The Tribune

OUTSPOKEN Pastor Mario Moxey said Prime Minister Perry Christie’s admission that he regrets holding the failed gambling referendum shows “blatant disregard” for the will of the Bahamian people.

Calling the stance “unconscionable”, he said Mr Christie’s comments should not be taken lightly, as they represent a potential threat to Bahamian democracy.

“Is the Prime Minister suggesting that polling the nation and gaining widespread consultation was a waste of time since the results did not suit his political agenda?

“Bahamians everywhere must feel insulted, used and abused by the Prime Minister who has apparently orchestrated an entire referendum under the false pretence of democracy in an attempt to regulate the numbers racket in the Bahamas.”

According to Pastor Moxey, Mr Christie’s comments also suggest disregard for the sacrifices that thousands of Bahamians made to exercise their democratic right by participating in the referendum, as well as the undisclosed government, private and church resources spent on the effort.

“The Prime Minister’s comments were insensitive to the men and women who demonstrated the courage to mark their ‘x’ in a referendum with far-reaching national implications,” he said.

Pastor Moxey questioned whether the government gave the appearance of exercising democracy “while secretly making alternate plans behind closed doors” – something that could pose a serious threat to Bahamian democracy.

“The Prime Minister should, at the very least, apologise to the Bahamian people for his recent unfortunate and ill-conceived comments of regret, which fly in the face of the exercise of democracy by my Bahamian brothers and sisters in our country,” he said.

“The Prime Minister alluded to needing moral authority to overturn the results of the referendum, which he made a national commitment to uphold.

“This is yet another ‘scapegoat’ he is attempting to create in order to appease criminal entities. There is no greater moral authority than that of the voters who participated in the referendum, and who with an overwhelming majority spoke loud and clear.

“It is apparent that the Governor of the Central Bank attempted to inform the Prime Minister that criminal enterprises are operating underground banks illegally in the country and therefore, they should be prosecuted.

“Is the Prime Minister interpreting the Central Bank Governor as saying that these illegal enterprises should be regulated?

“When criminals are known, rather than giving favours to legitimise their criminal activity, they are usually arrested for breaking the law. What mixed signal is our Prime Minister sending to our citizenry already overwhelmed by crime?”

Pastor Moxey claimed that by holding the referendum in the first place, the Prime Minister miscalculated the moral climate of the nation, which is tired of the unacceptable level of lawlessness and rejected an attempt by the government to codify criminality into public law.

He said: “We call on the Prime Minister to defend justice, champion democracy, keep his word and enforce the law of the land.

“Last year, when church leaders met with the Prime Minister prior to the referendum, the question was asked of him, what guarantee do church leaders have from him in the event of a ‘no’ vote, that he would shut down the number houses?

“His response was, ‘The world is watching’, implying that he would have to comply. By his recent comments it appears that the Prime Minister believes that the world has closed its eyes and expects Bahamians, in ignorance, to follow suit and do the same.

“To the Prime Minister, we say the world is still watching and our eyes are wide open. Long live democracy!” Pastor Moxey said.