The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

NEWLY-appointed Gaming Board Chairman Kenyatta Gibson yesterday told The Tribune an audit of the board’s finances and a status review of the gaming house industry are first on the new panel’s agenda.

He said these things would need to be done before any potential recommendations from the board are given to the government of The Bahamas.

Mr Gibson, a former Free National Movement Golden Isles candidate, was asked whether he would push for the implementation of a national lottery and if his appointment as chairman would mean major changes for gaming houses in the country.

He said the new board of directors at the Gaming Board was expected to meet next week once schedules aligned.

Mr Gibson, a former member of the Progressive Liberal Party, was Gaming Board chairman under the first Christie administration. In 2004, he announced the Gaming Board was looking at the feasibility of a national lottery being introduced, however those plans never came to fruition.

“It is too early to say anything about a national lottery,” Mr Gibson said when he was contacted by The Tribune, “but at this stage we are reviewing the industry in all of its aspects. As a matter of fact we are going to send out a request for proposals (RFP) and request a number of accounting firms to audit the board and its finances. That is a part of the universal and plenary review.

“Gaming houses, (the sector is) a new industry and we feel to do it justice we have to review its finances and resources before we opine (on) its progress and future plans.

“We don’t want to be premature so a status report will be done to see where it is and ensure it is best placed to serve the people of the country.”

The government finally released its list of appointments to public boards and committees on Tuesday, with several Free National Movement backbenchers and former FNM members of Parliament getting top posts.

The listing, which was published in The Tribune, lists former National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest as chairman of Bahamasair Holdings Limited among the appointees.

The list, which refers 104 statutory agencies and/or entities, lists persons appointed members of statutory boards and committees for the period July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018, unless otherwise indicated.

FNM MICAL MP Rev Miriam Emmanuel has been appointed chairman of the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC), taking over from former BAIC chairman and former Deputy House Speaker Dion Smith.

Other appointees of note include Bahamas Harvest Church pastor Mario Moxey to the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy and Rev Ranford Patterson as chairman of Cable Bahamas.