The Tribune

EDITOR, Tribune.

There have been numerous articles on your pages over the recent days and month about

the question of whether or not gaming, in some shape or form, should be legalized. This

has been a source of concern for the government, the clergy, the public, local “businessmen” and the public in general. What is really concerning is the very odd statements that have been made around the topic. Several of the odd things that have been said go against the fabric of democracy and seem to detract from some of the rights Bahamians have been fighting for over the years.

The first thing that seemed odd is when the Clergy suggested that the Bahamian people

not be allowed to decide on the matter. Since when is the people deciding on something

a bad thing? Maybe when it is only against what you would like them to do. The Clergy

over the years has yelled for the people to decide other things, except of course, which

movies we can watch. Sorry I digress, but people deciding which movies come to the movie theatres still seems very stupid to me... but another topic for a different day.

The next thing that seems odd is that a government would suggest that people vote on

something that they do not seem to have a position on. This is unusual because the

government ALWAYS has a position, regardless of what the people think who elected them.

The businessmen have done an odd thing in the process indicating that they would educate

the public on this. I am not sure I need education on numbers to be honest. The average five year old seems to know how it works, where it is and how to buy it. To be sure, we would like to know where the money would go from that taxes should gaming be legalized for Bahamians in some way. However, this does not appear to be the education being offered.

The most unusual of items, from one of the most unusual place, is that the taxes on these

businesses should become legal should be higher than those placed on gaming businesses owned by foreigners. It is truly unusual that people in their own country would ask to tax, what would then be, other legitimate businessmen more than foreign owned businesses. This is truly rare. If the casino tax is about 14 per cent when considering a large casino why would the tax on local business in gaming be more? Let’s also consider that

the government provides a significant amount of subsidies, marketing grants, bonus

schemes and other items to foreign owned casinos, effectively reducing the tax rate to around 7 per cent, plus other concessions when heads of agreements are signed. Strange then to hear from businessmen in the Bahamas that their fellow countryman should pay more.

People should really start to look at this issue dispassionately. Here are some things to

consider:

1. Stop trying to fix this situation so you somehow get to exact some revenge from

the numbers men who have been in business for years. It did not work for bootlegging, it did not work for the drug trade and it will not work here. You cannot go back and take the money away if this is to be legal.

1. Secondly, let’s really decide how much government involvement we need here.
   

What we need are regulations and rules, something which we hope will then

reduce the amount of background noise related to bribes, political support and the

like around the situation and the people involved.

1. Thirdly, we need people that know how to run the business that to this point have

not had legal issues in relation to anything other than numbers. (Yes I realize this

is currently illegal, but let’s be realistic, the gaming industry does not include the

most innocent in society).

1. Last but certainly not least, let the Bahamian people decide for themselves what

they want to have. Put all of the questions on the table, casinos and all other

types. People have to be responsible for their own actions. New gambling laws will not increase gambling addiction. Those that are addicted will do it regardless.

In closing, I heard a thought the other day that maybe all of us should consider. To

paraphrase: It is certainly most scary to be around someone who is a political zealot or a

religious zealot, than a person who is a gambling zealot. The first two people want to hurt others; the last person has made a decision that might hurt themselves.

Someone who is paying attention

Nassau,

August 24, 2012.