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Hot casino debate in Trelawny
Message was posted: 07:39 Sep 28th, 2006

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Casino news from http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/ FALMOUTH, Trelawny Dennis Seivwright, president of the Trelawny Chamber of Commerce, wants the government to sanction casino gambling at the eagerly anticipated Harmony Cove Resort. The call, comes just ahead of today's signing of the agreement between Harmonisation Limited and the United States-based Travistock Group for the development of 1,400-acre property. However, members of the clergy and Falmouth's mayor Jonathan Bartley, who is also a Baptist deacon, are bitterly against it. "I believe there are enough things to develop the parish. We don't want gambling to be a part of our culture. Our forefathers developed this parish through hard work, sweat and blood - not gambling," said Bartley. Two years ago, Kingsley Thomas, former head of the Development Bank of Jamaica and Harmonisation Limited, said a positive decision by the government could mean a US$1-billion investment by two of the world's leading casino operators at Harmony Cove. He pointed out however, that the Harmony Cove development was not predicated on casino licences. But Seivwright said the government should stop being two-faced by allowing other forms of gambling while continuing to bar casinoes. "Is a political thing we a deal with and a stifle the economic growth. Look at the big race horse gambling. Go in the local bars and see the slot machines. "Poor people done out all them money on Cash Pot. You see the lines each day in each community," he added. Pastor of the Falmouth branch of the Harvest Army Church International and the national assistant overseer, Carmilita Collins sees it differently. "Casino gambling worsens the situation. So much of our young people would really lose their dignity and integrity in involving in this type of gambling or any type of gambling for that matter. I am firmly against it," she said. But the chamber president maintains that casino gambling was long overdue. "We should a have it 10 years ago because poor people can only benefit from casino. In fact, casino gambling will only attract less than five per cent of locals," he said. "If you have casino, for example at Harmony Cove, how many Jamaicans can pay US$500 to go in?" he asked. While acknowledging that casinoes would be lucrative, the Reverend Glenroy Clarke of the Hampden United Church said it was not about the money. "Gambling is unethical. Violence is the spin-off result of some underlying reality. It has a moral undertone and the church has to wrestle with how the church ministers in such a context," he said.