The government would get major financial benefits from the legalization of "the numbers business" and the FNM's council and parliamentarians "greatly support" the idea, the Prime Minister said.
Speaking publicly on the issue for the first time since speculation became rife in the last several weeks that the government is considering legalizing and regulating the local numbers houses in The Bahamas, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham nonetheless said no final decision has been made on the question of law reform in this area.
Mr Ingraham spoke on the topic during an interview with the media before heading into Cabinet yesterday morning, in the wake of a statement from the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC) released on Monday that confirmed that church leaders met with Mr Ingraham last week to discuss the possibility of the "numbers business" being legalized and regulated.
Mr Ingraham said: "The government has been considering the question as to whether or not we ought to bring into the formal economy of The Bahamas an operation that tens of thousands of Bahamians are engaged in on a daily basis. I've made previous public comments on this and referred to my distress and discomfort at our inability to be able to police our laws with respect to the numbers business.
"The FNM council considered the matter and made a recommendation. It has been discussed by members of parliament on my side and I discussed it with the Christian Council.
"I told them we have not made a final decision, that the matter was being considered and that I would get back to them when we have further discussed the matter and arrived at a conclusion."
Mr Ingraham added that "generally speaking there is great support among the parliamentary group and the FNM council for the regularization of the numbers business."
As it stands gambling is illegal in all forms for Bahamians and non-citizen Bahamas residents. It appears at this point that discussions have centered on decriminalizing the numbers houses, not permitting Bahamians to gamble in casinos alongside tourists as they have traditionally been restricted from doing.
Click here to read more in The Tribune
PM: FNM favors legalized gambling
Thu, Apr 15th 2010, 12:00 AM
Chris Thu, 2010/04/15 - 11:03 AM
Am I the only one who thinks the Christian Council's opinions shouldn't matter when it comes to Government? Keep religion and politics separate please...
ZC Sat, 2010/04/17 - 02:28 PM
Sorry I cannot agree with you. To my knowledge, the Christian council is a group of Christian Bahamian leaders in this country. All Bahamians opinion matter in the decision making process of this country regardless of their color or religious belief.
a rolle Sat, 2010/04/17 - 02:33 PM
i agree with Chris, religion and politics should be kept seperate.
aleandra pinder Thu, 2010/04/22 - 01:48 AM
first of all...if you have to make legalizing gambling in the Bahamas thats like saying there is no God who can bring you out the situation. my father is the president of the G.B Christian coucil and I can honestly say he is 100 against it! because i know for myself he lives by faith and not by sight! my Father is a true man of God who will speak against anybody who is wrong! if you can legalize gambling what you know for a fact is not of God what's next, same sex marriage? Huburt Ingraham is the Prime Minister and I respect him dearly simply because he showed leadership ability, but i will go against him everytime he make something wrong right! because he is going against God! boldy! an the same God that put him there is the same God who can remove him! i pray for the correct decision from the prime minister and good judgements when it comes to making the Bahamas a better place. we cannot be known as a Christian Country brought up with Christian Values but one of our laws is legalized by a sin that God is against fully!
mrolle Thu, 2010/04/22 - 07:22 AM
@aleandra, what about all the robberies and murders? is that like saying there is no god? why hurt innocent people !! I am not a fan of the numbers, but ten of thousands of people play it every day and the government get $0 revenue from it. At the moment the numbers guys are making millions of dollars every month so i think it is time for you to wake up and do what is best for the country.
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