The Constitutional Referendum Amendment Bill passed in the House of Assembly last night with the support of the governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and one member of the opposition Free National Movement (FNM). South Abaco FNM MP Edison Key voted with the PLP on the bill. The other FNM members present voted against it. The final vote was 27 in favor, six against and four members were absent. The bill, if made law, would introduce special provisions for the holding of non-constitutional referenda. Key also said he will vote yes at the referendum for the legalization of Bahamians participating in the form of gambling presented. The government has not yet provided a referendum question, or questions.
"As we move to the end of this stage I expect in the country members who are for will obviously present their campaign and members who are against will present their campaign," said Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday in the House wrapping up debate on the bill. The PLP has not taken an official position on the legalization of gambling for Bahamians. The FNM has said Bahamians should vote no if they do not understand the process. "We want the people of The Bahamas to express themselves, to actually turn out, to see this as an important vote and to be able to ensure that they demonstrate that contrary to what the FNM is saying, they know exactly what they are talking about," said Christie.
The prime minister accused the FNM of hypocrisy, having engaged with the numbers industry when it was last in office with the view of possibly legalizing the sector, but now criticizing the referendum processs. The FNM also said during the last general election campaign that it would hold a referendum on gambling if it won the vote. During the debate Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said if the country votes for the legalization of web shop gaming, the government would implement zoning regulations to "limit the gambling houses to certain areas".
This comes after concern was raised by several opposition members over the close proximity of numbers houses and primary schools. "With regulation in place at least we can address the inclusion of young people being in the presence of these places. We can also impose zoning," Davis said. "We could have zoning. I can tell you right across the street from the church, you are seeing web cafes. So I'm saying we are able to zone and say these are the areas in which you are able to operate; you can't do it now." Gaming Board Chairman Dr. Andre Rollins backed that proposal.
"I agree with [Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant] who said that it is quite unfortunate that we have gaming operations a mere 200 feet from primary schools in Grand Bahama," he said during his contribution to the bill. "And if that is true I would like to say as chairman of the Gaming Board, the regulatory authority for gaming, that it really must be addressed such that we do not impose upon the very influential minds of young people what is or can potentially become a very dangerous and addictive activity."
Davis added that in addition to zoning, a number of other regulations would have to be put in place if the country votes to regulate web shops. "We could regulate in such a way that information can be provided with counseling. This is one of the predominant concerns of the Bahamian people and for the opponents to whether or not we should legalize gambling - people being unable to control the habit.
At the moment there is no structure in place for a person who may have an addiction or a person who has control challenges," Davis said. "We are not reinventing the wheel. All of the social concern that comes with legalized gaming could be addressed through regulating them." He added that there is the view that any effort to structurally stop the opportunity for gambling will only serve to drive the phenomenon further underground. It has been estimated that more than 100,000 people in The Bahamas play numbers. The government has promised to shut down illegal numbers houses if the country rejects the question to legalize web shop gaming.
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