Casino bill envisages gaming authority -PNCR-1G to oppose legislation
By Miranda La Rose
Stabroek News
January 5, 2007
The bill being laid in parliament on Thursday to authorise casino gambling provides for a gaming authority and "no more than three casino premises licences" in any region and the main opposition PNCR-1G yesterday signalled it would strenuously oppose the legislation.
According to the bill seen by Stabroek News, licences may also be issued to a new hotel or resort complex "with a minimum of 150 rooms" and holding a minimum rating prescribed by regulations. Initially, President Bharrat Jagdeo had said that licences would not be granted to hotels with less than 250 rooms and they must be of a four-star standard.
The bill says that failure to comply with the amendments could result in fines of not less than $1 million and not more than $20 million or a jail term of not less than six months or not more than two years.
The new bill is an amendment to the Gambling Prevention Act Chapter 9:02 of 1902 and its title is the Gambling Prevention (Amendment) Bill 2006.
It is expected that the bill would be rushed through parliament to allow for Buddy's International Hotel and Resort to provide casino gaming facilities for guests who would be staying at the hotel over the period that Guyana would be hosting the Super Eight matches of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Cricket World Cup 2007 championship starting on March 28.
The religious community in Guyana has opposed the introduction of casino gambling and the private sector including tour operators and other stakeholders have told the Stabroek News that while they were aware of government's intention mainly through the media, they had not been consulted and they, too, have concerns.
The amendment bill, No 30 of 2006, which is arranged in four sections, makes provision for the insertion of seven more sections - Sections 27 to 33 in the principal act.
Section 27 says that no owner or occupier of any place shall permit the place to be operated as a casino otherwise than in accordance with a casino premises licence and Section 28 says that no person shall operate a casino otherwise than in accordance with a casino operator's licence.
Section 29 says that subject to Sections 27 to 33 and the casino regulations, which are still to be seen, the Gaming Authority may issue to any person, subject to any condition it thinks fit, a casino premises licence authorizing any place to be operated as a casino; a casino operator's licence authorising the person to operate a casino.
The same section says that no more than three casino premises licences may be issued in respect of any one of the ten administrative regions, and no casino premises licence may be issued except for a new hotel or resort complex with a minimum of 150 rooms allocated for accommodation and holding a minimum rating prescribed by regulations.
The President had also said that Guyanese would have been excluded from patronising the casinos but there is no specific provision in the amendment bill to exclude Guyanese. Some had argued that such a provision would be discriminatory and nonsensical as Guyanese travel to other destinations to take part in casino gambling.
The bill says that only a worker at the casino or a paying guest accommodated in a room at the hotel or resort complex in respect of which the casino premises licence for the casino was issued would be permitted to enter the casino. It however makes provision for any other person or class of persons authorised by regulations to be admitted to the casinos.
The subject minister, that is the Minister of Home Affairs, is responsible for making the regulations to establish the gaming authority and to vest it with the necessary powers to carry out its duties and functions.
The minister may also among other functions, prescribe the form or content of any application for a licence; prescribe fees payable for any application and issuance of a licence; to prescribe conditions for, and restrictions on the issuing of any licence; to prescribe criteria to be considered in determining any application for a licence; to require the holder of any licence to keep records, registers, and other documentation, make any of these available for inspection, or make reports or returns; regulate any activity or conduct in or in relation to licensed casinos; and prescribe penalties for the breach of any casino regulations not exceeding the maximum penalties already set out.
The bill also gives the minister unlimited powers under 'Regulations for casinos'. It states that "Nothing in this section affects or limits the Minister's power to make regulations under Section 26" of the principal act.
Meanwhile, at a press conference yesterday, the PNCR-IG said that the mad rush to pass casino legislation in the absence of promised consultations has made a mockery of the undertakings given by the President in his address to the ninth Parliament. "The PNCR intends to vigorously oppose this legislation and calls on all stakeholders of similar mind to join in those efforts. The government cannot be allowed to continue this total disrespect for the people of Guyana".
In addition to the PNCR-1G's position, the five-seat Alliance For Change has submitted a motion to parliament on casino gambling which is to be debated on Thursday. The motion in the name of AFC MP Sheila Holder notes that some sections of the religious community are opposed to casino gambling and therefore urges that the National Assembly call on the government to retain expertise within the University of Guyana to conduct a study within three months to advise on whether casino gambling would add to the country's tourism product or aggravate the crime situation.