Jamaica May Allow Casinos

The Prime Minister of the Carribean island of Jamaica, Bruce Golding said yesterday he was supporting a group of overseas investors who plan to build the island's first casino, despite opposition from church groups. Casinos will bring in much needed tax revenue for health and the schooling system, he said. He has handed the final decision over to the lower house of the parliament.

Bars and hotels are allowed to have slot machines on the island, but there are still no actual casinos on the island. Golding claims that the situation in the hotels and clubs sets a precedent and that the island has many years of experience of the likely effects of this move and how best to regulate it. He stresses that regulation is better than prohibition and that a properly controlled industry can be a force for good.

Golding said that the plans were to issue casino licenses to parties able to invest a minimum of JMD$1.5 billion (U.S.$20.8 million) and who include a hotel in their plans. The casino can not take up more than 20% of the total investment.

"It is our policy to channel the money from casino operations to a special fund to finance health, education and security," Golding said.