U.D.P. says bill will lead to casinos

But while the Prime Minister maintains that the Gaming Control Bill is to regulate what is already occurring, Leader of the Opposition Dean Barrow contends that the bill paves the way for large scale casino gambling and that it is not as innocent as it seems.

Dean Barrow, Leader of the Opposition, U.D.P.

“What this bill ought to be titled is a bill to introduce casino gambling into Belize. That is the major purpose of this legislation and to try ambuscade what’s going on and suggest that what we are doing is trying to prevent minors from going into places where slot machines are is to try and pull the wool over the eyes of the people. The taking of drugs is a social evil. The taking of drugs is a human frivolity; we don’t legalize the taking of drugs as a consequence.

So I don’t understand what the Prime Minister is doing; he seems to be absolutely confused and offering arguments that in fact weight in the balance against the legislation. If he is conceding that gambling is a human frivolity and a social evil how then can he go on to talk about setting up a legal regime that will exploit the social evil?”