Of what public good is casino gambling to the majority of Guyanese?

Mar 26, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The President is livid over what he perceives to be religious impediment to the allowance of casino gambling for locals to indulge.
I am dismayed at his fury over this affair. It is no secret that casino gambling for locals is both illegal and immoral. The laws of Guyana clearly proscribe the involvement of Guyanese in such activity, and for good reasons.
Casino gambling is destructive to the social fabric of society. The members of the religious community were right in opposing, denouncing, rejecting, speaking out against the introduction of casino gambling in Guyana.
The laws that are enacted by a nation do not only serve as a moral thermometer, reflecting the temperature around. They also serve a moral compass, pointing in the direction we should go. It is, therefore, sad that the President is not prepared to accept and respect the sane and sober voice of the religious community on this matter.
At the opening of the first casino den in Guyana recently he was upset, evidently dissatisfied, over the fact that the religious community oppose the legalizing of casino gambling. Parliament passed a compromised bill but even then he had clearly hoped that the bill legalizing casino gambling in Guyana would have gone much further. He wanted, and still wants, to see Guyana as a land that offers casino gambling for all Guyanese, whosoever will. To this end the President used such emotive words as “bothersome”, “a situation akin to apartheid” and “distasteful” to argue his case against the prohibition of Guyanese in casino gambling in the jurisdiction.
I am not aware that the overwhelming majority is asking for casino gambling. I am not even aware that a significant minority of Guyanese is asking to be allowed to gamble at the casino tables and machines. Any serious research done will show that the majority of Guyanese have no interest in casino gambling. Life is hard in Guyana already and most people who want to make an honest dollar disdain casino gambling. As a nation we should be challenged never to move away from our core values because a few dollars may be coming our way.
It is unfortunate that the President has assumed the role of advocate for the legalization of casino gambling for Guyanese. It seems he is advocating for what he has not been asked to advocate for – while many of the things of grave concern have much less passion in his public presentations and some don’t even surface. Sometimes in politicians’ efforts to pander to the masses they end up scratching where it is not itching.
What is the argument the President advances for wanting to see casino gambling being made available to all Guyanese? He says that there is something called ‘freedom of choice.’ Well, that’s interesting. I look forward to hearing from the President on the subject of freedom of choice Guyanese have in setting up more than one radio station in Guyana.
Let’s look at the argument of freedom of choice as the basis for presidential vehemence in the case of casino gambling.
It means, therefore, that freedom of choice should be balanced against such things as values, morality, decency, civil order and public good.
One of the fundamental principles of public policy is that policies and laws are made in order to promote and preserve ‘public good.’ Of what public good is casino gambling to the majority of Guyanese? Rather than being a public good, it is more a public harm.
The destruction of lives, families and other institutions that result from gambling wear thin the social fabric of society and impose a heavy burden on the taxpayers. Some of the attendant ills of casino gambling are greed, money laundering, theft, addiction, penury and suicide.
Contrary to what is being advocated by some, casino gambling does not really aid national development.
As a matter of fact gambling undermines development. The social fallout that comes from gambling is not really worth the few dollars that may find its way in the national coffers. Money from casino gambling cannot compensate for the lives destroyed by it. The truth is, the only people who really benefit from gambling, including casino gambling, are those who own the machines and operate the businesses.
The odds are always against the gamblers.
Come on, Mr. President argue for the development of the country in other ways. What about the crime, the violence, unemployed youths, the CLICO debacle, the corruption so rampant in our society. Raise vociferous and sustained presidential ire against those pathologies that mar the development of our dear land of Guyana.
Desmond Rogers

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