Lol, Sebas wants to turn on the govt now. I dont have an issue with gambling houses be opening, but then again i dont feel the urge to play numbers or hold the belief that its a reliable source of income or whatever motivates persons.

Gambling is a most serious addiction that has destroyed the lives of so many individuals and their families. And the web shop owners/operators are very much under-taxed in relation to the harm they cause to our society.

The greedy likes of Sebas Bastian and Craig Flowers would love nothing better than to experience a windfall of profits from all of the government assistance that's now being given to so many by way of direct NIB payments or emergency orders to private sector businesses to defer the receipt of payments they are entitled to eventually receive. Many who are benefiting from all of this assistance are gambling addicts and regular patrons of the web shops.

These gambling addicts who would rather play the numbers than buy food and medicine for themselves and their family members. Minnis should have long ago repealed all of the legislation was wrongfully put in place to 'legalize' the webshops against the wishes of the Bahamian people as expressed in a duly held national referendum before the wrongful 'legalizing' legislation was enacted.

there should be an issue with the gambling houses open at this time, and Bastian is well aware. In an ordinary, healthy economy, sure, every adult has the right to do what they will with their money, if they want to fritter it away against near impossible odds of a jackpot, fine. But in a severely contracted economy, with no easy, quick way out, what impact do you think gambling houses will have on an undisciplined society with essentially nonexistant savings?? Do you think the "3000 gaming employees" is a plus? Thats a small writeoff for him vs the PROFITS he will rake in straight from the wallets of the poor & ignorant, thats where the real damage lies.

What is the difference between a gambling house and liquor stores?

Liquor stores should still be closed as well, in my estimation. But too many of the so called pastors probably mixed up in them, that is why they only complained about the web stores and not the liquor one, and that is why the PM probably recapitulated on web shops.

@telestai ...liquor stores sell a tangible product ( I can hold a bottle of Cabernet in my hand and drink it or use it to cook), unlike a gambling house that sells false hope, preys on the lazy and financially undisciplined while undermining the work ethic!!

That is barking nonsense! So, if I sell marijuana or cocaine- a tanglble product- then I should be open. Stop it.

… fallacious argument-- both of those items are illegal!

And numbers is NOT illegal, my friend. So as a legal enterprise that can provide curb side service there is nothing to keep them from opening, except your hypocritical indignation. Legally they will win this argument 10 times oit of 10. I care nothing for your abused 'Christian principles'.

You do realize that you just described the stock market right? Lazy people, depending on the efforts of others and betting on said efforts (stocks or bonds) to get money they havent earned. Absoute hogwash, joeblow..bullshit!

… nonsense. One is investing (which is an educated risk) in the potential of a company by allowing it to receive capital to produce a good or service when purchasing stocks, making the investor a part owner of that company! The investor owns something legal, tangible and transferable with benefits (dividends) or losses depending on the performance of the company. The risk of stocks etc is not akin to betting on numbers, which are a different matter because the house always wins. Numbers sellers don't go out of business as companies may!

You can talk semantics all you want. When you put mone in a stock you have no earthly idea if the stick will grow in value. Now, if you claim some prescient ability to predict rhe stock market, then my friend you should not be wasting time on Tribune message boards. You should be jet setting the world holding yourself out to the highest bidder.
When you so call 'invest' , you are gambling that a stock will appreciate, through the work done by others (passive investing). You are every bit the scoundrel.and as lazy as number players. Dont fall to the white man trying to convince you that putting lipstick on the stockmarket (pig) makes it different from numbers.

... so using that logic taking the risk of starting or investing in a business is equivalent to buying numbers? I don't agree, there are different kinds of risk. Additionally, I don't know if anyone can get addicted to buying stocks and bonds to the detriment of their families!

Perhaps you may not have heard of the following, all of whom perpetrated frauds as a result of the love of money - which is what gsmbling is: World Com, Madoff, Satayim, Rajanatnam, Charles Ponzi, Jordan Belfort, and on and on...
My assertion remains, the stock market is 'numbers' on steroids.
And, dont twist the argument, we were comparing numbers to the stock market. Starting a business was not in the discussion.

… naturally I am aware of the former which is part of a much larger discussion, but concerning your last point, when one buys stock either through an IPO for a new company or otherwise they are investing money in starting or growing a business! Sure wish I could have bought 10,000 shares of Amazon 20 years ago!

The numbers bosses and their gaming web shops do not pay anywhere near the taxes they should be paying having regard to the harm and misery they cause our society as a whole. Liquor, cigarettes, cigars, etc. are very heavily taxed, and rightfully so.

No difference ………. close ALL down. This is NO time to fritter away precious savings with gambling or rum. ….. PM should just say it.

So, the PM should tell me how I should spend my hard earned money? While you are at it, can you tell me which places "are meet and right" and pass your sanctimonius standards?

So, kiss my ass and walk fast Monroe looking to present a legal challenge on behalf of the numbers boys aye?
I hope he gives them better advise than what he gave that fat junglelist he was coaching to run down Breezes rooms and service paid for by we govmint for the Covid exiles.

Quite frankly I am trying to wonder how barbers and others who work on a volume basis are surviving. I feel no sorrow for Sebas and those legal criminals of his ilk!

In the same way John Rolle has limited money flowing out of the country, which is not a health issue, so too should we look at our more domestic outflows. The jobs provided by the web shops have always been at the expense of creating real jobs actually producing something that brings real value to The Bahamas. It is time for a reset and time to tell the web shop owners to take a hike. They do not care about The Bahamas and Bahamians. They care about their own pocketbook. Nothing more.

Agree ………. 1000% ……….. Shut them down!!!!!!!!!!!