The Tribune

AS he outlined the economic despair of Long Island, area MP Adrian Gibson lamented the "cancer" gambling houses had become in the small community, saying gaming addictions had deepened the island's socio-economic challenges.

Speaking in the House of Assembly on Wednesday afternoon, the Water and Sewerage Corporation chairman told his colleagues how residents' gaming addictions robbed students of lunch money and left some households without funds to buy groceries.

In the face of this, he said, the island is in an "economic decline" and still has not recovered from Hurricane Joaquin in 2015.

"Mr Speaker, the proliferation of numbers houses has become a cancer in our communities," Mr Gibson said. "The economy is already hardly existent; not many people can be considered to have disposable income, but the number houses are always full.

"There are persons who are addicted to gambling. This has deepened the socio-economic challenges we face. Of late, persons have been referred to Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre for treatment of their addictions, but, where is the addiction and rehab programme that number houses were supposed to launch?

"There are children who are attending school without lunch; there are households that are without food and basic amenities due to gambling addictions. Some people gamble their entire pay cheque at a numbers house. Many gamble with hope of being lucky and bettering their faith."

He said it is estimated locally that about $200,000 leaves the island each month, repatriated by gambling houses to headquarters in Nassau.

"There are between 15 to 20 numbers houses in Long Island -- an island that has some 3,000 inhabitants. How can that possibly be explained? The number houses are killing businesses. The number houses are killing the island's economy. We must address their impact in small island communities."

He said some speculate that the Royal Bank of Canada may pull out of Long Island, leaving residents more vulnerable to gambling as they use the facilities as banks.

"As it stands, many islanders avoid bank transaction fees by sending/receiving money via number houses. As one Long Islander told me, if you send $20, the person on the receiving end receives $20. The number houses are engaged in banking……but where is the Central Bank in all of this?"

He also implored the government not to forget Long Island, an island plagued by unemployment and a brain drain.

"Year over year, our students graduate and leave to pursue a better life elsewhere. Many to never return.

". . . We are hurting and, in terms of development, feel as though we are the forgotten outsider in this island chain."

He called on the government to give the island a proper international airport to boost tourist arrivals, saying the current Deadman's Cay terminal is smaller than some chicken coops.

He urged the government to consider a public-private partnership or a public offering like the Arawak Port Development to fund a new airport.

"The desperation of Long Islanders for the long promised international airport has led persons who love Long Island, such as contractor Wade Knowles, to speak about building a terminal free of charge if given labour," Mr Gibson said.

"In addition to the airport, direct marketing of our island would help us to reach our full potential."

Mr Gibson also told his constituents he would seek support of the prime minister to expand water mains construction on the island, where most residents do not have access to running city water and instead have to construct their own water holding tanks.