EDITOR, The Tribune.
I am sure the 47+ per cent who participated in the Gambling referendum are shocked to hear the Minister responsible for Licensing Gaming, Obie Wilchcombe, to be talking as he did over the past days.
Irrespective of what flavour of political support you are, didn’t the government hold a referendum and there were two issues and the results were both issues failed to obtain a majority for vote so were defeated as in rejected. Cost? $1.2 million.
Doesn’t Minister Wilchcombe understand what “rejected” - “thrown out” means?
It seems the Minister is very proud that even following the referendum more and more Web Shops have obtained Licences - Licences are controlled by none other than the Minister of Finance who is none other than the Prime Minister so I conclude whatever the outcome of the democratic referendum even the Prime Minister refuses to listen.
Has there been collusion in this matter?
Everyone remembers that prior to the 2007 election it would seem the Numbers Boys were in the FNM camp then PM Ingraham it was claimed had promised them legalising, had actually met and drafted legislation, but with shock and horror the FNM were kicked out in 2012 - by then it seems the Numbers Boys were 1000 per cent entrenched with the PLP and promises of legalising.
If we dissect Minister Wilchcombe’s words, he infers because there are so many Web Shops - so many people employed and the underworld activities hold such a control then government has no alternative to approve them or regularise their operations.
When did the good Minister, now or in the past issue one gaming license for a Web Shop? Answer: Never!
Everyone knows, Minister, that there is a heavy use of marijuana - a major underground trade with known confiscations of the drug of street values in the millions - so using Minister Wilchcombe’s argument the government should make the marijuana business legal!
Maybe we have found out why successive governments have been totally impotent in arresting the ever growing rate of serious crime could it be too many are inhaling?
I have lost total support for the PLP, and I really now fear for my Bahamas.
MARCELL HIELD
Nassau,
January 2, 2014.
Comments
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
Response to MARCELL HIELD,
Dear Marcell Hield,
In lieu of your above comments especially with this one you stated:
“Everyone knows, Minister, that there is a heavy use of marijuana - a major underground trade with known confiscations of the drug of street values in the millions - so using Minister Wilchcombe’s argument the government should make the marijuana business legal!”
IN THE BAHAMAS IN THE YEAR 2014:
1) MARIJUANA = ILLEGAL FOR TOURISTS AND BAHAMIANS ALL AGES.
2) COCAINE = ILLEGAL FOR TOURISTS AND BAHAMIANS ALL AGES.
3) MOLLY = ILLEGAL FOR TOURISTS AND BAHAMIANS ALL AGES.
4) RUNNING THE RED LIGHT = ILLEGAL FOR TOURISTS AND BAHAMIANS ALL AGES.
5) RAPE = ILLEGAL FOR BAHAMIANS AND TOURISTS ALL AGES.
6) MURDER = ILLEGAL FOR BAHAMIANS AND TOURISTS ALL AGES.
7) ARMED ROBBERY = ILLEGAL FOR BAHAMIANS AND TOURISTS ALL AGES.
8) STEALING = ILLEGAL FOR BAHAMIANS AND TOURISTS ALL AGES.
9) FRAUD = ILLEGAL FOR BAHAMIANS AND TOURISTS ALL AGES.
10) LITTERING = ILLEGAL FOR BAHAMIANS AND TOURISTS ALL AGES.
WHEN IT COMES TO GAMBLING IN THE BAHAMAS:
1) LEGAL FOR TOURISTS 18YEARS AND OLDER
2) ILLEGAL FOR BAHAMIANS ALL AGES
HOW MARCELL CAN YOU COMPARE A CRIME THAT IS CLEARLY ILLEGAL FOR ALL WITH AN ACTIVITY THAT IS LEGAL FOR SOME SOLELY BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE AND IMMIGRANT STATUS WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND ILLEGAL FOR OTHERS BECAUSE OF THEIR IMMIGRANT STATUS REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE?
EITHER YOU ALLOW ALL ADULTS 18 YEARS AND OLDER TO GAMBLE STRAIGHT ACROSS THE BOARD IN THE BAHAMAS AS TOURISTS 18 AND OLDER PRESENTLY DO OR YOU DON’T STRAIGHT ACROSS THE BOARD AND WHICH GOVERNMENT DO YOU REALLY THINK WILL SHUT DOWN THE CASINOS OVER PI, CABLE BEACH, EXUMA, BIMINI! REALLY?
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
In addition, do you really want to know why 39 newly register Web Shop licenses in New Providence alone have been approved during the past year after the non-Constitutional Opinion Poll where many people incorrectly call a Referendum?
There is no law in the Bahamas Lottery & Gaming Act Chaper 387 that address gaming online aka WEB SHOP GAMBLING.
Until such time therein, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Tourism, the Police Commissioner, the Attorney General and the Courts cannot arrest/charge/convict any Bahamian or Tourist on a crime in which there is no law to arrest/charge/convict them with.
That is fact.
The present attorney’s who are aware of this fact that are presently representing the web shop owners in court know they have a clear cut case because like them, myself and many others who fully read and understand the Lottery & Gaming Act know this. At the end of the day, until a law is created to directly address Internet Gaming in the Bahamas, we will continue to remain in this conundrum.
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
As it relates to the non-Binding Opinion Poll held last January!
Webshops are already regulated & taxed one the same manner as every other business that has a licence who provides online services.
Business license fees, NIB and all others taxes/utilities are all the same, that is fact!
Again Bahamians, you did not vote to either “Legalize Web” Shop Gaming or to make it “Illegal”, No you did not!
You voted to either have the Web Shops “TAXED” and to be “REGULARIZED” aka Regulated which means to conform as one eg Same Pay Outs, same games offered, same uniforms, same policies etc in the same manner in which the analog casinos in the Bahamas are presently regulated and taxed.
Go back and read the questions clearly!
You (the Vote No voters) said “NO” Government, we do not want you to tax the webshops, we want them to operate tax free which is the reason why they will not have to pay “VALUE ADDED TAX” (VAT) and you also said “NO” government, WE WANT THE WEB SHOP OWNERS TO DECIDE AS THEY PLEASE WHAT THEIR PAYOUTS CAN BE, WHAT THEIR OWN POLICIES CAN BE, THEY DO NOT NEED TO HAVE UNION REPRESENTATION, THEY CAN OPERATE AT WHAT EVER HOURS THEY PLEASE, THERE ARE NO AGE REQUIREMENTS ON WHO CAN PLAY ONLINE, THEY CAN MAKE THEIR OWN POLICIES EVEN THOUGH EVERY ANALOG CASINO (WHO IS PRESENENTLY “TAXED” & “REGULATED”) ALL HAVE TO ACT ON ONE ACCORD BASED ON GAMING BOARD REGULATIONS BY FOLLOWING THE SAME REGULATIONS AND PAY THE SAME TAXES.
2) Do you really think the digital Casinos aka Webshops want to be taxed like the analog Casinos? Really?
3) Do you really think the digital Casinos aka Webshops want to be “Regularized” and not have the 100% freedom which they presently do to decide on their own what their terms, conditions & payouts would be as they please like how the analog Casinos? Really?
4) Fact, the Webshop owners wanted the “No” vote and those who were all around town promoting a “No” vote did exactly what the web shop owners wanted them to do whether they realized it or not because again, who in their right mind would not want to have the freedom to run their business as they please and most importantly, which business owner would want to be taxed?
Bahamians, wake up, educate yourself, the Government wanted the “Yes” vote, the webshop owners wanted the “No” vote.
Why?
Obtaining a license to open up a Web Shop is presently legal!
Any business with a license can allow their customers to open an account for debits/credits! What happens online in CA, IL, NY, FL, LA, Isle of Man or any country outside the Bahamas cannot be policed by Bahamian authorities but rather only by the authorities in those locations the same way those authorities have no jurisdiction in the Bahamas.
Either all adults can gamble straight across the board or no adult can gamble straight across the board in the Bahamas, PLAIN & SIMPLE!
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
@rory
“Addicted to gambling?”
No, addicted to the message of a man/woman being judged by their character rather than by their nationality!
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
@rory
“Their attorneys are stupid and so are the cops, they could easily get them shut down, legally. The trick word is "online" - you are never "just" online. So simply forget the Internet even exists, they have footprints of their local crime everywhere”
Key words that you used which prove my point even further: Trick Word & Online. Its not a trick rory, its real, its not something we can “Simply Forget That Exists” the fact is Legislation must be created to address the Internet in the Bahamas as it relates to Gaming.
The fact is it does not exists.
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
@rory
"As long as you placed that bet from your computer here in the Bahamas, then you are gambling in the Bahamas. And there are foot prints of your activity everywhere, PLAIN & SIMPLE."
Lol, rory, the internet is not limited to the Bahamas! Many have the ability to use the internet with an in-accurate IP address that is intentionally made in-accurate. Many have the ability to use their smart phone from their yacht west of Bimini and east of Florida to access any website they please. In fact, the US Government and the Bahamian Government have yet to agree on exactly where the US/Bahamian border is which will be addressed but how do you propose preventing any person whether in the Bahamas or not from accessing the web (& to be more specific, a Gaming Website) from their PC, Laptop, Smart Phone etc? No supposing! No pretending! No Trick Word! How will it be done rory?
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
@rory
" If one is that addicted to gambling that they must break the law or circumvent the law to do so, they need some help - but they could also protest to make it legal."
Again, the fact is the lottery & gaming act which was created in 1969 was created at a time when the internet never existed. Again, numerous amendments were made since the time the act was created but to present, no bill was created to address internet gaming! Horse Racing has been address, Operating an Analog Casino has been address however Digital Gaming has yet to be address.
I will 100% retract everything I have said if you rory can provide 100% certified proof that Internet Gaming, that Digital Casinos, that playing on an Website that offers gaming is “Illegal” for “Bahamians”!
I challenge you rory?
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
“You are missing the point - when you place...............................
@ rory
You feel that I am missing the point rory? Wow! rory, the Bahamas is a democracy, the WWW is wide open for all. In addition, there are laws that directly cover/address Cyber Crimes including but are not limited to:
Defamation, Child Pornography, Threats of harm/death etc
Again rory, laws must be created to 100% address Internet Gaming in the Bahamas.
You have yet to show where in the Lottery & Gaming Act Chapter 387 Sections 1 – 75 where Internet Gaming/Placing Bets online is addressed because why?
You clearly read it the law and you clearly know that no law exists to address Internet Gaming and I 100% stand by that until you can prove your comments are valid because as it stands now, your comments are not only null and void, your comments cannot stand in any court of law in the Bahamas!
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
“It is already covered under existing laws, as you are .................................
@rory
Again rory, it does not matter if the bet is placed in the Bahamas or outside of the Bahamas, there is no law in existence to address Gaming Online aka Digital Casinos in the Lottery & Gaming Act Chapter 387 which is the Law in the Bahamas used by the courts, that is 100% fact!
I truly did not think I would have to do this again but my goodness, please read below:
http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images...">http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/cms/images...
Copy/Paste the above link and show anywhere in the act that addresses gaming online rory!
Show facts in the law rory, “Trick Words” cannot stand in a court of law rory!
The fact that you try to use myths to push your argument topped off with the comment “Simply Forget That Exists”
“Simply forget that exists”
Really?
I can guarantee that every defense attorney and/or prosecutor in a court of law in the Bahamas would ask for a Nolle Prosequi due to a waste of the Judicial Systems time with your above comments because again, the law stands up in a court of law, not socio-economic myths.
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
“So you have no issue with local criminals - who obviously are too dumb to run a legit business......................................................................
@rory
“So you have no issue with local criminals - who obviously are too dumb to run a legit business –“
If you rory are referring to business persons who legally obtained their business license from the government of the Bahamas to allow their customers to play games online which is “Not” against the law, then I have no issue with them!
If you rory are referring to business persons who did not obtain a business license from the government of the Bahamas or who have in the past obtained a business license from the government of the Bahamas but have yet to renew it, yes I have a problem with them providing any services or selling any goods to any customer no matter what the business is!
“………………....”by pass the laws”
I must admit that I truly thought you read the Lottery & Gaming Act Chapter 387 but your above statement proves otherwise which is even more unfortunate as one tries to state what the law is when they in turn have never read which is a clear sign of hypocrisy.
What law is there to “bypass”?
The light is either on or the light is off! There is no in between rory!
You either run the red light or you don’t rory, there is no in between!
Again rory, you need to read the Lottery & Gaming Act and prove where the following words are used to address digital gaming?
Internet Gaming Online Gaming Web 2.0 Gaming Web 3.0 Gaming World Wide Web Gaming Web Gaming the information superhighway Gaming the Net Gaming W3 Gaming WWW Gaming
As it relates to each other’s pay grade as you seem to be interested in diverting for the purpose of only showing that your back is against the wall in the dissemination of non-factual mythical information on your part as it relates to internet gaming in the Bahamas, really rory? I encourage you not to go there!
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
“so you can't read English, I will not repeat …………………………….
@rory
Lol, oh my, you cant find it hey? You know you cant? lol
ChrisRolle 10 years, 3 months ago
“ Why don't you just go sell drugs ………………………………………
@rory
Actually, even though drugs are sold in numerous pharmacies, clinics & hospitals whom all have a business license to sell them, (side note: I hope those whose business license are expired or those who do not have a business license are shut down immediately) I personally never shared the desire to enter the Pharmaceutical Industry, mind you, it is a very lucrative industry nonetheless but thanks for the suggestion. As we get back on track and focus on the subject at hand, “Internet Gaming”, I will leave you with one of the most interesting yet straight to the point statements made on:
http://www.tribune242.com/news/2014/j...">PASTOR: WEB SHOPS ARE 'RAPING FAMILIES'
"the government is going by the results of the referendum they are not regulating or taxing the web cafe and there is no national lottery the problem is it looks like no one who voted understood the questions is this a result of the "D" average"
So that brings up this question as it relates to a “D” average rory?
I can “BET” that you voted NO?
BahamasGamingAssociation 9 years, 10 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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