatory provisions within the Bill.

“The whip is not on,” he said. “I am the whip for the governing party in the House of Assembly. From the onset the Prime Minister has said that this is a matter of moral conscience. What I am seeking to do is to speak to my colleagues as it relates to their belief in the ability of the Bahamian people to be treated as equals, to be able to access economic opportunity and empowerment, and to appeal to my colleague’s conviction to ensure that we prioritize the interest of the Bahamian people in our promotion of any legislation that we bring to the House of Assembly.”