Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Mr. Hubert Ingraham recently raised the subject of legalising gaming houses and creating a National lottery.
Well it’s about time!
Of course tourists have been able to gamble legally since the 1960’s, when casinos were approved. However, Bahamians were forbidden to gamble in the casinos.
As result, ‘number’ houses sprang up and thousands of Bahamians play the ‘numbers’ daily.
In recent years ‘webshops’ have been dotting the landscape, where it is alleged one can buy tickets for the major lotteries in the US.
To reiterate. It’s about time a government took the initiative to legalise gambling by Bahamians. Now, we await the voices of the Bahamas Christian Council condemning this move.
As for this bloggers not so humble opinion? Government should listen to their objections and get on with legalising the gaming houses and establishing a National lottery!
Besides, the Christian Council has more serious business to take of than worrying about gambling. In fact some churches rightfully conduct their own gaming, while other reverends – usually the ones that object to legalising gambling – allow themselves to be set up as demigods who live the life of Riley. Hardly Christlike!
Bahamians have long ignored the local gambling laws without consequence, so it’s time for us to stop the farce.
Yes Rick, we are a country of laws, but we have done our best to ignore them!
Small or large, we have ignored the rule of law, with numerous examples of how to do just that.
Those who obey the law, go quietly about their business doing so.
In fact, any judge worth his/her salt would take me to task for defining laws as small or large.
The law is the law. Or used to be.
I think this is good. why they are forbidden to play? I don’t get the point.. Playing is part of the entertainments, they have a right to entertain..
After 32 years of independence, Bahamians still find themselves being discriminated against in their own country. In the 50’s and 60’s many of our black leaders fought tirelessly for equality and freedom for all Bahamians. In the 60’s, Black Bahamians were not allowed to enter Banks, attend the Savoy Theatre and be on Bay Street or on the other side of Collins Wall after 5 o’clock.
This era was a dark and turbulent time for blacks’ throughout the world and The Bahamas was no exception. This era was marked by extreme discrimination against the majority of Bahamians who were treated as second class citizens in their own country because of their skin colour.
Sir Lynden Pindling and others stood up to the white nights of Bay Street demanding equality and fair treatment for all Bahamians. However, the equality that they demanded didn’t not come without a price, a price that led many of our leaders behind bars and imprisoned.
On July 10 1973 we celebrated the birth of a new nation and a free and independent people. A few years earlier, we drafted a new constitution, which made everyone in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas equal. Discrimination against Bahamians, weather white or Black was a thing of the past. Our new constitution made it clear that no man can be discriminated against because of his/her race, colour, sex, and place of birth. The drafters of our constitution understood the wisdom and the importance of removing all forms of discrimination against its citizens.
However, thirty years and three government administrations later, Bahamians still find themselves being treated unfairly and as second class citizens in their own country. Even though the supreme law of our land mandates, that in no way, a Bahamian can or should be discriminated against in this country. The Lottery and Gaming Act goes against our constitution. A law cannot exist in a country which permits one group of people from doing something; whiles it allows another group to do the same.
The Lottery and Gaming Act chapter 387 is an invalid act because it allows for a form of discrimination against the citizens of The Bahamas. The constitution of The Bahamas clearly states that any law or act of Parliament that contravenes or goes against the constitution is invalid.
The law cannot go against itself. Therefore, if foreigners are allowed to play in the casinos’, then Bahamians should be allowed to play in our casinos as well. The law is simple; you cannot allow something for one group of people and not allow it for all.
It is a travesty and extreme injustice that Bahamians are subjected to such a law. We are the only nation that has a law that states that a foreigner can come in your country and do something but the people to whom the country belongs cannot.
If Bahamians aren’t allowed to play in the casinos, then foreigners shouldn’t be allowed as well. There should never be an inconsistency in our law or an inconsistency in the enforcement of our laws.
This week as we celebrate our independence the BDM calls for true independence. The independence and freedom to do in our very own country what any foreigner can do freely and without any hindrances. Bahamians could never hold our heads up high and truly lift up our heads to the rising sun when we know that no matter how high we lift it a foreign head is at a higher level, or enjoys more freedom in our very own country