By Keva Ligtbourne ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ kdl@nasguard.com:
The committee formed to comprehensively examine the country's gaming laws may be leaning toward recommending that legal residents be allowed to gamble in The Bahamas, according to Minister of Tourism Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace.
"In particular there is a group of people who are in The Bahamas whose income does not derive from The Bahamas, but they are residents in The Bahamas without the right to work," he said.
"In very many respects they resemble a visitor. So they are now prohibited under section 50 of the Lotteries and Gaming Act from engaging in gaming in The Bahamas. So that is something that we are taking a look at the possibility of enabling those persons to be considered, but that is not a final decision. A great deal of thought is still going into all of the amendments we have to make."
Bahamian citizens and permanent residents are prohibited from gambling under the current law. However, tourists are allowed to gamble.
Last year, Bahamas Hotel Association President Robert Sands said the BHA supported a national lottery and the amendment of the gaming laws to allow permanent residents to gamble in casinos in The Bahamas.
However, the BHA does not support extending casino gambling to Bahamians.
For years, the debate over whether Bahamians should be allowed to gamble in The Bahamas has been a hot topic across the country. There are those like the religious leaders who are adamantly opposed to the idea. Many of them believe it would contribute to the breakdown of families and the society.
Then there are others who say legalizing gambling in The Bahamas for Bahamians would help fund sporting activities, culture events and education, etc.
Over the years, successive governments have been reluctant to address the issue.
Vanderpool-Wallace insisted that the committee has not considered or made any suggestion or recommendation with regard to allowing Bahamians to gamble legally.
As the committee considers what laws should be relaxed as it regards gaming in The Bahamas, a group called Bahamas Gaming Reform continues to push to end what it says is discrimination.
The group's chairman Sidney Strachan, said: "In response to numerous calls and speculation that the government may be in the process of initiating changes to the current gaming laws, Bahamas Gaming Reform (BGR) applauds any move by the government to reform the country's [archaic] gaming laws. However, BGR stresses that it must be done right and not stop short of ending the blatant discrimination against Bahamian residents."
He said Bahamians are excitedly hoping that what has long been a national pass time — the numbers game -— may finally become legal.
"Bahamians will no longer feel threatened, terrified or harassed while harmlessly queuing up at local web cafes," Strachan said.
"In spite of the heavy sighs of relief from many quarters of the country, anything short of complete reform (permitting Bahamians to be stakeholders and players in our casinos) will be an affront to Bahamians and only deepen the social divide as foreigners will again be afforded more privileges in this country."
April 07, 2010
thenassauguardian
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
