Casino gambling for Jamaica?
It seems quite possible that casino gambling will be a part of Jamaica’s tourism product sometime down the road as Prime Minister Bruce Golding seeks to permit licensing of such as a means to increase income to the country. This move has already sparked fierce opposition from church leaders who say casinos and gambling are unbiblical and cause more harm than good.
On Tuesday, during the Parliamentary budget debate, Golding said he has already given the go-ahead to a proposal by a group of international investors to establish Jamaica’s first casino. Jamaica currently has a few hundred slot machines at various hotels in St. Andrew, St. Ann and St. James.
“There are those who I know disagree with casino gaming. But the fact is that the horse bolted through the gate a long time ago with the granting of licenses for hundreds of gaming machines,” Golding told legislators.
Although horse racing, a lottery as well as a host of other games of chance have been a part of the Jamaican economy for years, introduction of casino gambling on this scale seems to ignite much stronger objections from the religious community, which in turn, influences some of the lawmakers. As such, it is not clear if this bill will be passed as church leaders have already blocked previous casino proposals under the recently removed PNP government.
If Golding’s bill is successful, revenues from casino operations would be earmarked for capital improvements in health, education and security.
Prime Minister Golding said that applications for casino licenses would only be considered if there is at least an investment of J$1.5 billion with a complementing hotel development of not less than 1,000 rooms. 80% of the total project would have to be on the rooms side leaving developers with 20% to fund the casino.
The developers of Palmyra Resort & Spa in Montego Bay have reportedly proposed a J$1.8 billion, 2,080-room addition to their stake in Jamaica’s tourism if the casino bill passes. The JLP cabinet has already backed the proposal. This proposal goes against contractual arrangements between the former administration and the Harmony Cove project wherein it stated that no other licence should be issued within the 10 mile radius of the Trelawny boundary. However, the Harmony Cove developers have decided not to hold the government to that agreement.
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