By CHESTER ROBARDS
Tribune Senior Reporter
crobards@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said yesterday that the upcoming vote over legalized gambling is simply an “opinion poll” and that the questions being asked do not give voters the power to change the law.
Mr. Ingraham made it clear during his last official address as leader of the Free National Movement (FNM) that he would not vote in the referendum, as the referendum would be unfair to Bahamians because it left out the question of casino gambling.
He said had an FNM government offered a referendum it would have also included casino gambling. And, last night he suggested that his government’s referendum questions – unlike the present government’s questions – would have given voters the power to move the government to either legalize gambling or leave the law as is.
“It’s clear they only want my opinion... it is not binding,” said Mr Ingraham.
“The opinion can’t do anything - the poll can’t do anything - it is parliament who has to decide whether it is going to change the laws and the parliament of the Bahamas will change the laws when they wish, and presumably they will do so after the vote.
“But, the voters have no say whatsoever about changing the laws of the Bahamas, only the House of Assembly can do that, so this is only asking you what your opinion is, but the question about whether or not they will change the law doesn’t arise.”
Mr Ingraham added that the same people who campaigned for the PLP have also been knocking on people’s door campaigning for the ‘Vote Yes’ contingent.
He contends that the PLP and it’s supporter are the ones behind the ‘Vote Yes’ campaign.
“The same people who came to my constituency (campaigning for the PLP during the general election) are the identical people,” said Mr Ingraham.
“So it is a PLP thing cloaked and clouded in a referendum... the same people who worked for the PLP are now being used to campaign for the yes campaign.”
Comments
TalRussell 11 years, 3 months ago
Hubert enters the numbers rackets fray and issues a press release announcing the official opening of his 'Looney Don't Vote' campaign office in Cooper's Town?
Comrades according to the many media reports it is fair to conclude that both Hubert and he former law partner PM, coulda, woulda or shoulda have known the locations where the numbers "bosses" were funding campaign offices, for both the gold and red shirts candidates, in the Cooper's Town by-election, and beyond?
The PM done got enough looney around him, in and out the House, to now once again have to face-off against Hubert, with he new 'Loony Don't Vote' campaign.
And, they said Hubert would never return to play da leader role?
by TalRussell
John 11 years, 3 months ago
Fair enough to say this voting thing is a big, expensive smoke screen exercise all about nothing.. nothing. The government spending money, liquor stores have to close and lose sales whilst polling going on, other businesses have to give their employees two hours off to vote and school children will lose an entire day from the chalk board..yet after it all, regardless of the yes or no vote, someone will still have to decide if and when gambling becomes legal or a national lottery will be set up in the Bahamas...they shoulda put on the ballot a scale for you to rate the government on their almost first year in office...
John 11 years, 3 months ago
The most significant thing about this gambling vote is that it is further dididing this nation, not only along the yes/no divide, but now it is along party lines and even the churches stand on different sides of the fence..May January 28 hurry up and come then after that may those who have been elected to clean up this gambling mess find the intestinal fortitude to do so and stop blowing bubbles..amen
BahamasGamingAssociation 9 years, 9 months ago
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bahama...">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bahama...
WHICH ON OF THE BELOW REIGNS SUPREME IN THE BAHAMAS?
The Bahamas Lottery and Gaming Act Chapter 387 Section 50 Persons prohibited from Gaming
Or
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas Chapter III – Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedom of the Individual. Section 26 Protection from Discrimination on grounds of Race, Place of Origin etc.
The Bahamas Gaming Association stands by the Ideology that all human beings who are 18 years or older should be treated equally in all sectors of the Bahamian Economy which is enshrined in the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
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