The “national disgrace” of illegal gambling hijacked the Christmas spirit, turning the tradition of gift-giving into an attempt to sway public opinion on the upcoming referendum, Pastor Lyall Bethel charged.
The Grace Community Church leader hit out at the recent trend of numbers operators giving away houses, cars and money at huge holiday events. He also criticised successive governments allowing the underground gambling racket to flourish for decades.
According to Pastor Bethel, the lavish prizes given away by some numbers houses over the last month were nothing more than an attempt to “bribe the Bahamian electorate” into voting for the decriminalisation of gambling.
“During one of their block parties . . . children were seen being given $10 notes in envelopes, while later moneys were thrown into the air for residents to scramble to get.
“How sickening to see Bahamians grovelling on the ground for filthy lucre, encouraged to give in to a spirit of covetousness by these supposed Robin Hoods of the industry.”
