Oh really! I thought that casino gambling was illegal in Dominica?
delphis.dm
Government discuss casino gambling
CASINOS MAY COME
The James Administration is giving serious consideration to question of casino gambling in Dominica, a top government official said. "But it is political suicide to decide on our own, we must take it to the public before we make a decision," the official source said.
The opportunity to decide on casino gambling in Dominica, the source said, came about when an individual approached the government seeking its policies on casino gambling. "The person had been approached by several foreign investors who wanted to invest in Dominica's hotel industry but wanted to include casino gambling as one of the hotel's attraction" the source said.
Casino gambling is still forbidden by law in Dominica. One prospective casino operator/investor told the Independent "Gambling has become a painless means of raising money to develop social and cultural institutions in sports, education and other areas. It is not the traditional sight of unkempt persons stooping in a darkened alley with weapons secreted, betting with money recently stolen from an unsuspecting member of the public."
He is of the view that "just as a jet-airport will solve our transportation problem, so will Casino legislation, if it is enacted, help to solve our marketing problem and make Dominica more attractive to investments in the hotels in the island."
As early as 1971 he said, the Shank Land Cox Report had identified areas as Portsmouth and the North East for mass tourism, while eco-tourism was indicated for the Roseau Valley and the lake areas. "There is no inconsistency in the two sectors," he said.
But President of the Dominica Conservation Association (DCA), Mr. Atherton Martin totally disagrees. "Casinos do not fit in with our product" Mr. Martin said, "Dominica's main tourism asset is its nature product. Other destination have casinos, and are the exact counter of what we say we are about, and that is eco-tourism. We will lose our edge. Dominica has something to offer which no other island of the Caribbean can. It is simple economics, nature tourism is our comparative advantage." Mr. Martin also believes that contrary to those who believe that casinos will 'fill the hotels, enable airports to operate, and create jobs', "all we need to do is market our products and fill our hotels with people who come to enjoy what we do have to offer and what we do best. Money is not always the bottom line. If development had to be measured in money alone, then Al Capone would be the biggest asset to development in his country. Development has to be measured in national pride."
However, quite apart from the eco-tourism and mass tourism dilemma, the question of religion enters into the gambling debate. One investor who is pro-casino gambling, told the Independent: "Dominica government gambles on Lotto. " He believes the "churches have crossed their breasts, closed their eyes and extended their arms to bless the offering taken in bingo, and raffling hampers. Persons of all religious persuasions, ages and economic levels have given gladly for the glory of God and the financing of worthy causes."
What do the churches say about casino gambling? Pastor Gilbert Nestor of the Pentecostal Church said, "Casino gambling should be severely discouraged especially in Dominica because in Dominica we have certain moral ideals. We are a God-fearing nation. Casinos bring with them increase in crime, and immorality. Casino gambling is something we as Dominicans should never allow to enter the shores of our island."
An Adventist minister said, "The Seventh Day Adventist Church is opposed to all sorts of gambling. We believe in honest hard work and eating by the sweat of the brow. Gambling in general encourages laziness, thus crime. We believe that one who works hard and sweats honestly to earn his daily bread, appreciates it much more than he who gets it without effort. Honest toil is it must be."
Bishop Gilbert of the Roman Catholic Church said, "I think that the fact that casinos are being discussed in both government and private sector circles is not surprising because the efforts are being made to develop Dominica. However, the assumption there is that, this is the module of development that we want for Dominica, and I admit that this is a question that should be thoroughly discussed by all levels of society."
He said the difficulty with casinos is that: "you hear the good news about them, namely that they will bring in five star hotels, and they'll develop lovely facilities and they will provide jobs for people, and some of that is true.
"In other countries they import much of their labor and what is available for the local people are the lower echelon jobs, not absolutely, but significantly. The other down side of casinos you don't hear about is mainly what they bring with them. They bring in male and female prostitution, drugs, the international crime families whose roots are in gambling. There is also the use and manipulation of the local populace, but all that can be corrected and address. It has to be put on the table in dialogue. Gambling is not essentially wrong."
Efforts by the Independent to reach the Minister of Tourism, Director of Tourism and General Manager of the National Development Corporation were unsuccessful.
When contacted about casino gambling in Dominica, Leader of the Dominica Freedom Party Hon. Charles Savarin said, "The question of casino gambling as well as a number of other things are areas which will have to be looked at. My gut reaction however, is that why add casino gambling to all the problems we already have in Dominica?"
He said, "the Government has demonstrated its inability to manage the island's problems. It cannot manage the drugs, and violence, nor can it manage the economic situation. There is no capacity to monitor, or regulate what goes on in a casino. Who will police the operators, and the temptation which goes with casinos? If I'm convinced that we have the capacity to do all these things, I will agree to look at it.
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