The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

DAYS after Vote Yes officials staged a massive rally in support of the regularisation of the numbers racket, Vote No campaigners marched in protest of the move on Bay Street ahead of today’s referendum.

Spokesperson Lyall Bethel, pastor of the Grace Community Church yesterday said they aimed to remind Bahamians that their lives depend on God and not on the numbers bosses or games of chance. 

The march, which began at Rawson Square and ended at Arawak Cay, saw around 500 vote no supporters take to the streets officials said.

“We are calling Bahamians,” Mr Bethel said, “back to God reminding them He won’t change and that we have to trust Him.

“We know while around 49 per cent of Bahamians are PLP and another 49 per cent are FNM 90 per cent of the people in this country are Christian and rather than being seduced by the beguiling message of the right dream book we are calling Bahamians to know that they are better than that. God has no difficulty with taking us through.”

Mr Bethel added that he and other organisers were pleased with all they had done up to this point.

“I just feel that we have done a remarkable job and saw great success especially when you consider the couple of thousands of dollars that we had at our disposal.”

He said he did not know the price tag attached to the “Save Our Bahamians – Vote No” campaign.

Last Wednesday, as parliamentarians debated in the House of Assembly, thousands of the country’s web shop workers assembled on Bay Street which organisers said was an effort to put a face to their campaign. 

Leading the parade were well known numbers operators that included FML Group of Companies CEO Craig Flowers, Sebas Bastian of Island Luck, and Deyvon Jones of Whatfall.

Coordinators said they wanted Bahamians to identify with how powerful the web shop industry was as it is filled with thousands of persons who want to keep their jobs like every other citizen in the country.

The numbers bosses had suspended business to allow their employees to participate in the march.