By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
NO CONSTITUTIONAL changes are required if the government wants to allow gambling in all of its forms for Bahamians, Constitutional Committee Chairman Sean McWeeney said yesterday.
Presenting the committee’s recommendations to the government, Mr McWeeney said while the commission finds the idea that Parliament can discriminate against its owns citizens “repugnant”, they feel it is not appropriate at this time to alter article 26 of the constitution that deals specifically with gambling.
He said the article does not prohibit Bahamians from gambling, but rather protects the constitution from challenge if Parliament enacts a law.
In fact, Mr McWeeney said, the whole issue of Bahamians being able to gamble can be easily fixed by a simple amendment by the government.
“They can get rid of this problem by simply editing section 50 of the Lotteries and Gaming Act. The only restriction they need to keep in place is that you are an adult. If you change or get rid of section 50 entirely it opens the flood gates. The referendum was not a waste of time because it means a lot in terms of trying to understand where the public stands on this issue, but you can just get rid of this problem by editing section 50,” he said.
“I have a personal view. Personally I find it very repugnant that there is a law in the Bahamas that discriminates again its own people. I think that it is unfortunate that this issue became inflated with the constitution when it was a simple legislative solution. All the Parliament has to do is repeal section 50 of the Lotteries and Gaming Act and by doing that Bahamians will then be free to gamble in casinos and free to engage in any form of gaming. The Constitution does not say that you cannot repeal section 50. The constitution says if you have a law that discriminates in relation to gambling it’s okay, but the way you deal with that is simply eliminating the law that discriminates against Bahamians which is the lotteries and gaming act, not the constitution.”
Earlier this year, Bahamians overwhelmingly voted against legalizing and regulating numbers and a national lottery.
Following the January referendum on web shop gaming, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced that all web-shops must close with immediate effect; but web-shops filed an injunction to block any move by the government from interfering with its operations.
Comments
banker 11 years, 3 months ago
A PLP mouthpiece trying to extricate the government out of a sticky wicket with the referendum fiasco. Why are the webshops still operating? The PM ordered them closed.
I myself support gambling but making it government supported, not enriching Craig Flowers for his years of illegal action.
Reality_Check 11 years, 3 months ago
McWeeney in his late teens also found foreign teachers repugnant, particularly the British ones who ensured he received a first rate elementary and high school education. Yes, he got his first rate education through A-Levels, but made sure those coming through the educational system after him were less likely to get the same. The average Bahamian child now leaves high school today without having even mastered basic reading, writing and math skills. Repugnant indeed! This fella seems to have spent his entire adult life to date manipulating for the benefit of himself and his political cronies (likely in his mind the ruling class of our society) the much more vulnerable minds of the less fortunate and largely uneducated masses of Bahamians and illegal immigrants. How utterly repugnant and what a waste of a good education provided to one by so many hard working and talented foreign teachers!!
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 3 months ago
I would support a national lottery run by an independent body. I nominate Gowen(?) Bowe for executive chairman and PWC as the accounting firm overseeing the operations. Hmmm can that happen? Anyway national lottery something where the profits will truly go towards the entire Bahamas not just 8 or so wealthy individuals, a bail out for the Finlaysons and Franklin Wilson (he always seems to be in there somewhere).
What frightens me after reading this article...how many lawyers do we have in the Cabinet again? None of them could figure this out before delving us into that worthless exercise? Their chosen field of expertise?
Reality_Check 11 years, 3 months ago
Isn't Gowen Bowe a big up and coming brother of the most secretive lodge that exists in the Bahamas with total membership of less than 50? Someone also told me he is related to the infamous drug king Nigel Bowe who the U.S. government pursued for many years and eventually nailed! Is there more than one Gowon Bowe in the Bahamas.....just don't know for sure.....?!
USAhelp 11 years, 3 months ago
Opps told you so !!!!
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 3 months ago
Oh the character assassination?:) yeah you did
Bahamianpride 11 years, 3 months ago
A national lottery would definitely raise funds to help assist schools and programs for the country..
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