Gaming Referendum ‘May Happen This Year’
The Government may hold the referendum on gaming this year, Minister of Business Development & Tourism Wayne Furbert said during an interview with Elite Traveler.
When asked about gaming, Minister Furbert said: “Casinos won’t be the be-all and end-all. Bermuda is an upscale destination so it will be an additional product in the style of Monte Carlo. There will be a government referendum, and it may happen this year.”
“We are looking at other destinations. For example, in Singapore if you have a friend or family member you believe is gambling more money than they should, you can report it and there is a national body that will interview them. We think the key is to have checks and balances.”
Earlier this year, Premier Paula Cox tabled the Referendum Act 2012 in the House of Assembly, saying it would be followed by a referendum on gaming in Bermuda in due course.
According to a Government-commissioned study done by the New Orlean’s based Innovation Group [PDF], gaming would add nearly 3,000 jobs and up to $146 million a year to Bermuda’s economy.
Most of the island’s religious community is in strong opposition to gaming, with dozens of religious groups forming a group ‘United to Change’ to work to oppose any change to the law.
A new organization — the “Bermuda Hospitality Gaming Training Centre” — hopes to open a Training Centre to teach Bermudians the needed skills, saying that if legislation is passed Bermuda could experience an influx of foreigners being brought in to staff the casinos if we do not prepare in advance.
OBA Shadow Minister for Tourism Pat Gordon-Pamplin previously said: “The OBA has already said that the issue of gaming should be put to a referendum preceded by a comprehensive education campaign. This would highlight the pros and cons of the proposal and enable the public to render the most informed decision.”
In 2010 the topic was debated in the House of Assembly right now, with the vast majority of MPs against gaming.
Hmmm prostitution, people losing their houses, cars and whatever else… Yea u can “interview” them that’s if a family member reports them… Suppose noone knows or its too late. Good luck.
Surely Minister Furbert has looked at Monte Carlo which does not allow local residents into the Casino.
Many other destinations only allow residents in on special days each year in order to help control the social issues that will most certainly happen if locals are allowed into the gaming facilities. Macau used to only allow Macanese
residents into the casinos on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.
Also we need to think about the importation that will be needed of skilled
croupiers and casino operators which will also be impacting on our conservative lifestyle. We have observed what that did to Freeport, Bahamas.
Everybody has to learn their own lessons. The State cannot protect people from themselves. Bermuda is too much of a ‘Nanny State’ already, with the Civil Service essentially being a Make-Work Program to keep people “employed.” How long do you think the PLP/BIU can keep up the facade?!
Relax there will bee NO referrendum before an election! To do so and get a yes vote from the pulic will be political suicide if you go against the churches. Talk about it in the media and the public get the “feeling” that something is being done which is enough to satisty the small minded believers. Wait to call it until after the el.ection and you can play both sides of the fence and get the votes.
Although, there is the posibility that something might get done for once , and quickly. Moinister Wayne Furbert was a former UBP leader so he can get things done. I just wish he and Mrs Cox would cut ties with the leeches that are holding the party and country back.
Ministet Furbert, you cannot add casinos to Bermudas tourism product in a small way when you plan on adding 3000 additional workers to the employment figures. I an not denying the fact that casinos will contribute a substantial addition to the workforce and in turn boost the economy, but I think it needs to be clearly thought out and enacted.
3000 jobs and 146 Million….and we need a referendum why? Yes, I understand we’ll all go to hell if this happens, but really, without it we’re already there. Time to stop taking the self-righteous high road and get on the reality path.
This topic should go to referendum; I agree with that. Everyone should have a say. My only comment would be if it doesn’t pass, you better have another answer. The revenue and jobs this can attract is to great to allow the holier-than-thous to squash. Besides, think of all the money they’ll get from confession!
That’s the point of a democracy. You win some, you lose some.
I’m in vegas right now, too dam hot to go outside. I’ll tell you this everybody and their everyone from all walks off life is here. Wake up Bermuda and bring on the the night life. People want to party drink and gamble. Put simple praying for Tourist doesn’t work anymore, that’s why me and 5 off my friends are over here. in 5 hours we going to a Vegas show girls night out.
What happends in vegas stays in vegas.
Put $300.00 on the crap table for me, Ill pay you back when you come home honey buns!!!!!!
Bring me back the show girl! I’ll Gamble on that
Bermudians are so into other people’s lives… it’s just ridiculous. If people want to gamble away their hard earned money… that’s their choice. If people want to be gay… that’s their choice. If people want to smoke weed… that’s their choice. People need to live their own lives without pokey Bermudians interfering with them. Legalize it all and leave people alone. All choices have their own consequences and people need to make choices for themselves for crying out loud.
I agree with the point you’re trying to make. Bermudians need to stop worrying about how others live their lives. That said, people don’t choose to be gay. That’s like saying one chooses to be black.
choosing to be gay is hardly comparable to choosing to be black!!!!don’t get it twisted.. being gay is a choice, having more of an estrogen influence is natural but doesn’t mean one is born gay ,.people are born male or female, what we do with it as we live and learn is another.. no one can change their genes,parents or where they were born but one can change who they choose to have sex with and how, we are not born with such knowledge, we learn from experience!!!and some of us, yes I agree, would like to be free!! free to choose our own lifestyles without fear of retribution or ridicule.whether it be considered sinful or not!an addiction starts from choice!like smoking cigarettes.
If its an addiction…it’s not their choice, or at least not a simple one that a right thinking person can make! If you understood addiction, you would know this.
Referendum may happen this year????? Flip Flop, pigs are as likely to fly out of my butt. Government will not move on this until they absolutely have to, and especially not before an election. They rely too much on people who have an imaginary friend in heaven, and a fictional book that was written when we still thought the world was flat, and didn’t know where the sun went at night. PATHETIC!
Electioneering at its worst. People who believe this rubbish are beyond stupid.
The Bible actually states that the Earth is spheric in shape. And that was written more than 3000 years ago when scientists/phylosophers of the day thought the Earth was flat. You can look it up yourself. The Bible also states that the Earth is suspended on nothing, again scientifically accurate and well advanced for its day. You may not believe what the Bible teaches, and you have your right to choose… but before you berate people and their beliefs, just get your facts straight. No need to insult people. After all… we only have two choices: everything magically came from nothing or someone planned things and caused them to become.
You cant back any of that up.
Here you go:
Proverbs 8:27 (NKJV)
When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
Isaiah 40:22 (NKJV)
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
Job 26:7 (KJV)
He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
Now what?
LMAO, explain populating a planet with 2 people.
You first. You asked for proof of the claim. I gave it to you. You can’t ask another question until you address the proof presented.
I have to say, I am not anticipating anything substantial coming from you.
Nothing substantial ever came from the bible.
Apparently, nothing substantial has ever come from your mouth either.
I still don’t see where it says the earth is spherical. A circle is a 2-dimensional (flat)shape.
A circle is round. Full stop. That is a ridiculous argument.
How about noahs ark.
How about all that we have and know (structure and order) suddenly appearing from nothing.
You have to appreciate that none of us were there in the beginning so whatever we believe (God or big bang or whatever) we believe it on faith. That is true for both believers and non believers.
You believe what you believe on FAITH. I have to smile when your types turn their nose up about the existence of God, yet you cannot present any irrefutable evidence to support what you believe.
We will disagree and that is fine but let us not pretend that one idea is more ridiculous than another when we are both relying on the same thing- FAITH.
Science is not faith. Thanks for trying though.
Really? So you can state with absolute certainty how it all began based on Science only? If you could do that, you would be leagues ahead of the remainder of the science community.
The fact is that, you (nor anyone else) cannot prove scientifically how it all began. There are a number of scientific theories, the most preeminent being the big bang theory. IT IS A THEORY. To believe that to be the truth, you would have to believe it on faith because you CANNOT PROVE IT.
End of story.
Science is evidence without any certainty, Faith is certainty without any proof.
The bible is ridiculous. And the fact that it impacts the way my life is governed makes me sick. The same church groups who think I shouldn’t gamble, managed to gain from the “faith based tourism” initiative. It’s disgusting.
Please post the verses next time, otherwise your previous post doesn’t mean anything…
Only 2 options? That’s very simple minded. I think the possibilities are limitless.
SO WHERE DID HE COME FROM?
Adam and Eve begat Cain and Able
Cain And Able took unto them wives!
Where did they magically appear from??
Bernews was not there to witness these things
then again the Bible writers were not either
getting complicated now, time to make up the story to fit the story.
Clever idea back then though if you think about it. Someone said I have an idea: I will create a story make it fit my viewpoints and tell them thats how it is because the all-knowing being said it. People still do it, Fit in Bible verses to “prove” a point.
But if that holds merit than I should be able to murder an adulterer by stoning them to death. The Bible said to do it.
You can ask him when you stand before him.
OK, we dont need to go the FULL Vegas….We dont need 2 Million tourists with $500 each..we need half a million tourists with 2 k each. We can do well without trashy. Think Monte Carlo
I guess the church groups opposed to equal rights for gays will come out firmly against gambling?
Wonder if Derrick Burgess “will take my lead from my Church” or will the lure of the dollar be to overwhelming?
This is actually a very good questions. Lets see how hypocritical he is (taking the lead from his church)
I think we know enough to not look to DB for any sort of righteous example….. And then criticize the Church because of him.
You guys are funny.
Why stage a vote on gaming when the public, thinking their vote (in general) is already being gamed. Corporations run Bermuda not votes. All the games the politicians play every single day in broad daylight, the goldfish public forget within hours and move on to consider voting? Voting is for punks. People with real power just decisions to allocate resources. Other people’s resources at that. What a joke.
Bermuda has soooo missed the boat when it comes to gambling. Just about every state has gaming. The few that do not have it on the ballot because so much revenue goes to neighbouring states that do have gaming.
Recently I have been in Colorado where just about every mountain town that is not a ski town has gaming. Some have both.
Gaming is not going to be some magic saviour for Bermuda. Nobody is going to pay our 5 star prices & 2 star service to come here to gamble.
Yes it should be available. It should have been available many many years ago. The PLP has had 14 years to introduce gaming. One of the many things not done. The UBP kicked the idea around & did not do a thing but talk. Shame on both of them. Both of them are in fear of the church which see nothing wrong with gaming at all with their raffles etc.
Let me guess, PLP will say to the churches, let gaming in and we’ll drop the equal rights thing. Hmmmmmmmmmm
who gives a f*** what the churches think…? Really.
Who cares? Those MPs who lose their Church vote resulting in a serious loss of salary and chance of any replacement employment are likely examples.
If the churches influence policy, then they are political. In that case, tax them.
A church, like any other organization, is made up of people. ….and the people are already taxed.
haha that a very good observation Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, your right
Church and state are two separate, distinct matters, and any meshing between the two compromises our status as a secular state. Only a few days ago, MPs were citing their AME background as legitimate grounds to deny non-heterosexuals basic human rights, and then this morning I am reminded of their vehement opposition to gambling. If you don’t like gambling, don’t gamble. It’s that simple. No different than smoking, drinking, or any other iniquitous, ungodly activities from which you may choose to refrain….I’m sorry church folk, faith based tourism was less miraculous than anticipated, so please, practice YOUR religion as you like, but leave political and economic matters to those whom Bermudians put in place to deal w/ them.
BRAVO!!
“… but leave political and economic matters to those whom Bermudians put in place to deal w/ them.” And whom might that be…?? Certainly not the PLP.
I’m afraid that’s exactly who Bermudians elected into governemnt (ironically it’s most probably the very same Bermudians who are causing an uproar now) but my point was simply that this is an issue confined to governemnt (PLP) jursidiction, not of the church.
You are wrong my friend. This is not a PLP issue. It is a matter for Bermuda to decide. And by Bermuda, I mean Christians and non Christians. We decide by referendum, vote, political influence (lobbying) etc etc.
The “Church” of which you speak is merely Bermudians that have a voice and a vote.
Unfortunately for your argument, Christians have a vote…and therefore a say in political matters. You don’t have to understand it, like it or respect it. But that doesn’t change it.
Democracy is a double edge sword.
“Bermuda is an upscale destination…..”
Most our tourism arrivals are cruise ship passengers who cannot be considered upscale – unless you’re living in a dream-world, Furbs.
Wake up!
Furby is living in the dreamworld of the UBP past. Remember when that bunch of losers were in power? Remember when there were a surplus of jobs? Remember when the debt was miniscule? Remember when hotels were were begging to be allowed to have more rooms? Remember when 2 wide bodied aircraft per day, just from NY, were needed to handle the demand? Remember when the UBP created this horrible ‘mess’, as the PLP called it?
This makes me laugh when they talk about being an upscale destination and wanting to get the elite here. Bermuda is an expensive destination not an upscale destination. Of course there are some upscale places to stay at but what island doesn’t have upscale places to stay at? Does that make every other island upscale?
I can’t wait for the churches to tell the entire island how to live their lives. This will be great.
Where you been living bruh? They been telling us how to live our lives for DECADES!
Time for it to stop.
I have been told that Bermuda is the most Christian religious country in the world. Keeping this in mind with a population of 60,000, of course religion is still tied into politics to an extent. IS it right? Not really, but it is what it is.
It is what it is?
Slavery was what it was.
I hardly think that slavery is a fair comparison by far. As I stated above, I don’t think it’s right. But what can be done? The PLP is heavily influenced by the church voters so how can that change?
Education?
Education for what? Dont mix politricks with religion? Pretty sure they know this already. Politicians care about one thing, your vote. If a large group of your voter base says they arent to vote for, you give them what they want. Why do you think they gave taxi drivers payroll tax relief?
I meant, educate people so they stop worshiping something that doesn’t exist.
You can’t prove or disprove god so good luck with that one.
I have been told that the bible is a few thousand years old but i can’t find that proof..the bible being introduced 400years ago to the world, makes me wonder where was all this information stored before King James revised it? and if your female teenager comes home pregnant one day and maintains she is a virgin, are you gong to believe her? lets try to make some sense of our lives and what people try to force on us.. Yes the bible is an interesting read, so is shakespeare, 1984 and athe lists goes on.. the bible does not proport to be factual, contains no reference info ,lacks a preface and forward.. we read at our own peril. some of the bible has been used to structure our lives through the commandments( which make up some of our laws), some of it is good information but lets take it for what it is not interpolate it to another sphere.. whilst the churches may have their say the voters get their day and whether they are thought to be christian because they attend one of the many churches per square mile that we have available we do not know the heart of a man based on his religious or non religious views.
Sounds like a way to tax the people without taxing the people…if you know what I’m saying…
What upscale places does Bermuda have left? Horizons…gone, Coral Beach…gone, Lantana…gone, Pink Beach…gone. Whats left? Mid Ocean…private/reciprocal, Cambridge Beaches, maybe Reefs.
Which of these have closed since 1998? Under which Government? How many jobs lost?
There is new construction happening any day now at Sonesta, Club Med and Tuckers Point! Wasn’t there an article in the Daily last year saying that they were making changes / renovations? What count have possibly changed their minds?
Making changes / renovations at Fairmont, I menat to say.
The only ‘for’ gambling I see is that it is held in front of us as an inducement,
“if your Island has gambling, we will bring our ships or invest in a hotel”
On the negative side is this.
The last time I went thru Las Vegas,8 months back, the taxi driver said 224,000 jobs had gone there
If that is in the greatest most entertaining gambling mecca, what should little ole BDA expect?
Why would you come to one of the most expensive destinations matched by a simmering bad attitude toward all foreigners only to lose more money?
When you can pay $40 a night to play in Las Vegas or Atlantic City with heaps of entertainment and restaurants at great prices, why come here?
The cruise ships allowing gambling in port will give the visitors even less reason to get off and spend,
Then there is the upside. Minister of Transport has less people lined up for miles in the hot sun waiting for ferries and buses that aren t coming- FEEL THE LOVE?
Cup Match is coming. How many people will gamble away their cash?
Casinos is not a new phenomenon!!Bermudians know how to roll dice, shuffle card and play most table games.. We have also Steve and others from the Spinning Wheel offering education regarding playing, lets not go outside when the inside education is here.. why follow a model from people who exercised their right to frame their policies.. what is wrong with us that we feel we have to bring in people.. Bermudians are well traveled and surely by now we see the affects of too much outside intervention!!Gambling and gaming have been in full swing, ask John from the former Palace off spurling hill?? plenty of people in Bermuda are quite knowledgeable in casinos both here and abroad ,lets utilize our own common sense before we lose it all!! Also if Bermudians are not allowed to gamble what will happen in slow season.?. Bermudians also stay in hotels and take advantage of a lot of “tourist” attractions. if we are not allowed to gamble in our own country we certainly will gamble elsewhere! where we are not judged!!!