Exactly one year after the government rushed through an amendment to legalise casino gambling, despite strong opposition from the parliamentary opposition and the religious community, it is to still to formulate regulations for the functioning of a gaming authority and operationalising of casinos.
Asked recently whether there has been any movement in getting the regulations for the gaming authority moving or identifying persons to sit on it, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee said nothing was underway.
Asked on a previous occasion whether there had been any applications for casino licences, he advised this newspaper to seek answers at the Guyana Office For Investment (Go-Invest). Go- Invest has not been open on applications by new potential investors in the country always citing confidentially arrangements.
PNCR-1G MP Volda Lawrence told Stabroek News, “God is working his purpose out” and that was why the government has not moved on getting the regulations formulated and setting up the gaming authority.
Lawrence said, “The fact that nothing has been done by the government is satisfaction that nothing would be done come the next ten, 20 or 100 years and nothing would ever be done because of our prayers and fasting. We believe it is God’s work.”
She said the party and religious community on whose behalf she had presented a petition to parliament opposing the amendment had stated: “We still feel strongly that it would bring a lot of negativity to the country and that the country does not have the mechanisms to deal with the spin offs which would occur with such legislation in place.”
She said they were told that it was to develop the hotel industry, but one year later, hotels continue to develop, some at a faster rate than others and none had casinos. She added that programmes were needed to market Guyana’s unique features, instead of trying to attract people to the country with casinos. “God has blessed Guyana with special tributes. We don’t have to follow everybody.”
Those in the religious community vocal against the legalising of casino gambling were the Baha’is, Christians, Hindus and Muslims.
Asked for a comment on the issue, GAP-ROAR MP Everall Franklin noted that no one was even looking at the regulations to set up a gaming authority, after the rush to push through the legislation. He said it showed that government was totally ill prepared for the issuance of gaming licences or how to deal with the issue of casino gambling in the first place.
GAP would not hold its “breath waiting for that because that is where the meat of the matter is at present,” he said adding that, “We still look forward to the government putting regulations in place and for a fully established gaming authority to be up and running before any licences are issued.”
AFC MP Sheila Holder said she still did not know what the rush was all about but suspected that maybe it was to facilitate some major investment, which has not been seen so far.
“We suspect it was for the establishment of the Marriott Hotel, which too is cloaked in secrecy
