Tourism Board: Support Of Gambling In Bermuda
The Tourism Board continues to support legalized gambling in Bermuda and believes it could have a positive effect on winter tourism business, Tourism Board Chairman Maxwell Burgess said following the recently announced plan to have a referendum on gaming.
Premier Paula Cox tabled the Referendum Act 2012 in the House of Assembly on May 18, which she said would be followed by a referendum on gaming in Bermuda in due course.
OBA Shadow Minister for Tourism Pat Gordon-Pamplin addressed the issue last year, saying: “The OBA has already said that the issue of gaming should be put to a referendum preceded by a comprehensive education campaign.
Mr Burgess said: “The Tourism Board continues to support the matter of legalized gambling in Bermuda. The specific views of the individual members of the Tourism Board are currently being sought prior to a more comprehensive statement.
“I have asked the Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Board, John Jefferis, who heads up the Gaming Sub-Committee, to further enumerate, through additional research, the positive advantages that could accrue to tourism, including, as expeditiously as possible, obtaining the opinion of a variety of qualified hotel developers with reference to the possible increase in their interest in investing in hotel developments in Bermuda as a result of the introduction of gaming to the island.
“There is no doubt that a major advantage of gaming is that it is a non-weather related activity and could have a positive effect on winter business.”
i finally figured out why he Premier and PLP have embraced Wayne Furbert and Maxwell Burgess, they will use them as the front runners for the controversial issue of gaming and simply discard them under the bus if the Public rejects the idea, this willmallow the Premier to continue to hide in her usual way with no accountability as she always does.
amazing, i have new found respect for the Premier’s tactical ability – no sure why Renee is on the payroll though at around $20,000 a month
And we thought the Tourism Board was calling for a Tourism Authority. This Board is more political than ever.
WHO GETS PAID $20,000 A MONTH?
During Election time will the OBA be allowed to use press clippings, audio and video of past speeches and statements made by Wayne Furbert and Maxwell Burgess as they tore strips off the PLP Government?
It will be interesting listening to Mr Hamilton Parish defend his former Minstrel Show routine when he was an errand boy for the UBP
I would also like to see this. I would also like Mr. Furbert and Mr. Burgess talk about all the back room deals the UBP/OBA boys did when they worked with them. Yes lets research the economic history of the Oba/ubp support base(especially the inherited wealth), it shouldn’t be surprising to learn what they know. The moral of the story, don’t throw stones in glass houses. Your house may be the one to break.
Good day all,
This issue shouldnt even be an issue, come on, we already have gambling on the island. ie: Bingo, be it club and or churches; betting houses, which there is a few in the city alone, the old time favorite Crown and Anchor which most of us enjoy be it county games or cupmatch. Let me even remind the poeple that raffles is a form of Gambling also. I personally think this shouldn’t be an issue its strange how only at this some people can profit off of this. I for one need someone from Government to explain to me why some can have the right to have gambling and the rest of us can not.
Lets get this simple issue sorted please, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out.
“the positive advantages that could accrue to tourism”
Not that I’m opposed to Gamimg in Bermuda, but I do think that we should be looking at the PRO’s and CON’s od gambling and not just up side. Yes, “cashflow” and the number of air arrivals is a plus. Look at other islands that have gone this route. Gambling has done nothing to improve the economic status of the general population.
Before any referendum, we the people need to know HOW gaming will be implemented, WHAT laws will be in place to control the various players, WHO will be profiting, and HOW the tax monies gained will be spent.
YES! This is my sentiment exactly! Gambling is not our save all, and I believe many are singing the tune because our tourism product and economy and not so great. Instead of bringing in something else, we must FIRST determine the root causes of the problem (leave out the politics please) and then we must see if gambling will fix those problems.
We have a drug and widening gap of haves and have nots in Bermuda. Add gambling to the mix with poor thought and implementation and we have tempestous storm!!!!
I think gaming is a done deal. Should have been done years ago.
What bothers me is how it will be done. As in its usual modus operandi, will the PLP government simple give a couple of gaming licenses to its friends (I am thinking Brown and the boys), or will there be an independent gaming authority, or will any hotel be able to apply for one, etc. This is really the main issue here. I see more fights over the pie coming down de road…..
Of course they will. Look for Elmer Fudd having his sticky little fist in there too.
I agree-and the article states John Jeffries heads up the Gaming Subcommitte! He already talked this government into a sweetheart deal at Stonington, next thing Stonington will be a Mega Casino. The fox is taking care of the hen house.
@Shawn Scraders: I agree with you wholeheartedly. There has been gambling here for years, be it Bingo, Raffles,etc, so what is the big deal? Remember when Neil Inchcup had that ship? That was a really good idea, but for some reason, he was shut down by certain persons, stating that gambling is illegal, yada yada. Now they’re trying to bring it back to the table.. I will never understand this government. Like the blind leading the blind..
Let’s see what the all powerfull CHURCHES have to say about this!?
Maybe this should have been done 15 or so years ago when gambling was illegal in most US states and Canadian provinces. Then you would have had a group of “regulars” that would come here for the sun, fun and gambling. Unfortunately now pretty much every state/province has locally sanctioned or first nations run casinos.
I completely support it as a revenue stream but I’m fearing that the ship along with the cash cow has sailed a long time ago. Maybe a small-scale casino that would run while ships were in port @ Dockyard or Front St. would be a great pilot project with proceeds going to a larger facility in the future. Other jurisdictions have done this by re-purposing a building as a casino with the ultimate plan to build a proper facility when time and revenue allows.
Anyway – lets just hope that there is PLENTY of oversight should the referendum prove positive to gambling / casinos.
DO IT FOR CUPMATCH WEEKEND!!!!!
I’m not sure what the news is here. A bunch of people who would benefit directly if gambling were introduced, announce they would support gambling.
Not really a surprise. They have this point of view because they would benefit personally from gambling.
Gambling didn’t save Atlantis from bankruptcy.
Government has farted around for years on this. JUST DO IT! GET OFF YOU A$$ AND DO IT ALREADY!
let us buy wine on sundays also,we are high off weed anyways and getting walked by our pitbulls so lets go the full hogge and gamble also ,have a lottery and gaming machines in the bars again
cox must go
cog must go
cox must go
cog must go
cox must go
cog muat go
cox must go
cog must go
cox must go
cog must go
cox must go
cog must go