by Adrian Gibson
First published in The Tribune column, Young Man's View on Friday, October 20, 2006.
IT is high time the government amends the Lotteries and Gaming Act, with a view to establishing a national lottery and permitting Bahamians to not only own casinos, but also to gamble locally. In today's Bahamas, barring citizens and permanent residents from legally gambling is appearing more-and-more as an attempt to govern morality.
A national referendum must be held to truly gauge the public's pulse about legalizing gambling by locals and whether they would support a national lottery!
In the September 14th, 2006 edition of the Tribune it was reported that customs officials were confiscating gaming machines that are being used illegally in local establishments throughout New Providence and the Family Islands. Reportedly, Controller of Customs John Rolle also stated that the operation was a continuing effort, though he could not say how many machines were seized.
It is obvious that in our today's social atmosphere, Customs may incessantly have to track-down and seize gaming machines as operators will continuously take risks to import them because partaking at gambling and number houses has increasingly become a most popular Bahamian pastime and, a lucrative venture.
In a Nassau Guardian report last year BDM Leader Cassius Stuart referred to the Lotteries and Gaming Act, which excludes Bahamians from gambling at local casinos, as discriminating and unconstitutional. Mr Stuart further stated:
"A law cannot exist in a country which permits one group of people from doing something, while it allows another group to do the same. The Lotteries and Gaming Act chapter 387 is an invalid act because it allows for a form of discrimination against the citizens of the Bahamas."
Indeed, Mr Stuart is right!
The Lotteries and Gaming Act is inequitable and sets an intolerable double standard.
Admittedly, I do not support the idea of Bahamians gambling at hotel casinos with tourists, however, allowing for local ownership of casinos and for Bahamians to gamble at these establishments may be a worthwhile compromise.
It would be in the government's interest to lift the ban on locals gambling, and instead launch a national lottery that could generate supplementary funds for infrastructural and human development.
The establishment of a national lottery would lessen the burden of taxpayers and assuage governmental budgetary constraints as it relates to road repairs, reparations to schools and government buildings, constructing and upgrading of parks, increase the pay of government workers and so on.
Continuing to disallow Bahamians by law from gambling is merely a law on the books, which can hardly be enforced as many Bahamians daily (some hourly) buy numbers, sometimes more than they buy bread! Some Bahamians are so fixated with numbers that some spend one or more dollars per day - some spend much more - with hopes of winning their dream payout. Unfortunately, as local gambling is forbidden these monies cannot be reinvested into the country's infrastructure or some other national cause via taxes earned or government involvement.
In the Bahamas, particularly in Nassau, there are number houses on every street corner masquerading as web shops. However, I was recently told that several of these so-called "web shops" do not even have computers, with some "web shop" operators not having the slightest clue how to use a computer or the internet.
Recently, former police commissioner and Gaming Board Secretary Bernard Bonamy pointed out that although amusement games are legal, they have discovered that several business proprietors are purchasing them and converting them into gaming machines. Actions such as this are blatant indications of the popularity and appeal of gambling throughout Bahamian society regardless of any illegality.
Amending chapter 387 of the Lotteries and Gaming Act would undoubtedly lead to protest from the usual suspects˜that is, the Œvocal when convenient‚ Bahamas Christian Council and other church men even the number house operators who can make much more money by operating illegally.
Churchmen must realize that every church raffle is a form of gambling. What is the difference between paying a dollar for a "number" with the hope that the gamble earns you cash and spending a dollar for a raffle ticket taking the gamble with hopes to win a new car, free trips or some accessories? Is this some form of "soft-core" gambling?
In an effort to curtail illegal gambling and develop a lawful format that would benefit Bahamians, the government must overlook electoral threats and/or the propensity to please campaigning churchmen to lock up their church members votes.
We must realize that whilst many protesters will reject any governmental effort to permit Bahamians to gamble, many of them are keenly aware that a gargantuan percentage of monies/tithe collected in their church coffers each Sunday/Saturday stems illegal gambling. Politicians must begin to consider the bigger picture when it comes to lotteries and gaming, and discard the religious and politically based narrow-mindedness known to classically afflict legislators around election time!
