Casino bill passed By Andre Haynes
Stabroek News
January 23, 2007

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The government last night used its majority to pass the contentious bill which will legalise casino gambling.

After two days of fierce debate featuring 24 speakers, the Gambling Prevention (Amendment) Bill 2006 was taken through its second and third readings and passed on votes of 35 to 26 after a division was called on each reading.

"We have been condemned… but we believe history will absolve us," Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee said, before taking the Bill through its final stages following a bitterly fought debate, which ended about 10.50 last night.

Deputy Speaker Clarissa Riehl was forced to call for order in the House on several occasions as tempers flared. Members of the government were forced to face down a battery of questions from the opposition MPs, who demanded full disclosure about the projected economic benefits as well as more details about the Authority proposed to monitor and regulate legalised gaming in the event that the government decided to go ahead. There were several calls for the Bill to be withdrawn and for the holding of a referendum, but the government did not respond to any of the pleas.

Afterward, President of the Guyana Council of Churches Reverend Alphonso Porter lamented the night's outcome. "It's a real pity," he said. "We believe the government has gone tragically wrong."

Porter stressed that the Christian community remains committed to the fight, and he indicated that recent events will be remembered when the next general elections are held. "This will not be forgotten," he said. "Don't think you will slight the entire religious community. There will be no let up."

According to the amendment Bill, casino licences may be issued to a new hotel or resort complex with a minimum of 150 rooms and holding a minimum rating prescribed by regulations. It also provides for the establishment of a Gaming Authority, which 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 Bill also says that no more than three casino premises licences may be issued in respect of any one of the ten administrative regions.

During the last two months, all the major religious groups have expressed concern over the manner in which the government had moved to legalise casino gambling. The leaders of the Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Baha'i faiths specifically said that they had not been properly consulted. They also contended that the government has brought no evidence to show economic benefits of the venture or strategies to deal with the acknowledged social consequences.

Rev Porter mentioned that there was a great disconnect between what President Bharrat Jagdeo said to members of the religious community and what was acted out by the government MPs. "It's led me to seriously question the sincerity of what the President says," he said.

Indeed, what the President said was the subject of much of the debate, including whether Guyanese would be permitted to gamble at casinos. President Jagdeo has said publicly that citizens would have been excluded from patronising the casinos but there is no specific provision in the amendment Bill to exclude them.

AFC MP Khemraj Ramjattan noted that a proviso to prevent nationals would be unconstitutional as it would be discriminatory. Rohee said the Bill says a paying guest in a room at a hotel or resort licensed for casino gambling would be granted access. However, he said only a small portion of the population would be involved, and it would depend largely on whether or not they have the financial wherewithal.

It is believed that the Bill has been 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.

Rohee explained casino gambling would ultimately benefit the country's economy as it looks to become a player in the global market place.

He said the construction of the two hotels near the Providence World Cup Stadium had seen the creation of 300 jobs and he predicted that two more hotels could yield the same result. However, in the same breath, he noted that it will not be the only way for economic development nor will it be an economic rescue mission for the country.

Rohee said the Gaming Authority that is envisaged in the legislation would be guided by integrity as it enforces the laws.

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.

PNCR-1G MPs Debra Backer and Amna Ally called on the government to rethink its position and withdraw the Bill, while warning that its passage would intensify the "great ills" for the country's young people. Several others PNCR-1G speakers echoed this sentiment, including Africo Selman, Jennifer Wade and Vanessa Kissoon in their maiden addresses to the Parliament.

Other opposition speakers on the Bill included the PNCR-1G's Winston Murray, Anthony Vieira, Dr George Norton, Keith Scott, Ernest Elliot and AFC's Sheila Holder, Khemraj Ramjattan, Chantalle Smith and David Patterson.

Apart from Rohee, the government fielded MPs Moses Nagamootoo and Odinga Lumumba as well as Minister within the Ministry of Education Dr Desrey Fox.

Rohee and Fox had both been criticised for previous statements in the House that were seen as attacks on the religious community. Dr Fox hit back at her critics yesterday, saying that she was reported out of context by the media. She also accused the opposition of racist attacks on her. Nagamootoo conceded that there would be social ills but said the government would work to arrest them. He said the presentation of the Bill was inelegant and there might have been need for more consultation but he pointed out that the ballot at the last elections was the government's mandate to move ahead and could be seen as consultation.

According to the Amendment Bill, the subject 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.