Fellow Anguillians and Friends of Anguilla,
Over the past two weeks I have been approached by a number of citizens regarding my views on the current consultations and debate on the issue of the Government’s draft policy on developing a gaming sector in Anguilla. Persons who approached me would have been aware that over my tenure as Minister of Finance in Anguilla I have been at the forefront of the introduction of the “state of the art” Caribbean Lottery which replaced the old Government Lottery as well as the legalization of the current Madroka Anguilla Lottery to replace the illegal so-called “Spanish Lottery” which was operating throughout the island for many years.
Some of these persons may also have been aware that the present plans to introduce a form of Casino Gaming began with our Government contracting “The Innovation Group” to conduct a Gaming Marketing Assessment. This marketing study is now providing the backdrop for policy development on Gaming in Anguilla.
In short, many persons know that I have supported the legalization and regularization of gaming in Anguilla for almost thirty years. My position has not changed. However, I must also point out at this juncture that the views expressed in this presentation are my own and have nothing to do with the Anguilla United Front — the party which I wholeheartedly support.
But before I go any further into this conversation — let me be fully transparent and put on the record the fact that since my retirement from active politics one of my projects involves clients and partners who have interests in the Gaming Sector. And if Government develops a responsible Gaming Policy we will continue to pursue our application for a licence for a Members Gaming Club. In fact, our pri ncipals have met with the appropriate Government Ministries and Departments on a number of occasions over the last two years to advance our application.
Our company believes that Anguilla’s Tourism Product and the overall economy can benefit from a well-regulated gaming sector of appropriate size and quality. And we are pleased to know, based the Draft Policy document being circulated, that it is Government’s intention to avoid the proliferation of gaming licences in the accommodation sector by restricting licences to stand-alone facilities. That means that, no hotels or resorts will be granted a Gaming licence and the number of licences will be limited to two only.
I support the GoA’s position and draft policy on Gaming because of its comprehensive response to a number of concerns raised over the years that have significant relevance. A number of these concerns have been raised by various groups and individuals including spokespersons for the Anguilla Christian Council and the Anguilla Evangelical Association. This must be expected and respected especially from Church groups based on their tradition of opposition to such issues.
We live in a Democracy — one that by virtue of its principles must allow the expression of a diversity of opinions on all issues. The existence of freedom of expression including religious beliefs is at the foundation of this form of Government.
A number of persons, however, have expressed the feeling of intimidation by some of the statements that are being published. One such individual suggested that there are persons who seem to be weaponizing various quotations from the bible by making the word “casino” synonymous with “sin”. I believe that even the Christian proponents of anti-gaming need to be extremely circumspect in the manner in which they quote the bible — and in particular how they decide which “sins” they select as targets of their strongest protest.
I have always been cognizant of that statement from Jesus: “Let him that is without sin, cast the first stone”. However, I am also fully aware that this is a very challenging standard to meet given the fact that we all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. In this context, it is quite appropriate that persons express their opposition to issues within our community while being extremely cautious of the appearance of self-righteousness.
The “sin of gambling” as it is called will not disappear because of the prohibition of Casinos; or by the introduction of Gaming policies or regulations; or even the banning of Lotteries or Bingo. Persons who like Gaming will always discover or create ways to participate in this form of entertainment. As Anguillians we are well aware of the various channels used for the expression of these impulses. These compulsions however, can be addressed effectively by reaching out directly to the community regarding the ills of gambling and its impact on one’s chances of entering into the Kingdom of God.
The Government for its part, however, must be respectful of the various shades of opinion on such issues and deal with them proficiently. On almost every issue of national significance governments can be accused of not educating or informing its people effectively. It is therefore a very challenging exercise especially because very few citizens take the time to get to the proper source of the facts on most issues. As a consequence, we all need to try harder to ensure that our people have every opportunity to be well-informed. I have been there and because I consider this an important issue that requires access to the facts, I feel obliged to put in proper context, the reason why I support the Government draft policy proposal, as circulated. I therefore believe that I should lend my voice to those persons who believe in the benefits that some form of gaming can bring to the enhancement of our tourism product.
There is also an argument being advanced that Gaming will destroy our tourism product. That perception focuses on our core market, namely, the high-end luxury sector. However, if we concede that to be the case, we ignore the reality that high-end gaming exists. And if we were to pursue that line of thinking even further, we would be saying that only the lower ends of the tourism market indulge in gaming. We all know that gambling enthusiasts exist at all levels of society. There is therefore a target group in each section of the Tourism market that seeks out gaming as a form of entertainment when planning their vacations. And since we need to increase our market share as a destination at all levels of the tourism economy, we should put in place the best policy and legislation to achieve that outcome.
It is also my understanding that there is a suggestion that there should be a referendum on this issue. My question is what will be the case for such a referendum. Many forms of Gaming are already legal in Anguilla — so how will we frame such a question? Better yet what would be the response of the Christian Church if the outcome of such a referendum supports the gaming legislation and policy? If the Christian Church agrees to such a referendum, they would in fact be agreeing to accept the outcome. It (the Christian church) would then need to revert to what could be done right now, namely, reaching out to persons directly with regards the ills of “gambling through their teachings and persuasive methods as employed in its response to other “sins” recognizing that this is consistent with its approach to deal with all sins and sinners in general.
But far be it from me to tell the Christian Church how to proceed on this or any such enterprise. My expertise and experience have been in the field of politics and governance for over forty years. In that vocation we must deal with both sinners and believers of various faiths. Of course, that is the same for the Christian Church but with one important difference — in the enterprise of politics and governance we create the environment for sinners and believers alike (Christians; Atheists, Muslims etc) to coexist in the same space. We do not focus on their qualifications to enter the Kingdom of God. And even though we profess to be a God-fearing people our Constitution does not provide for our religious beliefs to overwhelm or override the views of any person or sect within our community.
Should Government therefore leave the question of Gaming up to the views of any one or two sectors of the community to decide? No!! But Government must create an environment in which all persuasions can minister to its membership and Anguilla as a whole. This includes its views on Gaming.
It is Government’s responsibility to regulate sectors of this community which if left unregulated could create an even more dangerous situation. It also gives citizens an opportunity to be safe and protected by laws that allow them the freedom to pursue whatever their interests are with confidence. Persons who engage in illegal gaming cannot go to the police or the courts to adjudicate any dispute. But in an unregulated environment, they may decide to employ violent means to seek justice. Many of us are aware that this is already happening.
Many of you may have noticed that the Madroka Anguilla Lottery has been closed for several weeks. What are the facts? They were closed because they contravened one of the requirements of their licencing agreement established by the laws of Anguilla. This is a clear demonstration of policy and legislation at work. Our Government made sure that the Lottery would be conducted with the right policies and laws to manage its operations in the best interests of its customers and the Government.
A good question to ask at this point is how many people have looked at the proposed legislation policy. Bearing in mind that based on the realities of our culture and environment there is a significant need for policies and legislation that deal with the situation of gaming/gambling in Anguilla. Here are a few of measures that are being proposed:
• Support the development of not more than two stand-alone casino gaming locations.
• Develop Gaming legislation under the Anguilla Gaming Act prescribing a clear regulatory framework and the introduction of an oversight body with the capacity to ensure that Gaming activities stay within the ambit of the law,
• The Financial Services Regulatory Commission will function as the “Gaming Board for Anguilla with the legislative authority to carry out its function effectively.
• Establish a Licencing Authority that will examine all aspects of the operations of the business, including training.
• Put in place a viable taxing structure.
• Develop a list of practical prohibitions to facilitate responsible gaming,
• Require licencees to present and maintain within their premises a program to promote responsible gaming.
• Require Licencees to establish procedures; actions; provide training and tests for Gaming Club Staff and Management to detect “money laundering and terrorist financing” risk exposure and an approved framework to respond assertively.
• Require licencees to maintain accounting records in readiness for the oversight of the Gaming Board and other relevant Ministerial and Departmental authorities.
These are just a part of the positive measures that I support to manage and control a high quality gaming environment.
But we have to recognize that we are either in the Tourism business or we are not. For example, you cannot run a successful hospitality business if because of your religious beliefs you decide that you will not serve alcohol or lobster. In my experience as Minister of Tourism — I have never encountered anyone who decided not to visit a destination because it had casinos. On the contrary, I have met many persons who plan their vacations at destinations that have gaming as a part of its tourism offerings.
There was a time when Anguillians protested about Tourism as an evil industry. We declared that we did not want to become like SXM and St. Thomas. We do not want cruise ships because we do not want to come like SXM. And the list goes on. But we found a way to regulate these sectors of the economy while maintaining a competitive product. It is time to introduce a viable gaming sector policy and legislation to enhance our tourism offering. Such opposition to the enhancement of the Tourism sector was also applied to Golf; to Marinas; to direct flights; even to a proper cruise terminal. You can pick any number of issues where we found reasons to oppose. We were against Carnival; against working on Sundays; against living out of wedlock; against social security; against Labour Laws; again the list goes on. We need to accept there may be side effects to every form of medication but there are positive outcomes as well. In the case of the gaming policy there seems that there is a position that gaming will be the source of every ill in our society. And it seems to be giving credence to the contention expressed by one of my colleagues that casinos have become synonymous with sin as a whole. Do we really believe that Gaming is the root of all evil? Because such an extreme position can diminish the credibility required to reach those persons in need of support for their irresponsible gaming behavior.
As a servant of the people and a Christian believer I strive to govern myself mainly by the two great commandments: to love God and to love my neighbor. However, we remain challenged to love God with all our heart and soul and strength — and it is even more challenging to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Hopefully, any effort to keep these two commandments foremost in one’s life is not impacted by any affinity for an occasional game of chance. The truth is all gamblers may not be losers and sinners. But you can always find the boogey man in any situation if you allow his existence to overwhelm you.
At the end of the day there is one incontrovertible fact in all of this. Gaming has been an internationally accepted offering of the entertainment and tourism sector for centuries. It is up to every individual destination to develop their policies and legislation in a manner that fits with its environment and product. I believe that the Government of Anguilla is on the right track to finding a way to make this form of entertainment a good fit for Anguilla at this time.
I thank you all very much for your kind attention!
(Sponsored by Citizens for Responsible Gaming)
