Web shop transition extended - without a new deadline

Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe

As of Monday, June 22, 2015

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE government has extended the web shop industry’s transition period until an unspecified date, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe confirmed yesterday.

Mr Wilchcombe told The Tribune that the Gaming Board has advised that the transitional period for web shop operators be continued due to the “amount of work that must be reviewed and assessed.”

Mr Wilchcombe is the minister responsible for gaming. He did not specify a date on which officials would release the names of the successful web shop operators who will receive gaming house operator licenses. Nonetheless, he said Gaming Board officials are seeking to complete the work “without compromise of scrutiny.”

The announcement on which web shops will receive licenses was expected by the end of this month.

“Due to the amount of work that must be reviewed and assessed the (Gaming) Board has advised that the transitional period be continued,” the minister said yesterday.

“We are determined to ensure the highest and internationally accepted level of transparency.”

In March, Mr Wilchcombe confirmed that 10 web shop operators submitted RFPs in their bids to obtain gaming house licenses, and were subsequently set to undergo “strict scrutiny” from the Gaming Board in order for them to operate legally in the country.

He said the 10 companies would face “due diligence investigations” that would delve into all aspects of their operations with the aim of establishing whether the applicants, their shareholders and directors, and staff are deemed to be fit and proper to hold the licenses for which they have applied.

In February, Mr Wilchcombe said that the government would reveal the approved list of web shop operators in May or June. However, he did not confirm how many operators would be announced at that time.

In March, Island Luck CEO Sebas Bastian told reporters the process of applying for a license had cost his company more than $200,000.

He has since opened a new web shop location at the former Kentucky Fried Chicken store in the Village Road shopping plaza.

However, Mr Bastian has dismissed criticism that the opening was “premature.” He said the opening of Island Luck’s “Select” web shop had been planned “long before the Gaming Bill had passed.”

He added that if he was unsuccessful in obtaining a license, the web shop would be “one, beautiful place that will be for rent.”

ThisIsOurs 9 years, 5 months ago

However, Mr Bastian has dismissed criticism that the opening was “premature.” He said the opening of Island Luck’s “Select” web shop had been planned “long before the Gaming Bill had passe

Said before, the more he speaks, the more I'm convinced he's just a front man. I planned to open an illegal operation long before they told me I could be legal

birdiestrachan 9 years, 5 months ago

Obie Wilchombe you people put persons who use to sell numbers out of work. and put persons who vote no to work. example Malcolm, Francis, and others, You all are doing the same thing with the used car dealers. You are forgetting the poop people who supported you.

ohdrap4 9 years, 5 months ago

help, help, someone hacked birdie's computer!!!

i feel sorry for the 'poop' people too.

themessenger 9 years, 5 months ago

Ha! Maybe Birdie forgot how to twist and has learned to tango.

GrassRoot 9 years, 5 months ago

This Government is make a bad situation worse. Ever heard of Time Value of Money. get this done, issue the licenses and cash in the money and move on.

Here for the Government: DEFINITION of 'Time Value of Money - TVM'

The idea that money available at the present time is worth more than the same amount in the future due to its potential earning capacity. This core principle of finance holds that, provided money can earn interest, any amount of money is worth more the sooner it is received.

TalRussell 9 years, 5 months ago

Frankly, my people, we PLP's just don't give a good damn anymore? Comrades I will bet numbers odds that when PM Christie and DPM "Brave" Davis were both off the island at the same time, ya'll clueless who was the individual appointed da acting PM, during their absence? Constitutionally it is required...right?

GrassRoot 9 years, 5 months ago

what 'being clueless as a politician'? sounds about right

asiseeit 9 years, 5 months ago

I would love for our DPM to go to the U.S. I think they would like to see him as well.

truetruebahamian 9 years, 5 months ago

This government stinks worse that a week old dead rat.

birdiestrachan 9 years, 5 months ago

I meant POOR people I made a typing mistake. When Time Magazine does this it becomes a collectors item. Yes indeed they are forgetting the POOR people. POOR people can not afford new cars.

ThisIsOurs 9 years, 5 months ago

no need to apologize, Poop people was good enough and probably a better description for all those people who thought their mortgage papers would be ripped up once the PLP won the govt. and who marched downtown and fought for the privilege of allowing the gambling houses to legally take their rent and baby formula money

Emac 9 years, 5 months ago

:-)

TalRussell 9 years, 5 months ago

Funny hey Comrades, with da 2017 General Elections fast approaching who would've known that Obadiah would have announced this morning, how he and Papa Hubert go back in time as two political bosoms buddies. Now, it be's up all we decide the most likely of the two, who is da left or da right bosom? Whatever, it going require some endurable push bra hold these two boobs up.

Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 5 months ago

The close ties that Obie and Brave appear to have with the Bahamian front men of the foreign organized criminals behind the web shops operating 'illegally' in the Bahamas and greater Caribbean today warrant a full and proper independent investigation.

EasternGate 9 years, 5 months ago

The PLP is going to hold the numbers racket hostage until campaign time. That way they can extract the maximum in campaign "donations"!

Sickened 9 years, 5 months ago

This constant delay really shows how little the government knew about the numbers racket. They had absolutely no idea how complex it was, who all was involved (both at the ownership level or at the user level), and how much friggin' money these criminals made. All they knew is that they (the government) would get a ton of cash for approving it. I am sure that now they know how many jurisdictions are involved and how many governments are scrutinizing these guys (especially the U.S.) they are probably pooping themselves for having gotten into bed with them. I can see the U.S. chomping at the bit waiting for our stupid government to finalize this so that they can bring the whole house down. It is now obvious why the U.S. let JP Morgan (the correspondent bank for BoB) accept the web-shop money. Now they have the means to prosecute all of these fools in the U.S. for criminal activities and monies flowing through the U.S.

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