Rupert Roberts speaks to Kortney Rodgers.
By KORTNEY RODGERS
DESPITE the majority vote against the legalising of web shops and establishing a national lottery last year, the Gaming bill to legalise web shops has been passed by Parliament.
According to Prime Minister Perry Christie, gambling legalisation will bring a new source of government revenue by forcing web shop owners to pay licence fees and annual taxes based on revenues. The proceeds, Mr Christie says, will be used for civic improvements through educational scholarships and cultural development funding throughout the Bahamas.
But Bahamian citizens remain concerned about the impact these proposals could have on the economy and The Tribune spoke to a sample of them.
Katya Wright (20)
“It has the positive aspects of giving people jobs but I think with people taking their last dollar to gamble, the desperation will take a twist into something else.”
Ms Wright, who voted “no” during the 2013 national referendum based on religious influence, said she believes crime will increase due to the neediness of some Bahamians.
Alexander Hepburn (22)
Young Bahamian male Alexander Hepburn, told The Tribune that he considered voting in the national referendum pointless.
“In my short time in the Bahamas, I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter what we say as a people, how many of us get together or how many of us make a declaration, the government still does what the government wants to do.”
Referring to the decision to proceed with the regularisation of the gambling industry in spite of the result of last year’s referendum as “unfair,” Mr Hepburn said he believes the money aspect of the situation makes it hard for the government to shut down web shops completely.
Stephanie Hanna (23)
Social Services employee, Stephanie Hanna, also deemed the referendum “unnecessary”.
“If you give the country an option you have to respect that,” she said. “I feel a lot of persons’ priorities are kind of warped right now, especially those persons with little income. They shouldn’t legalise gaming for persons who don’t have their finances in order,” she added.
Ms Hanna, who disagrees with the legalisation of gambling for web shop owners, referred to the “double standard” in the gaming industry as “classism,” since visitors are permitted to gamble legally in casinos while Bahamians are not.
Keaneirha Smith
Too young to vote at the time of the referendum, Keaneirha Smith said she would have voted “no,” although she feels Bahamians should have a right to gamble in their own country if foreigners are allowed to.
“It’s my country. I shouldn’t have to go to the States to be able to have rights to gamble,” she said.
Rupert Roberts
President, Super Value
While some Bahamians feel they should have the same privileges as tourists, other Bahamians such as the President of Super Value, Rupert Roberts, said he does not have a problem with Bahamians not being allowed to gamble in casinos.
“Gaming is a very destructive thing for the low income families,” Mr Roberts said. “I don’t think Bahamians should be allowed to take the grocery, school fee or BEC money and gamble. The Bible says ‘by the sweat of the brow’ not ‘by the luck of the draw’.
“Tourists come to the casinos to have fun. It’s entertainment to them and they’re here a few days or a week and leave and life goes back to normal. But to give Bahamians access to that 365 days a year, I think that would be dangerous.”
Mr Roberts also mentioned that the gambling industry is a part of the “informal economy” and said that Bahamian citizens are more knowledgeable about gambling than the government. However, he said “the government hasn’t informed us properly of what they’ve found out from their investigation in the accounting and so on. They’re keeping that a secret, and they shouldn’t pass any gaming act keeping secrets from the Bahamian public.”
Comments
birdiestrachan 9 years, 7 months ago
Very interesting that all of these persons are of the same view, I am sure there are persons with a different view. it is to bad you were unable to find them.
TalRussell 9 years, 7 months ago
Hats off Comrade "Super Value Grocer" Rupert.
reverendrichlive 9 years, 7 months ago
As a Minister Of The Gospel, I declare that it is NOW time that Bahamians express their fundamental citizenship to gamble, or, not gamble in the casinos. It is time to establish a LOTTERY that like the ones in the USA that contributes to education scholarships. All of this religious backward thinking has got to stop. If you do not want to gamble, then don't, but do not tell me, or stop me from exercising my right as a free moral being. We DO NOT need a referendum, or, any so-called Christian Council to dictate morality. The freedom to be, to choose to gamble or not to gamble is a fundament right of all humans beings, why is it okay for the touristS to gamble in the casinos and not Bahamians? There is something fundamentally wrong with that picture. Fix it PLP, do the right thing MR. PM . Never mind these hypocritical religious nuts, they'll get over it. Reverend Rich says, " it's no SIN to WIN ! "
by reverendrichlive
TalRussell 9 years, 7 months ago
I will disregard the looney post above completely. Comrade Rupert more than anyone knows the deepening of the economic and family dangers any expansion of gambling will bring to our tiny Bahamaland. Hundreds of millions dollars have already been drained out of the economy to benefit a small club of privileged numbers men's. There is nothing this PM or anyone who voted for "normalizing" the numbers can do to change the harsh reality facing grocery store operators that on any given day, week, month or year, there will be more money spent on gambling than on groceries. In fact this not only applies to food sellers but retailers across the board, selling anything from clothing, furniture, caskets to school supplies. What manner of MP's would do this to their own Bahamaland?
birdiestrachan 9 years, 7 months ago
There will be no new gamblers. God who made us gave us free choices he did not make us Robots No one can save us from ourselves.. All grown persons should have enough intelligence to know what is good for them. Some persons eat to much and some drink to much. Some times I buy numbers. and when I go to The USA I do play the lotto. This has become a FNM, PLP situation. As oppose to what is good for the Country.
TalRussell 9 years, 7 months ago
Any Comrade can come to this hereto Tribune blog page but do know something about intelligence, before you preach it. The numbers rackets whether '"regularized" or not by the MP's who voted on Wednesday, all who have demonstrated that they have no issues in taking a flawed gambling economy deeper into the already stressed pockets of their Comade citizens. We done got's more than enough Preacherman's who should stick to motivational speaking - cause there your "facts" and fancy one-liners are never subject to be challenged. Much safer than coming on this blog page.
Andrewharris 9 years, 7 months ago
Many other countries have legalized gambling and it did not create a multitude of new gambling addicts. Why do we feel this will happen here? Bahamians have had had access to the web shops for years and this has not created any social issues. Those who have gamblings addictions will find a way to satisfy their addictions whether gambling is legal or not. I think we are underestimating the Bahamian people. The referrendum is an indication that most people are not interested in gambling...so what is the bruh ha ha about? I agree that the government should have respected national opinion but I do not think it will create the problems people say it will.
proudloudandfnm 9 years, 7 months ago
Well folks we now live in a communist country. And this is the party that had the gall to call Hubert Ingraham a dictator.... Vell horse head!!
concernedcitizen 9 years, 7 months ago
Wild horse in Abaco don,t got no fluffy tail ,weave them goin to bed ,,lol
The_Oracle 9 years, 7 months ago
Legallizing Gambling for Bahamians is a constitutional question, given the non discriminatory aspect of that document. Do not confuse that very real question with legalizing hundreds of millions if not a billion in ill gotten gains via the illegal activity of numbers. The undermining of the legitimate economy and the laundering of the proceeds into legitimate business activities is liable to get us blacklisted AGAIN. That the Prime Minister may be beholden to people who stand right now as criminals is as insidious as Normans Cay was for Pindling. And we know how that ended.
Bahamas676 9 years, 7 months ago
since everyone fighting over to legalize gambling i hope we legalize broths, marijuana, and guns too.
pilgrimagerock 9 years, 7 months ago
“Gaming is a very destructive thing for the low income families,” Mr Roberts said.
It is also a very destructive thing for middle and upper class incomes too.
killemwitdakno 9 years, 7 months ago
If they had allocated what some of the tax revenue would go to before the referendum an in the bill, then those families that waste money gambling would still have something in government aid.
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