Prime Minister Perry Christie
By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie announced he will be forming an economic committee to advise him on how to move forward on the issue of web shop gaming in the Bahamas.
While remaining tight lipped on whether the government will regulate web shops despite the results of last year’s referendum, Mr Christie said he has been meeting with local pastors and they have had “encouraging conversations” on how gaming can impact the government’s need for additional revenue.
“We are working on dealing with it (web shop gaming). Sometime in the next few days I am going to appoint a council of economic advisors, who will be selected for their ability to analyse and understand the economy, who will be able as a body to advise me. In situations like that I will pass it on to them and they will advise me moving forward,” he said.
“The government has not made a decision to regulate gaming, but Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe has spoken out about it, the Chairman of the Gaming Board, Mr Rollins has spoken publicly and I have spoken my regrets about it and if I had to do it all over again, but there has been no formal consideration by the government. I have met with the pastors and I had discussed the matter with large numbers of pastors and I have had very encouraging conversation to the point where they understand the challenges the economy now faces and they understand the need for additional sources of revenue as to how we go about fixing that between now and the budget we will make those decisions, but right now we are working on VAT and everything is in place going forward with that.”
The Prime Minister also said he is concerned about the large amounts of unregulated money being used by web shop owners in developments in the country.
“I think it is fair to say that as the Minster of Finance I am constantly faced with the need for revenue and with demands from people who are being taxed like people in the Coalition, who will say to me ‘how is it fair for you to want to tax us and you have millions of unregulated monies in the country?’ I have also had an indication from the Governor at the Central Bank where people are developing a new banking system in the sense that money is being loaned out and so forth and new developments are being financed and so these are matters I have to take seriously into consideration,” he said.
“And I did say to the pastors that on reflection I ought not to have placed them in the position that I placed them in with the referendum because the church will always be the church and so I said what we are doing is we are looking at every opportunity to raise money.”
The second thing we have to do as the Minister of Finance is to find the answer to monies that are in large amounts that are not in the bank, that are not being invested in the treasury, that have not been allowed to be exported, open bank accounts and therefore that money is finding itself in some developments. That is a major contradiction to the good order of our system and one way or the other we have to deal with it.”
Earlier this year, Minister responsible for gaming, Obie Wilchcombe, said web shop gaming is “not off the table” and is still up for discussion – despite Bahamians overwhelmingly voting against the regularization and taxation of web shops.
Comments
realfreethinker 10 years, 2 months ago
Here we go again. another damn committee. when will this man grow some balls and do something Geeeezz enough already.
BahamianMinded 10 years, 2 months ago
This guy need a committee to tell him how to do everything. He has no guts!!! What's next? A committee on how to run a country
TalRussell 10 years, 2 months ago
PM not only are you encouraging Papa's return but you bring great disappointment to your own supporters cause while we are not sure if you really had a horse running-in the referendum race we now know how you have ever since the vote been saddling-up with your every way to find an excuse to move forward with licensing of the numbers rackets. Not even a sitt'in PM can overrule the peoples referendum votes, much less some damn hand-picked PLP tainted economic committee. PM you can not legitimize law breakers or thousands of church goers will be praying for you and your cabinet colleagues not to last as Bahammaland's government until the 2017.General Elections. You cannot play these silly numbers rackets games with Bahamalalanders, be they be politically red, gold or even green. PM right about now you are much too weak to withstand a serious revolt from within your own party, cause even the PLP's patting you on the back will back-stab you, if they think it will help them to survive.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 2 months ago
Plus...weren't there committees and consultants in full swing leading up to the referendum...guess they were so blinded by a resounding YES vote that never came those committees and dollars spent were just mock committees to line the members pockets.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 2 months ago
I thought he held a MASSIVE committee meeting and vote...called a REFERENDUM!! Guess DUM is the operative part of that word!!
blackcat 10 years, 2 months ago
this man is the biggest joke ever.
CommonSense 10 years, 2 months ago
Keep trying.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 2 months ago
This is a delay tactic.................. I guess he hopes this fiasco will go away by 2017
TalRussell 10 years, 2 months ago
Comrade BIU you knows Bahamaland is in plenty of trouble when you got's Jesus angry at the way some them mock preacherman's turned their backs on Him to promote the numbers bosses as worthy of being legitimized as law abiding citizens of good church standings. Some say the answer lies all in the Sunday morning collection plates, the way it looks like some these preachman's may have hit their own lucky Sunday morning numbers.
jt 10 years, 2 months ago
I propose a committee on the proper formation of committees.
JohnDoes 10 years, 2 months ago
I also propose a committee to ensure that your proposed committee, can make sure the their is proper formation of these committees. Then we can have a committee party.
jackbnimble 10 years, 2 months ago
If you want to tax the "Web Shops" then here's an idea. Impose a $1 million dollar fine for every web shop that is found not to be operating as such. The country will be rich overnight.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 2 months ago
We are working on dealing with it (web shop gaming). Sometime in the next few days I am going to appoint a council of economic advisors, who will be selected for their ability to analyse and understand the economy, who will be able as a body to advise me. In situations like that I will pass it on to them and they will advise me moving forward,” he said
Just curious, but has he promised Franklyn Wilson constant employment, by way of committee, for the next 5years?
TalRussell 10 years, 2 months ago
Both PM's Christie and Ingraham might as well have ripped up Bahamaland's Constitution cause as a lawyers they should have both known that only Bahamaland's government can make it legal for a gambling house, web shop or potcake dog on the street, to be accepting payment for the purpose of wagering on any number or whatever. Looks like even the Lower Courts and the Supreme Court and the Attorney General do not understand that it is "unconstitutional" because that power lies exclusively with Bahamaland's duly elected government. If not, then why are the numbers rackets still operating in full view of the government and law enforcement officials? Why haven't their bank accounts, cars, boats and vast property and business holdings not be ceased, as provided for under the bloody constitution? PM rip it up cause you don't respect what is states. Ask Comrade "QC" Brian Moree what the damn Constitution says and does not say.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 2 months ago
The second thing we have to do as the Minister of Finance is to find the answer to monies that are in large amounts that are not in the bank, that are not being invested in the treasury, that have not been allowed to be exported, open bank accounts and therefore that money is finding itself in some developments. That is a major contradiction to the good order of our system and one way or the other we have to deal with it.”
No sir, your inability to lead and to hold up the laws of the land is a major contradiction to law and order. Everybody and their granny know what was happening at the webshops. Every cat in the country know their operations are not covered by their business license. They been illegal from time. Every week the police tell us about 2 or 3 little corner shop bars they close because they were selling liquor without an appropriate licence, what's the difference? Friendship? Bribery?
JohnDoes 10 years, 2 months ago
Friendship, Investment, Donations, Funding & Extortion. Remember now., they got so much money they cant do nothing with, the banks wont take em. They simply looking for ways to get rid of some of the bulk.
Reality_Check 10 years, 2 months ago
We need to take our country back from this incompetent blithering idiot by any means possible. The people have already given him a resounding VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE. This failed lawyer believes he has what it takes to run the country but he lacks and will never acquire one iota of the discipline, management skills and business instincts necessary to be a successful political leader. His traits (like those of HAI, Minnis and just about any other wannabe politician) may have already doomed us! Not a one of these individuals possesses the ability to put the country ahead of their own political ambitions and the greedy grabby fingers of their cronies!
sheeprunner12 10 years, 2 months ago
Hey rory, the only differnence is the Perry led PLP leaves little tangible evidence of what they do with the hundreds of millions of dollars they add to the national debt....... same thing happening again like 2002-7
JohnDoes 10 years, 2 months ago
Dont forget PGC, we need some consultants to go with these committees too. I think we need a new Prime Minister as well.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 2 months ago
...and FAST!!
newcitizen 10 years, 2 months ago
Absolutely, the current choice between Dumb and Dumber is just sad
vinceP 10 years, 2 months ago
What we need is to recognize the true danger here, which is the so called "Christian council" Here it is, we have a small, very small group of men who continue to challenge the Government on matters of governance. Whats more funny is that they are so blinded by the fact the people they claim to represent, are the same people who attend their churches religiously, yet never failing to stop to the number houses on their way to church. This is so funny!!!! The Government needs to step up to the play, and tax the numbers industry. This trend is very dangerous, in that, politicians are allowing themselves to be held captive by a small group of men, who have elevated themselves as "gods" in their minds, and our politicians are becoming afraid of them, because they feel that those jackasses can convince their church attendees on which party to vote for. These guys are a danger to this country! "Matthew 7:15-20" “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits". How many of these guys do you see out on the streets of Nassau, helping the poor, picking them up on their luxury vehicles and taking them to church, or to their homes for a hot meal?
GQ 10 years, 2 months ago
Has PGC had another another Rip Van Winkle experience? As I recall we had a great committee meeting on the gambling issue last year and the proof was my thumb was black for several days. Mr. Prime Minister please refer to this referendum and see the decision made by your bosses and do as they told you or join your former partner in his new fishing hobby. You and Ingraham have done irreparable damage to this country.
DaGoobs 10 years, 2 months ago
Let me give Mr. Christie and his newly formed committee some free and simple advice - tax the living daylights out of these web shop jokers. Seeing as these guys claim that they are already licensed under the Business Licence Act and that makes them licensed, legitimate businesses, then if the Government is not prepared to bring them within the terms of the Gaming Act then all they need to do in the short term is to amend the Business Licence Act, create a special category of "web shop" or whatever name they use to describe their "business" and tax them at 85% or 950% of their turnover as defined in the Act. Let's face it, these webs shop guys are not in "business" for any altruistic reasons, they are in "business" because there is easy money to be made from the "service" that they supposedly provide. If Bahamians want to gamble, let them. Just make sure that the Government gets the lions share of this easy money in the form of taxes. Don't leave the potential tax money sitting out there whereby these guys become multimillionaires for doing nothing; do the right thing and turn this situation to good use for the benefit of all of us. Some of the tax money can even be allocated specifically for sport development, arts and culture, education and antiquities.
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