Bahamians have not had mini casinos where they can sit and "spin" away hundreds and even thousands of dollars in a day ,and the majority of the "hooked" ones where I live are women

Roberts and Bastian are brothers on both sides of the same coin ......... they have more in common than we wish to elaborate on ......... both are successful opportunists

So, because the Bay Street Boys had a stranglehold on the Bahamian economy for 50 years, now it is time for some of our own to fleece the poor and to suck the economy dry.
At least when you go to the food store you can bring something back home.
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At lest he used the word "endemic" to describe his business. It is a disease and he knows it.
He doesn't let his glass house stop him from casting rocks.

Mr Roberts is indeed correct! The gaming industry is robbing the poor people in this country.....

Concur!

I know several person’s lights are off due to gambling

No. Their light is off due to stupidity.

The PLP should be kicked out of office for many things,but in my view and from what i have
seen,the worst thing by far is the legalisation of the Web Shops. i sometimes frequent them
and i can tell many horror stories concerning them, including a lady who told me that she broke a $60,000 fix deposit and does not know where the money went,being a witness to a
young mother who opened her pay envelope in a web shop,then after "spinning",furiously
cried that she has no money for her baby's pampers,a web shop security saying that if he
wanted to , he can get any sexual favour up to four times a day for less than $40 from decent
women who are hooked on "spinning" and many more. I must also admit that i have lost some
money there, but thank God i am now able to limit my playing to what i can afford and not spin
When you think of all that the web shop owners have and that fact that it was obtained from those who can least afford it, it is quite sad.

How is that sand down there Mr. Bastian? Your head is firmly planted in it.
You can fool most Bahamians most of the time it seems but no amount of turkey giveaways can mask the fact that your fortune came from somewhere.....the people who could afford it least. These gaming houses have grown like mushrooms and no changing the topic will hide this basic fact.
Supervalue being overpriced has nothing to do with how you accumulated your wealth. Prove otherwise.
The ridiculousness of your position is evident by your wealth. Really simple.

We cannot blame Sebas because the government allowed him to attain his wealth and ofcourse they were paid off. And they are extremely stupid for doing it because all of the Bahamian people's money is put into his bank account.

Sucked completely out of they economy. The Government could have legalized gambling houses of their own and maybe build better schools,roads,community parks, pay the deficit, pay teachers on time, the list go own. But no they give it to a few men who drain the economy and take advantage of the poorest of Bahamians.

Who vote for these people? Who just want to build hotels which also take money out of they economy.

While i agree with points from both sides, neither are 100% correct. While Roberts business supply groceries, its not all gravy. selling food here is a huge risk, power cuts and the mere fact that everything has to arrive here by boat mandate a price premium. When food goes bad on the shelf, there is no money for that. That is a loss, including the duty paid on those items. All sebas does is take money, gambling houses always win.

Whats worse is admitting there is a problem, and doing nothing.....

Complete and utter nonsense!! This is an addiction and you are blaming the addict not the dealer.
Nice try. There is nothing to lose by banning these gaming houses now. not tomorrow, now.
Wake up Bahamas

C2B, today we had different groups of persons march in a symbolic celebration of "Majority Rule Day" which supposedly ushered in constitutional, economic, social, cultural and political rights, freedoms and opportunities for all Bahamians. On this very same day you are insulting Zakary as "complete and utter nonsense" for merely stating what those persons were marching for today. Once again we have squandered an excellent opportunity to have a constructive dialogue yet the best we can do is barroom talk. You may want to take a look at the mirror as you utter the phrase complete and utter nonsense.
Gambling, alcoholic beverage sales, cigarette sales, sweethearting, tiefing, promiscuity, the peddling of food, grocery, medicine and other products in the Caribbean that have been deemed hazardous and unfit for human consumption/handling in developed countries, air pollution and radioactive waste associated with these used Japanese cars all have the common feature of negative externalities or social costs. Some of these activities we have a choice as to whether or not to engage and others we do not. With gambling as with Alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, promiscuity, sweethearting etc. we choose to participate. Where is the similar outrage for alcohol beverage sales which has wrecked similar societal and family wreckage?

No one is putting a gun to anyone's head in the Bahamas and telling them that they have to gamble in those web shops. For years Bahamian could not gamble in the casinos because of this very same problem that is happening now where people are addicted. Gambling is almost at addictive as smoking crack. It's a choice that these people are making and they have to take responsibility for their bad choice. Granny also said, you made you bed now you have to lay in it.

we have not been allowed to gamble in casinos because that money pretty much leaves the country directly. this is why all casinos here are in US dollars. Please get your facts straight.

If you truly think that is the main reason why locals are not able to gamble in the casinos then you have been living in La La land. Every sensible person knows that gambling is highly addictive and the result if government had allowed locals to participate in casino gamble would have been even more of a disaster than what is currently happening with this web shop. If you think that lights and food shopping are suffering from these web shops, let government allow locals to gamble in the casinos and you surely see the results. Are you saying the Bahamian don't have access to US dollars??/ and that the reason why they can't gamble in casinos?? Everyone except you knows that casinos gamble has been and continues to be a sscourge on society whereever it exist.

Numbers houses Contribute absolutely nothing of value to the bahamas, even the taxes they contribute come at a high cost to society, and could be obtained through far better means.

So true ............ many people cannot pay their main bills because they gamble away their earnings/savings

AND LIKE A TRUE PLP HE HAS TO THROW A LITTLE RACISM IN AT THE END JUST SO EVERYONE IS REMINDED OF WHO HE'S GONNA HELP BUY THE NEXT ELECTION..... JUST AS RACIST AS ANY WHITE ASS BAY STREET BOY EVER WAS....

How to get the white man's attention? TOUCH HIS MONEY...especially a black man.
If Mr. Sebas was a Conkie Joe( white Bahamian), we would NEVER hear from Roberts, who has mad millions from the black population. It is a slap in the face to all Bahamians and yes hidden racism by the government for not allowing Bahamians to gamble in the casinos. Last time I checked money is money and to if it's good for the tourists they it should and must be also GOOD for Bahamians. It is time to over throw, over rule and get rid of that law. I live in the USA, in Florida to be exact, and I see many Bahamians ( including Bahamian religious leaders )visiting Florida gamble in the casinos here...and they behave very respectfully like everyone when they lose or win. Unlike Roberts, Mr. Sebas contributes greatly to the people of the Bahamas...one would be blind or plain dishonest to disagree. Ask those Bahamians who are enjoying their new houses or automobile, etc...How many houses or cars have Roberts given to the many Bahamians who fill his pockets with millions of dollars. Roberts provide a service and Mr. Sebas provides a service. But only one of them gives back and it's not Roberts. So stop your hating Roberts because a black man is prospering and prospering others, perhaps you should do as he does and you won't have the time to complain and point ya finger. Mr. Sebas is practicing the Ancient Wisdom Universal Law of PROSPERITY, which states : " GIVE and it shall be GIVEN unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over shall people give unto you." Roberts, don't HATE, PARTICIPATE !