The Tribune

By CHESTER ROBARDS

Tribune Senior Reporter

crobards@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie assured the public yesterday the gambling laws of the Bahamas will be enforced.

Speaking after Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett ordered the ban that kept police from shutting down web shop operations lifted, Mr Christie said the government’s previous position on the closure of the web shops still stands.

However, he could not elaborate on the Chief Justice’s ruling because he had not yet read the judgement.

“I should be allowed to read the judgement,” he said. “I was told of the judgement, that it had been delivered. I have not yet had a briefing with the Attorney General as to the contents of that.

“My position is on the record. It has been referred to in the case itself. Once the court rules clearly on the law there is no confusion as to what is expected and if the web shops have been ruled to be an illegal and illicit activity then they have to act accordingly, so there is nothing for me to do now or say.”

Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade said recently that he had been far too lenient in allowing web shops to operate in the country.

Leader of the Free National Movement (FNM) Dr Hubert Minnis agreed that the law of the country will have to be enforced and followed where illegal gambling is concerned.

“We are a country of law and the government is expected to do what they were elected to do,” said Dr Minnis. “The FNM expects that the law is carried out in the same manner in which the injunction to keep them open was carried out.”

FNM deputy leader Loretta Butler-Turner said she hopes the will of the people who voted in the referendum on gaming will now be done.

“In moving forward since the people have spoken, it is now incumbent that the government do what the people have wanted since the end of January, when they enforced this interlocutory order to keep the web shops open,” she said.

“We have waited since January 28 to have the will of the people enforced and it is now incumbent upon the government of the Bahamas and the police to do what is constitutionally right.”