The government of the Bahamas is making criminals of its citizens. Many Bahamians gamble daily all over the Bahamas. Bahamians have the right to gamble. Government has no right to dictate to adults what to do with their hard-earned money. Government has gone too far.

On this issue, successive governments have discriminated against Bahamians by making it legal and convenient for non-residents to gamble in casinos while declaring it a crime for Bahamians to do the same.

It is rediculous for a visitor to your country to have more rights in your country than you do. Fundamentally this is wrong and flies in the face of the constitution. Residents are being discriminated against on a number of bases. If we were in America this would have been challenged by lawyers and overturned in the courts from day one. Our spineless lawyers won't even consider rocking the boat. None give consideration to going down in history as the lawyer who liberated Bahamians from the oppressive government and churchmen.

The things that are really ruining our society they ignore. They don't touch. They don't talk about.

I don't gamble but I see our rights being taken by the government and trampled on - we are confirmed as second class in our own home.

This is being confirmed by the push for Bahamian photographers to be off Bay St. for Junkanoo. It sounds as though we have sold the Bahamas lock, stock, and barrel. We should not stand for this.

Your rights are taken a bit at a time until you discover you have no rights left. Be aware.

I think our bahamain men already have enough problems taking care of there children and they have far to many addictions as is

It all boils down to personal choices or individual freedoms which most government the world over and especially ours are reluctant to accept. Successive Bahamian governments from the PLP when they first gained power to this clueless bunch we have governing us today have not seen it politically or socially expedient to bring about the necessary changes to this unjust piece of legislation so that bahamians can be on equal footing in their own country with foreigners. The lame excuse that bahamian men would become even more irresposible with their money if allowed to gamble legally is intellectually dishonest. No scientific studies have been done to draw this conclusion just anecdotes from disgruntal heartbroken bahamian women. I agree it is about time the lawyers or perhap the Bar Association cause to bring forth the necessary legislation to end the hypocritical law. It is about time our goverment start respecting our rights as citizens. It is about time bahamians start agitating for change and stop expecting others to come to our rescue. Maybe we should not vote for any political party that does not address this serious issue in its platform during election time.

I don't see a damn thing wrong with gambling! I gamble in every sense of the word - I buy raffle tickets, I bet on who's going to win the Superbowl, I place bets on all sorts of things AND I even buy numbers from all of the local gambling houses - yes, that's right - the same places where police, defense force and prison officers go to buy numbers as well as to collect their winnings. Shouldn't we follow by the examples that our law enforcement officers are teaching us?

All the people who will be irresponsible gambling are being irresponsible gambling. Everone who really wants to gamble is gambling. They are just doing it illegally. And the law closes its eyes to the gambling because many of our top people are regular gamblers.

This law, in my opinion, is unconstitutional and should be challenged. It makes Bahamians second class in the Bahamas. There is no way a visitor should have more rights than a resident. And how do they know who is a visitor or resident without profiling you? My cousins are Americans and they look and sound just like me. When they return I will take them into the casino and we will see what happens.

I do not gamble because I do not like to lose. The only way I would gamble really is if I can be the house. But this week I am going to protest by buying some numbers. I will buy 664 all week. I will let you all know if I win.

It is a difficult decision when it comes to the gambling issue. One would find that the main contention will be that of the church; then following closely would be the thought that Bahamians hate to loose their money, so we would fight and break up the place.

As a former Croupier (10yrs experience), I have seen too many lives destroyed by trying to ‘chase the $$$$$$$’ on a Crap table). Yet that should not detract from the fact that we are adults and as such, we should have the choice of whether we want to gamble or not.

It is a pity to see successive governments keeping the old mentality of: “Man, Bahamians een ready fer dat yet.”
:bahamas:

Sorry but the 'church' translates into 'the majority of the people' .....they are 'almost' one and the same. (and this translate into votes)

I assure you, one would find it hard press to smoothly have the gambling issue resolved in the Bahamas. Maybe just maybe on a Referendum but nothing short. Governments can only and should only exercise tyranny on matters on National Security……..not with regards to Blackjack tables.

Of course I would readily agree that 'most' of the same ones that makeup the 'church' are gamblers too. And what goes on in church on Sunday tends to overflow into Monday & Tuesday.........maybe they should have the Referendum on a Thursday?