Dear Editor,
The debate continues on the subject of casino licences and also who will get them – the ‘old’ or new hotels.
The Stabroek News editorial of January 23, 2007 “Casino licences: who will get them?” deals critically with this subject.
They have a big problem as to why only the ‘new’ hotels will be able to get them and why the ones which were established before should not get them as well.
Many feel that granting them i.e. the Gaming Licences to the ‘new’ hotels will attract many investors throughout all the regions of the country. Also nothing stops the ‘old’ hotels from building new ones, either in the same region in which they presently operate or in another region.
Also the opportunity to obtain a casino licence would give a boost to investments in new hotels which would also provide many new jobs, and help build the tourism industry.
There is nothing wrong in singling out new businesses, as other incentives are also granted in other sectors to attract investments.
Yours faithfully,
Leila Ram
Editor’s note
The issues raised by the editorial were: (1) who are the persons who will constitute the Gaming Authority (2) what criteria will be prescribed for consideration in determining an application for a licence (3) do those include reasonable certainty that the applicant is unconnected with any illicit trade and can satisfy the Authority that his funds and assets have a legitimate source.
