Sunday, January 14, 2007

Despite mounting pressure from the religious community, Guyana's Home
Affairs Minister Clement Rohee was due to table the controversial Gambling
Prevention (Amendment) Bill 2006 in Parliament seeking to permit casino
gambling. Religious groups have warned about the adverse effects of
legitimising casino gambling and pledged to derail the passage of the Bill.
The groups said that the legislation will lead to money laundering,
increased crime and a disintegration of societal values.
Some members of the group accused the Jagdeo administration of fulfilling
promises made to suspected drug lords. However, while religious groups were
airing television advertisements to gather support for a street protest
planned for Parliament, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds held a rushed press
briefing to drive home the benefits of casinos to the tourism sector. The
Prime Minister was the government's appointee to hold consultations with
various groups. He said that it would be difficult to have every group agree
on the introduction of casino gambling, but he assured that government will
put systems in place to prevent widespread gambling.
"We have weighed the pros and cons and we find that there are tremendous
benefits to be had for the tourism industry. Job creation and influx of
tourists are clearcut advantages," Prime Minister Hinds stated. The
government is hoping to use the upcoming Cricket World Cup (CWC) event to
shock the South American nation's tourism industry into becoming a major
revenue earner. Prime Minister Hinds stated that casino gambling will also
help to boost tourism, especially after CWC. The Amendment Bill will bar
existing hotels and resorts from establishing casinos on their premises and
stipulates that no more than 30 casino licenses will be issued.

Prime Minister Hinds said that no person other than workers and guests of
the hotels or resorts shall be admitted to the casinos.

Breach of the casino regulations carry on a summary conviction a fine of not
less than US$100,000 and imprisonment of not less than six months and not
more than two years.

The Bill gives the Minister the power to set up any administrative body for
the administration of the casino legislation, and also gives him the control
to prescribe fees payable for the application for a licence and for the
issue of any licence.

According to the Bill, the Minister may make regulations to establish a
Gaming Authority which could regulate the issue only through specific types
of licences to allow casino gambling.