By Denise Clarke, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE REVIEW of casino gambling being conducted by the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) is being welcomed by officials in Montego Bay as a sure sign that the Government is ready to introduce it.
Winston Dear, the president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce, described the move as the crucial injection needed to boost the country's struggling economy, noting that this was Government's acknowledgement that there is a 'very slim line' between casinos and other forms of gambling that currently exist across the island.
"I think this is the kind of injection that will help the economy out of its present quagmire," said Mr. Dear. "They needed to make a decision and I think we will in fact get it... It is something we desperately need."
Opposition spokesman on tourism Ed Bartlett reiterated that casino gambling, if introduced, has the potential to bring "colossal benefits to the tourism industry". He however noted that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) had not yet put forward a formal position on the issue.
"There is no doubt that casino gambling can have a positive effect on visitor arrivals and revenue flows and could provide major employment depending on the kind of casinos introduced," said Mr. Bartlett.
He noted that large hotels with convention facilities alongside the casinos would provide more sustained employment for a larger portion of the work force, "than stand-alone casino facilities".
Mr. Bartlett added, however, that care should be taken to protect the industry from unscrupulous characters, if and when casino gambling is introduced. He said much of the opposition to casino gambling comes from its potential to escalate into criminal activity, and warned that adequate measures should be implemented to prevent such activities.
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson last week disclosed that the BGLC is engaged in a comprehensive review of casino gaming "to determine the best option to consider." This latest revelation is an about-turn from the government's previous position, which has maintained strong opposition to casino gambling, despite calls for its introduction from business and tourism interests.
