Dear Editor,
I have followed the debates in the newspapers on the merits and demerits of casino gaming in Guyana. From the information in the public domain, one would conclude that this activity is closely associated with money laundering, prostitution, crime and loose morality. The debate appears to be completely theoretical and esoteric.
No one has taken a society where casino gaming is prevalent and shown evidence of these negative associations. No one has also attempted to describe their actual experience at a hotel/resort casino. I would like to share my most recent casino experiences at two different hotels.
In the last weekend of October 2006, I was attending graduation ceremonies at University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus in Barbados. For that weekend I was staying at the St Lawrence Gap; a popular tourist destination, at a Hotel named “Time Out at the Gap”.
This hotel has a casino that operates 24 hours per day. Oh yes, Barbados has casinos all over the place. For a country of only about 266,000 people, I saw a number of casinos. At about 5.00pm on Saturday, I was waiting for a ride, so I decided to check out the hotel casino. It was a small affair in about 500 sq ft with 12 to 15 slot machines. There was one security guard, one person at the change counter, one greeter/hostess and three players in the place. I was met by the greeter who enquired if it was my first time and proceeded to explain the facility to me. There was a small complimentary bar where she offered me a drink. By then, my ride arrived and I left without the time to have that drink.
My wife Sita and I spent the week of November 20 – 27, 06 in Panama at the Decameron, a Resort Hotel. We toured Panama City, the Miraflores Locks, Colon Free Port and the Embra Indians Village. We also spent 2 evenings at the hotel casino. One evening after the dinner show, on our way back to our room, it was still early, so we decided to check out the casino.
It was also a small affair, about 1600 sq ft with approximately 25 slot machines, 5 card tables, one roulette table and one dice table. The bar offers complimentary local drinks.
Sita went to change US$20 into dollar coins to play the slots. I headed for the bar and grabbed a drink for me and a ginger ale for her. I watched her play for a while. I walked over to the Black Jack table and watched the game there for a while. I went and changed US$20 into 25 cents coins, grabbed another drink and went to play the 25 cents Poker Slot machine. While playing, Sita came over to me and was helping herself to my quarters. She had lost her $20. We stayed at the Casino for about 2 hours. By then, with much mooching on the side, my $20 was exhausted. We then grabbed another drink and then walked back to our room. Cost for 2 hours of entertainment in the casino was US$40; which I consider to be reasonable value for my money.
The second time while at the Decameron Hotel I went to the casino alone. After the dinner show, Sita was not feeling too well, so I took her back to the room, settled her in and then went to the casino. I spent the first hour drinking and watching the action. I then joined a $5 Black Jack table.
I changed $20 and played. I was betting $5 and $10 and the money went back and forth for a while. When that was finished I changed $50 and continued playing. I got to know the player beside me who was from the Phillippines; he was in construction. It was now after 2 in the morning, and I was getting little bit tired or tipsy or both and wanted to go to my room. So I played until I lost the $50.
I got another drink and walked to my room. I spent 5 hours at the casino, drank a bit and spent US$70. Again, for me this was reasonable value for my money.
I have been going to casinos now for almost 25 years. I have been to casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City (US), Paradise Island (Bahamas), Casino Rama & Casino Niagara (Canada).
When I go to Las Vegas, my primary interest will be to catch the new shows and check out the new menus at the various international restaurants. The casino action would be a time filler, the thing to do when you have nothing else to do or when Sita goes to bed early.
In Canada or Atlantic City, we usually go in large groups. Each person will put aside how much money they are willing to spend that night; each person has a different perception of what a night’s entertainment at the casino is worth to them. A typical trip to the casino lasts for about 3 – 5 hours and each person manages their money as best they can. Some lose it in the first half hour and then they walk around waiting for the rest. Some, as soon as they win a jackpot, will cash out and wait for us to go home; they usually have the bragging rights. I usually play the black jack tables or the poker machines. Rarely do I spend all of my $100. Bear in mind, not all persons are the same. There will be some who will spend every penny they can put their hands on, whether it is theirs or not. These are the ones who play the game to get rich and not for entertainment. The same risk exists with those who play Bingo, Horse Racing, Lottery, Internet Gaming, Car Racing and Sports. As far as I know, these people are in the minority. They will need help. This is the function of government and civil society has the responsibility to hold the government accountable.
Guyanese in the diaspora, particularly in North America are exposed to casino gaming. There are groups of people in New York who make weekly or monthly trips to casinos in Atlantic City. I have not heard of any social ills as a result of these regulars to Atlantic City.
At nights, some people choose to stay home, some go to church, some go to nightclubs, some go to bars and restaurants and some go to casinos. Each person chooses his own entertainment.
A tourist to Guyana will find many things to do during the day. He can go on daily tours. He can visit relatives and friends. At the end of the day he returns to the hotel. So what does he do now?
How many churches are open? How many venues exist in Guyana where it is safe to go out at night? How many hotels in Guyana have nightly dinner shows, beach bars and nightly discos? Guyana is not the only destination where tourists are advised not to go out at nights.
In making the decision to travel, a casino at the hotel may tip the decision in Guyana’s favour. casino gaming is a form of entertainment for which people all over the world are willing to pay. It can help to make Guyana’s fledgling tourist industry more competitive.
Yours faithfully,
Sase Shewnarain
