Motion calling for UG study on casino gambling defeated
By Gordon French
Kaieteur News
January 13, 2007

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A motion seeking to force Government into allowing the University of Guyana (UG) to conduct a study on the introduction of casino gambling in Guyana was defeated in the National Assembly, on Thursday, following close to three hours of debate.

The motion, submitted by Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Sheila Holder, proposed that within three months' time, this study should advise if casino gambling would add to Guyana 's tourism product, given the profile of visitors coming into Guyana .

According to the motion, the study would have also determined whether such gambling would exacerbate the current crime situation.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, in effectively shutting down the motion, said that a study was unnecessary since the administration believes that the very differences that obtain presently will persist.

He added that a study will take more than three months, and will not resolve all of the issues.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds said that Government was open to consultations, and was not going to reject the points put forward by the Christian community.

The motion had called on the National Assembly to direct Government to enlist the University of Guyana to provide advice on the practicality of Government's proposed intention to exclude Guyanese from engaging in casino gambling in Guyana in the context of administrative, budgetary, and policing measures which would be required.

Additionally, Holder requested that the National Assembly call on Government to retain the services of academics of the university to advise under what conditions, if any, revenues from the gaming industry would positively impact on economic development in Guyana .

It would also advise on whether gaming would mitigate the negatives associated with the industry.

During the debate on the motion, Government MPs, who included Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Minister within the Ministry of Education, Dr Desrey Fox, Odinga Lumumba, and Irfan Ally, all maintained that the intention to introduce casino gambling was linked to the possible boost to the country's tourism and hospitality industry.

The AFC motion, a petition by the Christian community, and a protest outside Parliament were not enough to thwart intentions by the administration to press ahead with plans to introduce casino gambling legislation.

Rohee, on Thursday, tabled the controversial Gambling Prevention (Amendment) Bill in the National Assembly.

Sources say that Government is wasting no time in introducing the legislation, and that next Friday Parliament will sit to debate the controversial Bill.

The Government, with its majority in the National Assembly, could pass the legislation on the same day.