Can you even remotely imagine what destruction Fred Mitchell would wreak on The Bahamas if the people were stupid enough to vote for the PLP with him as leader? I cannot think of a politician or other public figure so unsuited to leading this country. Mitchell comes across as a divisive character who seems to harbour grudges and hidden agendas. He doesn't react well to criticism and displays incredible arrogance at times. He has set the country back with his hard line stance on work permits for foreign workers. On the day when UBS announces the closure of its banking operations, government really needs to look at its whole approach to immigration. Another three years of Mitchell's uncompromising stance will end up destroying what is left of Financial Services. But Mitchell for Prime Minister? He CANNOT be serious!!

It is so sad that the Honorable Leslie Miller should so disrespect the House and bring proceedings down to gutter level by his lack of understanding of what it means to be a Parliamentarian. With the country having so many major issues to confront at this time, Members of Parliament should be focused on debating the real issues of the day and not be side tracked by some classless fool who wants to come over as "Jack the Lad" in front of his raucous cronies. This was the House of Assembly for God's sake, not some over the hill public bar! Regardless of the venue, Miller's comments in the House, whether said in jest or not, were totally unacceptable and represents an attitude towards women that is from the dark ages. I didn't expect any comment from PGC but shame on the women PLP parliamentarians for not speaking out on this. Finally, a note to the electorate of Tall Pines - look for a "pedigree" to represent you at the next election. You can never trust the behavior of a "pot cake"!

The moral fabric of Bahamian society has been in decline since the seventies when politicians succumbed to the lure of kick backs from the drug barons. The Bahamas has never recovered from those days and you are no doubt correct that both FNM and PLP have benefitted over the years by funding from "dirty"money. However, trying to make illegal something that the majority of Bahamians participate in is fruitless . A law must have popular support in order to be sustained - wasn't this one of the reasons why Prohibition failed in the States? I don't think many Bahamians are comfortable about numbers bosses getting a "get out of jail free card" and so I would hope that government will hit them with an almighty bill for tax on past transactions. Regulation will not be a straight forward exercise but these numbers houses cannot continue to trade tax free as they are doing right now. What is the alternative? Do you think that if we close them down Bahamians will stop playing numbers? Of course not, the activity will simply go underground. So that being so, government MUST regulate and tax - the public purse needs the additional revenue. Also, continuing to criminalize these operations is also not good for the country as it promotes a disrespect for the law. I do get where you are coming from but in my view regulation is the best outcome given all the circumstances.

In my view it doesn't make sense to criminalise an activity (i.e. playing numbers) that the majority of the population participates in. Like it or not numbers houses are built into the fabric of Bahamian society. I am not a gambler myself but people should have the right to gamble if they so choose. Certainly Bahamians should have the right to gamble in their own country if foreigners are allowed to. Thus, I believe the government is ultimately making the correct decision on web shops, however , I can understand why so many Bahamians will be angry at how the PLP has gone about this whole business.

In my view the PLP should have stated in their manifesto that if they came to power they would legalise web shop gambling. That is what they have always wanted to do and by all accounts the party accepted substantial campaign funding from the numbers bosses on the understanding that this is what they would do. If they had made this clear during the election campaign I don't think it would have cost them the election and the electorate would at least have been able to say that the party was being up front and honest. However, openness and integrity are not hallmarks of the PLP. The decision instead to include the promise of a referendum on the issue was typical PGC - he was thinking as a politician and not as a leader. To go to the people with the dishonest claim that his party "had no horse in the race" was lamentable and a very costly mistake for the country. Can you imagine what the REAL cost of the referendum must have been when you take into account the amount of government time spent on the matter, the cost of consultants and the loss of a day's productivity? And then when the people, seeing through PGC's duplicity, vote NO the government ignored their vote, refused to close web shops as promised and actually allowed them to flourish!!! This is why Bahamians are angry this morning - they have been taken for an absolute ride. Surely no Bahamian will ever bother to participate in a referendum again?

As I said at the top, I believe government has finally made the right decision but its dishonesty and prevarication over the issue has cost the tax payer dearly. This will be the Prime Minister's legacy and that of his party.

A totally self inflicted mire!

Well said and totally agree.

No surprise there.

Why should honest citizens and residents of The Bahamas be punished by VAT whilst tax dodgers who can afford to pay continue to treat the country with contempt? I agree with McCartney that government needs to clamp down on the dishonest and in so doing the additional tax burden on the rest of us would be so much lighter. It is time now for a change in the mindset of ordinary Bahamians. Everyone has a responsibility as a good citizen to pay his or her taxes and government has a responsibility to spend its tax revenue wisely and be seen to be spending it wisely. It is time also for the country to kick into touch politicians who believe that their financial dealings should be allowed to be done "In the dark" and away from public scrutiny. I implore all Bahamians to cast their next vote wisely.

The PM made a sow's ear of the gambling referendum and no wonder he now regrets going to the people. If he only possessed an ounce of leadership quality we would not be wrestling with this dilemma. Clearly government has no intention of closing down web shops and PGC will have to suffer the consequences at the polls on that one. So given that is the case it is unacceptable that web shop operators are allowed to continue operating without contributing to the public purse. I go with Cash on this one, have them all pay a hefty fine for past flouting of the laws and regulate and tax them now. The country's finances are in too perilous a position for the status quo to continue. Playing numbers is ingrained into the fabric of Bahamian society. Anyone who thinks they can make money in the long term by playing numbers is uneducated and not very intelligent. Spend on numbers what you can afford to lose for a bit of fun but don't put your family's budget at risk. Same with alcohol, enjoy but don't abuse. We live in a free world. Enjoy life and live responsibly.

The dark cannot co-exist with the light.