President of the Bahamas Christian Council Rev. Dr. Ranford Patterson yesterday urged the government to take responsibility for any decisions relating to legalizing gambling for Bahamians and "leave the people out of it". Patterson was responding to a Nassau Guardian article that revealed most members of Parliament have declined to state how they intend to vote on the planned referendum on gambling or claimed they are undecided. "No one wants to seem to take responsibility," he said in an interview with The Nassau Guardian.
"Take responsibility. Do what you need to do as a government. That is all I'm asking them to do. You don't need us to legalize what you're doing. "Leave the people out of it. Don't wash your hands on this one. Just do what you have to do. If this is such a major issue for you, just do what you have to do. State your position." The Guardian contacted Patterson for reaction given that he first made the call several weeks ago for MPs to state publicly their views on gambling.
"Members of Parliament have a responsibility, I believe, to be up front and to speak exactly the way they feel," Patterson said. As reported by The Nassau Guardian yesterday, 10 of the 38 members of Parliament said they intend to vote 'yes' in the referendum on gambling: Fred Mitchell (Fox Hill); Dr. Perry Gomez (North Andros and the Berry Islands); Arnold Forbes (Mount Moriah); Dr. Hubert Minnis (Killarney); Glenys Hanna-Martin (Englerston); Damian Gomez (Central and South Eleuthera); Edison Key (Central and South Abaco); Dr. Daniel Johnson (Carmichael); Dr. Andre Rollins (Fort Charlotte) and Gregory Moss (Marco City).
Three said they intend to vote 'no': V. Alfred Gray (MICAL); Picewell Forbes (South Andros) and Anthony Moss (Exuma and Ragged Island). Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said he does not intend to vote because the referendum should include a question on legalizing casino gambling for Bahamians. All the others said they were undecided, will not state their positions publicly or had no comment one way or the other on the gambling issue. But Patterson insisted they should speak up. "It's either right or wrong," he said.
"And if you are comfortable with something then you say yes. If you are not then you say no. There's no middle ground in this. Either you are or you're not. "I'm disappointed in those who said outrightly that they would vote [yes]. I don't know what horse they have in the race, but be that as it may, every Bahamian has a right to vote their conscience." While making a communication on the gambling referendum in the House of Assembly last week, Prime Minister Perry Christie said the government would not take a position on the referendum and does not have "a horse in this race".
But Patterson said, "I urge them to be forthright, don't have [a] middle ground in this. Just be up front with the Bahamian people and let them know your position." Christie has promised to strictly enforce the law against gambling if voters vote overwhelmingly to reject legalization. The Christian Council president, however, again urged the government to close down all numbers houses before the referendum.
Asked what should happen to the people who work at those businesses, Patterson said, "If we are saying that the web shop business is illegal that cannot be a concern right now. "The government has a responsibility to find jobs and to make opportunities available for Bahamians. I don't want to get into that argument as to what to do with the people because if we keep allowing persons to do things because they can and because they employ people and pay National Insurance, and it's illegal then my position remains the same -- an illegal business is an illegal business."
Patterson also said that in meetings the Christian Council had with the government, the only proposition was the legalization of numbers houses. He said establishing a national lottery was never discussed. "Bahamian people are calling for a national lottery," he said. "A lot of Bahamians are not prepared, I believe, to support the legalization of the existing businesses."
But the prime minister has said voters will be asked whether they support legalization of numbers businesses and or the establishment of a national lottery. Patterson indicated that the Council will not tell people how they should vote. "I have no problem with any Bahamian who chooses, if they say that this is what they want and they choose to vote for it, they have a right to do it," he said.
"All I ask them to do is to look at the pros and cons. Look at the benefits and look at what it's going to cost The Bahamas and the Bahamian people going forward. "I believe the costs far outweigh what we're going to get. There's going to be so much that we're going to have to spend just to protect our people. This referendum, if it passes, the Bahamian people might think we're winning, but I'm saying publicly we are all going to lose."
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