By TAMARA McKENZIE, Guardian Senior Reporter

tamara@nasguard.com

Already challenged with busting illegal number houses in New Providence and Grand Bahama, The Royal Bahamas Police Force will have to focus its efforts on San Salvador, Exuma and Abaco, where illegal gambling is said to be rampant.

"No longer than today, someone called me from San Salvador and said we need to look into what is happening down there, because gambling is openly going on in the place and the police seems to be doing nothing," said Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Crime, Reginald Ferguson.

In an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Mr Ferguson said whenever there is increasing development and an increase in the population on certain Family Islands, the numbers racket seems to take off. "It is not the local people that live there [on the Family Islands] anymore [that are gambling]. You have people who have been working here in New Providence, who are up there working and they carry their ways with them," he said.

The Assistant Commissioner further informed that in addition to San Salvador, he has also received reports that numbers houses are operating in Exuma, Abaco and some areas of Eleuthera, where there has been an increase in economic activity.

He added that several houses were busted last year and these matters have since been heard before the court.

He pointed out however, that the police cannot just "pounce" on a business operation, but must develop information to get the necessary evidence, before an alleged numbers house is busted and even before the matter is taken to court.

"Even when they [owners of illegal numbers houses] go before the court, there has to be a spirit in the community to do away with illegal gambling. The police look like the villains when they go before the court with these matters and this is how things are shaping up," Mr Ferguson said.

The Assistant Commissioner said that the sale of numbers is classified as a minor crime, but it has become a "social crime" in The Bahamas. He said the police are fighting crime but they must begin to get to the root of certain matters, and some of the activities that Bahamians see as common, are those which can have a serious effect on society.

"Some people are trying to legalise the number racket business, to make it a way of life for people; imagine that. You see where we are heading and this is not good for human beings period. I don't want to sound like an idealist, but this is my outlook on things."