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published: Sunday | July 8, 2007
Mark Titus, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU
Both the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP) are shying away from any commitment to casino gaming in Jamaica, despite it being a lucrative business and a staple in other Caribbean tourism destinations.
This is believed to be a sensitive topic when a general election is imminent. Both parties are playing it safe by ensuring they do not anger the church community, which has led the anti-casino campaign in the past.
"Jamaica has been struggling with the issue of gaming for a long time," JLP Shadow Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, tells The Sunday Gleaner.
National position
"A clear national position has to be taken on this, and the (tourism) industry in the final analysis has to determine whether or not gaming will enhance the product as we need to. The Opposition is willing to view this issue with the wider society," he states.
Bartlett pointed out that the JLP manifesto for the upcoming election states the party's intention of broadening the scope and scale of attractions in order to be able to attract more persons.
An effort to contact Dr. Wykeham McNeill, State Minister in the Ministry of Tourism, Entertainment and Culture, to comment on the issue was unsuccessful. Former Minister of Tourism and PNP candidate for West Central St. James, Francis Tulloch, declined to comment on the matter.
"It is not a subject I am prepared to discuss at this time," he responds. "I would have to brief myself on the party's position before responding to that question."
However, a highly placed source in the PNP informs The Sunday Gleaner that no member of the party would be willing to discuss such a controversial topic with an election speculated to be a few weeks away.
With the world-renowned tourism product 'Jamaica' barely passing the three million mark in 2006 - while less-recognised tourist destinations such as Singapore celebrated 30 million tourist arrivals - there are some who strongly believe that casino gambling would add variety to our attractions.
"Tourism has got more competitive," says Montego Bay businessman Godfrey Dyer. "Therefore, we need to improve on the number of attractions that we offer our guests and one of those would be casino."
He continues: "We were given a number of reasons in the period that we lobbied for it and one is that it brings crime and a number of other things. We don't believe it is so, the powers that be did not go for it, but I think it should be revisited at this time."
President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Wayne Cummings, wants stakeholders in the industry to come to an amicable decision.
"What seemsto be preferred by the individuals who I have spoken with is the stand-alone casino concept," he discloses.
"My personal opinion is that we should be taking a look at the possibilities, as casino has matured and we are losing out; we should definitely have it in Jamaica."
The tourism master plan for the period 2001-2010 - established during the tenure of then Tourism Minister Portia Simpson Miller - calls for diversification in the sector to improve and make the product more attractive to a wider range of visitors by having "greater variety and a higher quality of visitor attractions," and "a wider range of recreational and entertainment opportunities."
Extensive casino operations
A number of countries in the region - namely The Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Puerto Rico and The Bahamas now have extensive casino operations. The returns, reportedly, have been mixed.
Speaking to The Sunday Gleaner from the Caribbean Tourism Association office in Barbados, general secretary of the organisation, Vincent Vanderpool Wallace, said that the predicted returns on casino gambling in The Bahamas have been disappointing.
"In Bahamas where I am from, it is just an additional amenity," he said "We are nowhere near the numbers we anticipated."
"The predicted boost to the economy has not been realised; it is more or less the same."
However, it is reported that the proliferation of casino gaming in Aruba has resulted in significant growth for the economy
Mark Titus, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU
Both the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP) are shying away from any commitment to casino gaming in Jamaica, despite it being a lucrative business and a staple in other Caribbean tourism destinations.
This is believed to be a sensitive topic when a general election is imminent. Both parties are playing it safe by ensuring they do not anger the church community, which has led the anti-casino campaign in the past.
"Jamaica has been struggling with the issue of gaming for a long time," JLP Shadow Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, tells The Sunday Gleaner.
National position
"A clear national position has to be taken on this, and the (tourism) industry in the final analysis has to determine whether or not gaming will enhance the product as we need to. The Opposition is willing to view this issue with the wider society," he states.
Bartlett pointed out that the JLP manifesto for the upcoming election states the party's intention of broadening the scope and scale of attractions in order to be able to attract more persons.
An effort to contact Dr. Wykeham McNeill, State Minister in the Ministry of Tourism, Entertainment and Culture, to comment on the issue was unsuccessful. Former Minister of Tourism and PNP candidate for West Central St. James, Francis Tulloch, declined to comment on the matter.
"It is not a subject I am prepared to discuss at this time," he responds. "I would have to brief myself on the party's position before responding to that question."
However, a highly placed source in the PNP informs The Sunday Gleaner that no member of the party would be willing to discuss such a controversial topic with an election speculated to be a few weeks away.
With the world-renowned tourism product 'Jamaica' barely passing the three million mark in 2006 - while less-recognised tourist destinations such as Singapore celebrated 30 million tourist arrivals - there are some who strongly believe that casino gambling would add variety to our attractions.
"Tourism has got more competitive," says Montego Bay businessman Godfrey Dyer. "Therefore, we need to improve on the number of attractions that we offer our guests and one of those would be casino."
He continues: "We were given a number of reasons in the period that we lobbied for it and one is that it brings crime and a number of other things. We don't believe it is so, the powers that be did not go for it, but I think it should be revisited at this time."
President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Wayne Cummings, wants stakeholders in the industry to come to an amicable decision.
"What seemsto be preferred by the individuals who I have spoken with is the stand-alone casino concept," he discloses.
"My personal opinion is that we should be taking a look at the possibilities, as casino has matured and we are losing out; we should definitely have it in Jamaica."
The tourism master plan for the period 2001-2010 - established during the tenure of then Tourism Minister Portia Simpson Miller - calls for diversification in the sector to improve and make the product more attractive to a wider range of visitors by having "greater variety and a higher quality of visitor attractions," and "a wider range of recreational and entertainment opportunities."
Extensive casino operations
A number of countries in the region - namely The Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Puerto Rico and The Bahamas now have extensive casino operations. The returns, reportedly, have been mixed.
Speaking to The Sunday Gleaner from the Caribbean Tourism Association office in Barbados, general secretary of the organisation, Vincent Vanderpool Wallace, said that the predicted returns on casino gambling in The Bahamas have been disappointing.
"In Bahamas where I am from, it is just an additional amenity," he said "We are nowhere near the numbers we anticipated."
"The predicted boost to the economy has not been realised; it is more or less the same."
However, it is reported that the proliferation of casino gaming in Aruba has resulted in significant growth for the economy