Chandika Sukhdeo - driver: `Well, they are claiming that the [slot] machines are illegal. But they passed through customs. Customs had to clear it. And if Palm Court should close because of that, Buddy's [Pool Hall], and the Chinese gambling shops should close too. I don't see what the big deal is. They are not beating people up and forcing them to go into Palm Court and spend their money. These people are going in of their own free will. Speakers and equalisers and power amps come into the country, the duty is paid on them and when the mini-bus operators put them in the bus, they harass them. The government should not complain about it. These things had to pass through customs. Customs cleared it. They think they are taking Mr Rahaman's bread; they are not. Mr Rahaman has options, he could go anywhere he wants to and set up business. But people are losing their jobs. There are a lot of people working there and if they are forcing the man to close his business they should find jobs for the people they are making unemployed. Palm Court should not close down. I go to the Palm Court to drink a beer, to sit down. Palm Court means a lot to many people. A lot of respectable people could come out, enjoy a drink, eat what you have to eat, listen to some music and come out. You can't go to... [some of] those other night clubs because you could get robbed and there they trouble the women.

Sophia Da Silva - sales clerk: 'I think it's a good entertainment place and I am sorry about the closure. The prices there are reasonable, the place is spacious and... oh, the music, is different. I just want to go to a place where I can relax, hang out and have fun. That's what Palm Court is. I think the closure is bad. A lot of my friends and I, we go there on Fridays. When we say we are going out, that's the first place we think about going. There's always a mixed crowd there.'

Colin Outridge - administration officer: 'They are talking about morality and illegal activities. You can't talk about morality. You can't tackle it from the side of morality when you have people betting on horse racing and there are places where there is striptease. Let's talk about those places. But he only applied, he wasn't granted permission. They should have allowed the man to regularise himself. And what they have to find out is how those things came in. In the first place, they had to pass through customs. Palm Court is an international bar and they are trying to attract tourists here. It's just a business method. They need to put some methods in place to attract tourists and those are the types of thing tourists indulge in. I go there in an official capacity because of the kind of people we entertain. Palm Court has an atmosphere where you can sit down and talk business.
It is certainly a place of standard, the service is very good. I don't think Mr Rahaman should close his entire business.
Especially not at this time when the government is trying to inject so much into tourism. And it's located in such a strategic position where there are so many hotels close to it. I think a lot of tourists will miss it.'

Hubert Duncan - barber: `From what I have read, the government and the relevant authorities have a point. It's illegal. But Jad Rahaman also has a point. But technically he is wrong. The Government is saying we do not have casino arrangements in Guyana and we don't want it. I believe what he is doing though sets a bad precedent for the country. Other persons will say if Palm Court is doing their gambling, why I can't do my gambling. The gambling shows the depraved state of our country, when such a thing is considered a norm. Years ago it might have been a shocking discovery. It is a bad precedent, he is challenging the government to see with him. As if to say "you see the standards are broken down, why can't I try my thing?" He is trying to say under the circumstances he should not be persecuted because we are in a state where the whole society is corrupt. But Rahaman has a point. That's the barometer of our moral standard.
Where are the old virtues of society? We are reaching a state where we emulate other countries. I think Rahaman overreacted in disgust. What he is trying to say is "If you can't hustle in Guyana, you can't make it.' Guyana has no chance of flourishing with a normal everyday business. Look he had to close his Baracara resort. But it's like digging a hole to fill a hole. He is trying to say Guyana is in a crisis situation. It's bad. It doesn't need to be like this.'

Alieka Davis - student: 'I don't think he should close it down. Palm Court is good entertainment, nothing common goes on there. It's a respectable place. There are no better places to go, at least not to me. You are safe there. I don't feel as comfortable at other places. I just go there to have a good time in an appropriate place. At some of the other places there is no proper dress code and the type of people that go to them... the brawling set of people. At Palm Court the people there are well-dressed and they are a good crowd. I have never heard of any `shoot-up' or seen any fighting in the Palm Court. Now tourists have lost a good place. They could go to other places but Palm Court is far better. The food is good, they have a wide variety of drinks. I think he should reopen.'

Rasheed Yassin - television host: `I think its ridiculous. In more developing countries these types of activities are forms of entertainment rather than gambling. We need activities in the country, especially to attract tourists. People don't have a lot of activities. You can't walk the street any more; it's not safe to even go window-shopping with the crime in the country. People need places where you can go, play a few games and relieve the stress you feel. I feel the horse racing services are more outrageous and feature more open gambling than a slot machine. I think they should just give the man a licence and let him operate legally. It's not gambling, it's entertainment, especially at this time. People need relaxation, they are stressed out. I personally believe he should reopen. As a businessman he should have secured himself with proper legal documentation to avoid losses but at the same time he is targeting mostly foreigners. Personally I do not hold slot machines to be high-level forms of gambling, just an international form of entertainment. His business has to survive and he has to pay his employees so they could survive. They are depending on his business.'

Nargo Dunn - private sector employee: `I think he should reopen. He helps to boost tourism. And a lot of the foreign diplomats - they go there. He has also created employment for a lot people and I also believe that it pushes forward in terms of development. We are at a point now where we have to develop Guyana. Take for example Barbados and Trinidad, they are making leaps in development. Palm Court affords recreation to a lot of persons, especially the diplomats. They have all the amenities of their choice there. They have put the correct measures in place, there are professional ethics, good service, a nice atmosphere.'