A former Minister in the ruling Anguilla Progressive Movement (APM) Government, Mr. Kyle Hodge, is urging the administration to take into consideration the voices of the people and recent survey data, before making a final decision on the introduction of casino gaming to the island.
Casino gambling or luxury gaming, as it is formally called, is a topical issue in Anguilla at this time.
On Monday 27th March, 2023, on the Opposition radio program “Just the Facts”, former Minister of Economic Development, Commerce, Information Technology and Natural Resources, Mr. Kyle Hodge, said that he was aware of the pending Casino Bill during his relatively short term in office.
“As the former Minister of Economic Development, this is something that I would have seen while I was the Minister. We had been doing some work on it,” he said. “The idea of casino gaming legislation while I was in office was that it should not come into Anguilla the way it went into St. Maarten. The legislation was to be drawn up as not to be not to be making the mistakes that the other islands made.”
Because Anguilla is already into luxury tourism, the idea was to bring something to the table that is also of a luxury magnitude,” Mr. Hodge said. “This was a study that was being done since 2019. We met it when we came into office and we had set out to create a gaming policy from it, trying to make it unique to Anguilla.”
“I have a different view on it now, though. I made a statement on the casino gaming issue on Klass FM some time ago, and I was misquoted for some reason,” he told the hosts of the Programme. “I said that overall, I would support casino gambling in Anguilla if the revenues from it will allow Government to relieve the pressures of taxes on the people.”
He noted that if revenues from casinos can replace property tax, for example, or if it can replace GST, or any other tax, then he would be in favor of this source of revenue that comes from gaming as long as it allows people to be relieved of the regular tax burden.
“However, when you look at the figure of EC$4 million in the 2023 budget that was estimated as revenues from gaming for the year, that is only a drop in the bucket as it relates to relieving the tax burden on the people,” he indicated. “So, if that is the kind of money we are looking to receive from the casino gaming sector, then I also have to now weigh the voices and concerns of those who have a different viewpoint on the matter.”
Mr. Hodge said that he listened intently to the public consultation held on the evening of Tuesday 21st March, 2023, in order to understand what other people are thinking about it, and there are some very legitimate views out there.
“There is one view that I really hold dear to my heart,” he said. “That is the view from Ms. Avanella Griffith. She raised the point that while government would be trying not to allow casinos to reach the point where everybody can walk in, this is just for now. When you open the door, then ten years down the road the rules will change into something else…. By that time, casino gaming would have changed the social landscape of Anguilla in general. It can change the landscape of tourism, as the visitors that come now would not be inclined to come any longer.”
“One expatriate at the consultation meeting pointed to the data. We had never before had information as to how our tourist clientele feel about casino gaming,” Mr. Hodge said. “We should look at the exit survey for when tourists [are] leaving Anguilla. There would be a need to take a look at what our tourists say about casino gaming, because the majority of visitors are against it. And, if you listen to the public, it sounds as if the majority of the population objects to casinos too.”
“So, as a leader, when you look at the data from the exit surveys, and when you listen to the cries and fears of the locals,” the former Minister said, it would be reason enough to take a step back. There should be no rush to get EC$4 million.”
“I would want to advise the Premier at this point to take a step back and listen to the people. Take a step back and look at the data from those exit surveys. When the people speak, you need to listen,” Mr. Hodge opined.
