The Free National Movement (FNM) believes that Prime Minister Perry Christie is moving with uncharacteristic speed to push through a referendum ...followed by legislation to legalize the numbers business

PM Christie’s Rush on to Legalize the Numbers Business

What is the RUSH? Will haste make for more wasted lives?

Prime Minister Christie is moving with uncharacteristic speed to push through a referendum followed by legislation to legalize the numbers business.  The Free National Movement believes this is the wrong thing to do. We agree with others in the religious and civic communities that he needs to slow down and be a lot more thoughtful and deliberate.

The most recent community leader to echo this sentiment is Rev. Dr; Myles Munroe who has highlighted points that others have raised: the process is being rushed; there has been insufficient time for contemplation; it is unfair to ask people to make such a big decision with “very little information”; there is no reported (local) research on the impact gambling has had in Bahamian communities or on the likely long-term impact if the web-shop and similar gambling are legalized. These are all legitimate points that remand careful consideration.

The Prime Minister needs to slow down. There needs to be an opportunity for the Bahamian people to understand and appreciate all of the issues.  If the government truly has no “horse in the race”, then certainly there is no logical need to rush.

With back to school only just behind us, the Christmas holiday on the horizon and the repairs and replacements needed because of the devastation of ”Sandy”, it would be ill advised to ask people who may be at their most vulnerable to seriously consider any decision on gambling at this time.

It is obvious that a thorough and extensive report is needed as to the economic, psychological, cultural and moral impact that this activity has on our country today and potentially the future.

During its tour of Family Island communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy, the FNM was once again reminded of another storm that has been striking Family Island communities for several years; that of the proliferation of gambling houses.

In point of fact, community leaders have expressed alarm. Gambling has become so pervasive and socially damaging that these leaders report that more and more residents seem to lose the passion for work, in favour of staking theirs and their families’ futures on “winning big” in the gambling houses. The impact has been very real and very damaging to the social fabric in Family island communities.

This pattern has become so pervasive that one school principal advised the FNM that primary school children spend significant amounts of their time plotting out which numbers to buy and how to win. The principal describes the impact on young people as an epidemic.

It is imperative that a responsible government take the time to determine the extent to which these anecdotal stories are localized to only one or a few communities or whether this decay is the reality across the entire Bahamas.

Cart before the horse

The growing number of concerns from responsible leaders of the civic and religious communities and average Bahamians again raise the question of whether the Prime Minister’s approach is backwards. It seems clearer than ever, that the right approach is for the government to exhaustively study this matter then, following widespread consultation with all stakeholders, bring and act to parliament accompanied by the proposed referendum question or questions.  The legislative and consultation process will afford everyone an opportunity to study the reports of the Prime Minister’s so-called experts…before a decision is made. No other approach seems fair or reasonable…or responsible for that matter.

Financial priorities

The cost to provide financial aid to communities hit hard by Hurricane Sandy should also cause the government to eliminate the financial costs of a rushed and ill-conceived referendum.

November 1, 2012

fnm2012.org

Caribbean Blog International

...the numbers business is not only popular and a cultural norm ...but is one of the biggest contributors to the Bahamian economy ...says - business consultant, Paul Major

Gambling Debate Intensifies


By: Theo Sealy & Rogan Smith
The Bahama Journal



Two top clergymen, a leading hotelier, a business consultant and a college professor locked horns tighter than ever last night over the controversial gambling issue.

Retired Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez, Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) President Dr. Ranford Patterson, Kerzner International VP of Public Affairs & Retail Services Ed Fields, business consultant, Paul Major and educator and civil activist, Margo Blackwell all participated in a Jones Communications Network (JCN) town meeting series at the Harry C. Moore library where they each took turns highlighting the benefits or pitfalls of gambling.

The panel was split.

Opponents argued that gambling was destructive and against God’s will, while proponents touted the economic benefits that could be gained from its legalisation.

The Christie administration has announced plans to hold a referendum before the end of the year so that Bahamians can decide whether they want gambling legalised.

The BCC has repeatedly stressed that it is “diametrically opposed” to gambling and it didn’t stray from that premise last night.

“To engage in this gambling . . . one is going counter to what Jesus stands for and for what the church is here to promote. We believe that gambling is, in its final analysis, an affront to God,” Archbishop Gomez said.

“Our problem in the church is we have been compromised by our members in that so many of our members gamble and so many of our members do not really believe what the church teaches us because if they really believed, they would apply it in our lives. So, there are a lot of persons who belong to the church who participate in gambling because they aren’t putting into practice the teachings of the gospel. Gambling produces social dislocation. That is not disputed even by persons who engage in gambling.”

Mr. Major, meantime, said the church cannot legislate morality.

“It comes down to a matter of civil liberty – people deciding what they want to do with their disposable income,” he said.

“The only ones who don’t benefit from gambling are the government and the citizens who don’t gamble. At this stage in our development and enlightenment we should not be so concerned about whether Bahamians gamble.”

Dr. Patterson said with gambling, “we can only lose, not win.”

“The negative effects outweigh benefits. It can destroy a family. Every day in our ministries we are confronted with persons who are marginalised, persons who are experiencing loss, persons whose lives are falling through the cracks and that is why we feel so strongly about this because we see the devastation. That’s where our passion comes from,” Dr. Patterson said.

“Think of the devastation that we now see and the proliferation of the web shops. We believe it’s only going to get worse and our people are going to suffer as a result of it.”

But, one audience member chastised the church for its weak arguments on the controversial issue.

“I have been listening to a lot of debates on this gambling subject and it seems that the church is relying on the argument of morality. As it stands right now those arguments are not standing up very well against the arguments that these other panellists are presenting. Why isn’t the church presenting strong arguments about the economic and social impacts of the numbers business? These are the issues we need to present as opposed to what is morally incorrect,” she said.

Mr. Major, meantime, sought to dispel the notion that the ‘house’ always wins.

He told the panel and attendees that two number houses “went broke” because they couldn’t pay out winnings.

“On average 60 to 70 per cent of winnings go back out,” he said.

When challenged to substantiate his claims by providing the statistics, Mr. Major responded, “Trust me, trust me.”

He later said the numbers business has attracted 150,000 account holders.

He said 120,000 of those individuals have online accounts, while the remaining 30,000 individuals are walk-in customers to various web shops throughout the country.

Mr. Major suggested that the numbers business is not only popular and a cultural norm, but is one of the biggest contributors to the Bahamian economy.

Ms. Blackwell, careful to “stay far away from moral and social values as possible,” said she felt that Bahamians are being denied a right to gamble.

“I am a young lady who has lived her whole life being discriminated against in an independent Bahamas by a constitution that allows people who are not Bahamian to do something in my country that I am not allowed to do. I have a real problem with that,” she said.

Mr. Fields, meantime, said the gambling issue is not about its decriminalisation, but its liberalisation.

Churches have over the years demonised gambling in The Bahamas, but many have turned to major resorts for donations even though a good chunk of their revenue comes from casino dollars.

Mr. Fields said in his 16 years at the Paradise Island resort, he has received a letter from every single denomination in The Bahamas requesting donations.

He later questioned the difference between church raffles and the numbers business.

“Either you are hot or you are cold. The reality is that if I buy a raffle ticket my intent is to win over someone else…we are in a quagmire trying to justify this thing. Either we like them all or we wipe them all out. It cannot be a case of juggling. It cannot be that it is okay for the church to gamble through raffling but it is not okay for Bahamians to do the same through gambling at numbers houses,” Mr. Fields said.

“Yes numbers is illegal and perhaps there is a problem with the concept that because it is illegal on the books the donation from that illegal gambling is a problem. But there is not a problem with the church asking donations from an entity that has legal gambling. So gambling is okay if it is legal? That must be what the message is.”

Mr. Fields said if Bahamians vote to legalise the numbers business, the government could take a percentage of the money and set up counselling for addicts.

Gambling proponents say if the numbers business is legalised it could fund various government initiatives and provide millions of dollars to the public purse.

“It would do well for us here in the country if we go ahead with legalising the numbers business. It can contribute significantly to health care, sporting and education, overall helping with national development. We need to move forward with this and try to look at the positive side of how beneficial gambling can be, economically, to The Bahamas,” attorney Wallace Rolle said.

JCN CEO Wendall Jones moderated the town hall meeting.

August 10, 2012

Jones Bahamas

Caribbean Blog International

The Gambling Referendum Debate: ...Ed Fields - Kerzner International senior vice president says that he agrees with Baha Mar vice president - Robert Sands on casino gambling for Bahamians should not be rushed... ...the focus should be on liberalising the “numbers business” first

'Numbers First, Before Casinos'


By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Staff Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIANS should focus on liberalising the “numbers business” first before attempting to addressing the issue of casino gambling, according to Ed Fields, Kerzner International senior vice president.

While he noted it was also an “overdue” issue, Mr Fields said he sided with Baha Mar vice president Robert Sands that casino gambling should not be rushed.

“We need to go down that road, whether we’re going down it two months from now or three months, we should be doing it.

“It should be a basic question on do you agree with liberalizing gambling for Bahamians,” he said. “Now once that question is answered then the powers that be can start examining what we should be doing (next). Let’s legalize it, let’s tax the heck out of it, let’s take some of those tax dollars and put it to helping people who might have an addiction, let’s take the money and put it into education and arts and culture.”

The contentious debate over whether or not the country should liberalize “web shop” gaming and establish a national lottery has stormed since it was announced that the longstanding issue would be put to a referendum before the end of the year.

There has also been criticism of the scope of the proposed referendum, with former prime minister Hubert Ingraham stating that the referendum should address gaming in its entirety.

The Bahamas Christian Council has accused the government of rushing a gambling referendum, while some local pastors have called for all gambling participation – including the participation of tourists in casinos – to be outlawed.

While he said he could not comment on the referendum’s timeline, Mr Fields said a resolution on the issue was “long overdue”.

“We took literally 50 years to get to where we are today with the institution of Bahamians not being allowed to gamble in casinos. We can’t just overnight change that paradigm without there being some ramifications. So I ‘m supportive of it but I think it’s something that we have to take one step at a time.”

“Liberalizing the numbers business,” he said, “is something we are doing now and so let’s get that off the plate and then we can have a discussion about casino gambling in terms of how you qualify to gamble.”

In response to claims that liberalisation would engender a rise in addiction and other social ills, Mr Fields said that taxes would provide funding for counselling and related help.

“Not everyone who gambles is addicted to gambling, it’s a small percentage like every other activity, sex, shopping, eating, not everyone is a kleptomaniac,” he said.

“Right now as I speak there is zero dollars that is being committed to counselling people who are addicted to gambling, so let’s just assume that there are a number of people who are addicted to gambling, well if we were taxing the numbers business or the gambling business then we could allocate a percentage of that to counselling and helping.

He added: “It cant be worse than what we have now.”

July 30, 2012

Tribune242

Caribbean Blog International

President of the Atlantic Caribbean Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists (A.C.U.S.D.A) Dr. Leonard Johnson warned Bahamians not to gamble with their future by supporting the legalisation of the numbers business

Bahamians Warned Over Gambling


By Rogan Smith
The Bahama Journal

A leading pastor is warning Bahamians not to gamble with their future by supporting the legalisation of the numbers business.

The highly controversial issue took centre stage during the nation’s 39th Independence Day celebrations as President of the Atlantic Caribbean Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists (A.C.U.S.D.A) Dr. Leonard Johnson did his best to sway a captive audience – both on Clifford Park and at home – not to support gambling.

The Christie administration, in fulfilling a campaign promise, has vowed to hold a referendum before the end of the year so that Bahamians can decide for themselves whether they want gambling legalised in the country.

Dr. Johnson says Bahamians should not “resort to the easy way out.”

“Let us not seek shortcuts. The ad says everyone can be a winner, but that is not so. Only in the kingdom of God everyone wins. We must not be bought because people donate millions to charity,” he told a crowd of thousands.

“The people of God must go by the word of God. We must listen to the report of God and depend on God to bless us. I say 39 years later that we must not be mere reflections of other men bought. We must be the pastors and the persons who think and act for ourselves. We cannot force you to act for God; we cannot legislate morality, but brothers and sisters we can preach, ‘thus saith the Lord.’ We can preach to the nation; we can tell people what is in the Bible. It is [then] left to us to decide.”

But, the religious community seem to be split on the issue.

On one hand the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) says it is “diametrically opposed” to gambling, but several of its members say they are open to the idea and have touted the economic benefits.

Twenty local pastors, three of whom are BCC members, said recently that they were “sensitised” to the issue. They felt the country could benefit from the taxes.

Reverend Philip McPhee of  Mt. Calvary Baptist Church appears to be on board with legalising the practice.

Critics, however, are concerned about the social costs of gambling.

During Monday’s Ecumenical Service Dr. Johnson said there are other ways for Bahamians to make money.

“As I look at the example of Joseph I see no risk taking; I see no chance taking; I see no gambling for the success that he experienced,” he said. “There is hard work, there is discipline, there is industry, there is trust in God and a situation that seemed impossible God made it possible,” he said.

“When we place our trust in God, when we place our confidence in God it doesn’t matter how [bad] it may appear, it doesn’t matter how difficult [it may be to balance] the budget; when the people of God are trusting in God then God will stand up and bless his people and bless the nation. But, when the people turn from God and try to do it their way they cannot expect the blessings of God.”

Dr. Johnson explained that many of The Bahamas’ former leaders were opposed to gambling.

He said 39 years ago the late Carlton Francis, who served as minister of development at the time, objected to casino gambling.

“That was 39 years ago. Now, 39 years later, where are we? Carlton Francis said we are a small nation that can be easily permeated by any malicious influence that is dangerous. Furthermore he says, ‘I am saying that where we are aspiring to the disciplines of hard work and industry we are not yet off the ground.’ Thirty-nine years later are we off the ground? Are we going back? Are we moving ahead?” Dr. Johnson said.

“Mr. Francis, still speaking about casino gambling said, ‘I believe that there are alternatives. But, no one will find these alternatives so long as they can find the easy way out. Apart from the question of conscience, I don’t believe gambling is good for a growing nation.’ This is one of the founding fathers – one of the leaders who said these words in December of 1973 and [here] we are 39 years later in 2012.”

11 July, 2012

The Bahama Journal

Caribbean Blog International

Government drops plans to legalise the numbers business in The Bahamas

Govt drops plans to legalise numbers business
By TANEKA THOMPSON AND KARIN HERIG
Tribune Staff Reporters
tthompson@tribunemedia.net and kherig@tribunemedia.net:


AS the government dropped plans to legalise the numbers business for the time being, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham warned last night that other taxes will have to be introduced instead to sustain the Bahamian economy.

Mr Ingraham said his government had hoped that the licencing and taxation of a legalised numbers business would bring a revenue of between $30million and $40million annually.

Bringing the illegal numbers business into the formal economy would therefore have spared the Bahamian public new taxes which will be introduced in the House of Assembly tomorrow when the budget debate for the new fiscal year starts.

Speaking with The Tribune from his office in the Cecil Wallace-Whitfield Building, Mr Ingraham said: "We knew we had to increase taxes in the Bahamas in the forthcoming budget period, that that was unavoidable. We thought that the revenue we would get from the number business would assist in reducing the number of taxes we had to impose upon the public.

"We have to get the revenue from somewhere."

Without going into details about the taxes he will introduce, Mr Ingraham said they are necessary to "sustain the Bahamian economy, reduce growth in government debt, provide essential public services and keep employed the people who are employed by the government".

He said: "That's a reality."

The Cabinet Office announced yesterday, after consultation with a wide range of community leaders and other citizens including leaders of the church, the government has decided not to proceed with the legalisation of the numbers business.

"The consultation clearly showed that there is presently not a national consensus on this matter and that, in fact, there are strong feelings on both sides of the issue," a statement said.

Instead, the government proposes that a referendum should be held on the issue after the next General Election so that the will of the people on this issue can be determined.

Referendum

Mr Ingraham said yesterday his government decided against holding a referendum before the next election as it did not want to mix up the two.

Mr Ingraham pointed out that gambling was not the FNM's "issue".

He said it was not something they promised they would address during this term in office.

As to the support and opposition to the legalising of the numbers business, the Prime Minister said consultation has shown that there is strong support for it, as there is against it, and that views diverge regardless of party or religious denomination. Yesterday, the Archbishop Patrick Pinder, leader of the Roman Catholic community in the Bahamas, said that in his view, the law should not be changed to support legalised gambling. He said the laws as they are now appear "intended to exercise an abundance of necessary caution for the good of individuals and the community as a whole." (See Page Two for story).

The Cabinet Office's statement said supporters of both political parties represented in Parliament hold opposing views.

"Also, the consultation revealed that even within most religious denominations there are divergent views.

"There are pressing national challenges that require the focussed and united attention of government, church and the nation as a whole at this time, particularly violent crime and an economy battered by the global recession," the statement said.

As to how the numbers business - which Mr Ingraham said his government has also considered illegal - will be dealt with in future, the Prime Minister said it will dealt with as it has been so far.

May 25, 2010

tribune242

Bahamas Blog International

Anglican Bishop Rev Laish Boyd speaks out against the 'Numbers business' in The Bahamas

Anglican Bishop speaks out against gambling
By ALESHA CADET - tribune242:


ONE of the largest religious denominations in the Bahamas has officially spoken out against the proposed legalisation of gambling.

In a statement issued this week, Anglican Bishop Rev Laish Boyd said the church "does not support any plan to legalise the 'Numbers business' in the Bahamas with a view to taxing the proceeds of that business. In spite of the widespread acceptance of playing numbers, the Anglican Church opposes it, never mind how many persons see no harm in legalising it."

According to the pro-gambling Bahamas Gaming Reform Committee (BGR), Bishop Boyd's position is "hypocritical" because the church itself organises raffles and other prize games.

Responding to the statement yesterday, Sidney Strachan, chairman of (BGR) , said: "The Anglican Church is being hypocritical with the statement made saying the government shouldn't use gambling as a source of revenue for the country.

"When the Anglican Church needed money they themselves turned to gambling; when they got desperate that is what they turned to. The Anglican Church offers prizes for raffling."

But Bishop Boyd said that to explain the church's position, "we need to look for a moment at the term 'gambling'. Gambling is a broad subject area encompassing games or activities involving some risk with the potential for granting an advantage to the person or persons who 'play' or are involved.

"Some persons condemn all forms of this activity. There are others who tolerate them in varying degrees. For example, many persons have no difficulty with raffles and door prizes, or with a game of bingo. These are isolated and individual events which are usually held for fundraising and charitable causes.

Raffle

"Bahamians and Turks and Caicos Islanders will buy a raffle ticket, or a door prize ticket at an event, and give no second thought to it; they see it as harmless, as I believe these involvements to be.

"It is this reasoning that let the 108th session of our Diocesan Synod meeting in October, 2008, to approve the allowance of raffles by our Anglican Schools as a means of fundraising. This came after many years of a moratorium on the holding of raffles in the diocese that was put in place during the time of Bishop Michael Eldon."

The bishop said that Numbers, on the other hand, "is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week enterprise in which persons engage and which is definitely habit-forming and downright addictive for a majority of its participants. It is a system which is designed to exploit the participants so that the few will benefit at the expense of the many. "The modern-day reality is that this form of gambling is easily accessible to all via the internet, via numerous 'web shops' and via other means. Persons can play with as little as 10 cents. This easy access leads to widespread use by persons of all ages, classes, backgrounds and socio-economic standings.

"Why do we stand as a church opposed to its legalisation and subsequent taxation? It is a matter of morality and of the moral responsibility which leaders have for those whom they lead."

However, Mr Strachan said that the church has yet to prove that gambling has had a negative impact on morals in any way.

"The Numbers business has provided more jobs and charitable donations over the last 40 years. If the government uses numbers for a worthy cause then that too should be justifiable," Mr Strachan said.

May 19, 2010

tribune242

Bahamas Blog International