Big Mac’s little gamble

| 18/06/2010

It may go down as McKeeva Bush’s slickest political maneuver yet. He is artfully allowing a referendum to decide whether or not Cayman will legalize gambling. If all goes according to plan and the people vote the way he hopes, West Bay’s smooth operator can still play the pious churchman while finally getting that casino he’s been salivating for all these years.

“It’s the will of the people,” he will say. “I am simply respecting the democratic process. My hands are clean. Now let’s play some Black Jack!”

What is this whole gambling-government connection anyway? Put simply, it’s a creative way to tax mathematically challenged citizens as well as those who are prone to unrealistic fantasies. The worse you measure up on those two scales, the more money you are likely to gamble away. To some people, however, gambling is far more sinister than simply a way of squeezing money out of the rubes.

The Cayman Ministers Association (CMA) has stormed to the front of this issue. Armed with “research” (cut and pasted from Wikipedia, no doubt), they are making the case that a national lottery and a casino will increase crime and pretty much lead to every other Caymanian selling their children for one more turn at the craps table. I know that the CMA folks speak to God every night but I think they are wrong about this, nonetheless. Gambling does not necessarily lead to social decay. It can, of course, but so too can incompetent politicians and we certainly don’t seem to have any problem accepting them in Cayman, now do we?

The CMA’s claim that legalized gambling will lead us to runaway crime is difficult to take seriously because we’re already there. Serious crime is here; it didn’t wait on the grand opening of our first casino. Just this month, for example, we had a streak of daily armed robberies striking nearly every gas station in Grand Cayman. What, if gambling is legalized we will have two gas stations robbed per day rather than just one per day? Our murders-to-population ratio is already close to or ahead of Detroit and Kingston. Are a few slot machines really going to make it any worse? Maybe, but I doubt it.

Could some Caymanians throw away their lives gambling? Sure, but very few would. It’s a minor issue that might impact a tiny handful of people at most. Most Caymanians are not total morons with no understanding of near impossible odds. Virtually everyone here who chooses to gamble would still keep enough cash in their pocket to buy baby food on the way home. If the preachers are so terrified of Caymanians being hypnotised by roulette-wheels then they should devote their energies to making sure our schools do a better job of teaching mathematics. Anyone who has taken a basic statistics course, for example, would find it nearly impossible to place extravagant bets on the long-shot games casinos offer. Generally, only the very wealthy and the very stupid spend large sums of money gambling. It would be no different in Cayman.

By the way, morality and crime aside, would a Cayman Islands lottery even be profitable here? Has anyone crunched the numbers? Cayman is not Florida with a population of 18 million. We only have about 50,000 people. How many out of that will buy lottery tickets every week? How many will they buy? Assuming tickets would be $1, it’s difficult to see where the money will come from for big prizes. If we are talking about nothing more than a $50,000 or so payoff, I can’t see much excitement being generated. It would feel like just another Rotary Club raffle. No big deal. Maybe tourists would buy large numbers of tickets, but that’s far from certain.

There is also the cost of printing the tickets, distribution and sales, advertising, salaries for managers and bean-counters and, don’t forget, security guards to prevent winners from being shot by a criminal when they show up at the lottery office with their winning tickets. Considering all that, our government could end up losing money.

Speaking on a radio talk show, CMA’s anti-gambling point man Reverend Nicholas Sykes described gambling as a dishonest means of making money. He’s right; gambling is a scam. It’s taking money from people while promising them the chance of a very unlikely payoff. Like Sykes says, gambling is immoral. It’s almost as bad as taking money from people while promising them the chance of a big payoff in the sky after they die.

Ironically, in the end, I must agree with the Cayman Ministers Association. I say vote “No” because gambling would be a disaster for the Cayman Islands. Why do I think this? Not because gambling is inherently evil or because it will make all of us start beating our children and smoking crack. The only reason I’m against legalized gambling in Cayman is because Caymanian politicians would control it. That alone pretty much guarantees that it would turn sour fast. Gambling revenue could be a fine addition to our economy, no doubt. But given the quality of the people we keep electing to run things, it surely wouldn’t work out like we might hope.

First of all, more money in the hands of our politicians—UDP or PPM, it doesn’t matter—would not be used to pay off debt or actually improve education or anything else that matters. Have no doubt, the budget would be shuffled around so that our politicians had more to spend on tourist “attractions” that nobody goes to and other mysterious black holes that always seem to emerge in Cayman. They would spend away new wealth on pay raises and pay offs. And if some crime or social problems did bubble up directly due to gambling, they would ignore it or be so slow to react that the entire country really could end up being dragged to hell—just like the preachers are warning.

So, the bottom line is that gambling may be stupid but it’s not evil. It would not condemn us to certain and absolute destruction. However, given the realities of Cayman politics, the safe vote is a definite “No”. We aren’t ready for the additional responsibility.

 

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  1. Anonymous says:

     Lazy Lazy Lazy and shame on you pro gambling lobbyists.

    Your farcical defense of a poor excuse for revenue enhancement and then baseless attacks on those who choose to differ with you is proof positive that you don’t care about the quality of life in our community.

    Is this the best that  "modern" and ‘advanced" thinking can get us?

    Could someone explain to me a novice how the "gambling revenues" would be collected and spent by the government who is unable to tell us where the current money is going?

    Why should we continue wreck what’s left of our little uniqueness to feed the habit of a minority while protecting the rights and livelihood of those openly and blatantly engaging in illegal activities on a little island where everyones knows what going on but nobody sees anything?

     

  2. Anonymous says:

    The Bahamas has it right, if you are really worried about the local population squandering their money gambling just make it illegal for any citizen, resident, spouse or dependent of citizen/resident, work permit holder or their dependents or student visa holders to gamble in the casino.  That way only the tourists go into the casino and only the tourists money is "gambled".  the Bahamas get to make their money and retain their misconceived notion that somehow they are protecting their citizens from themselves. 

  3. Anonymous says:

    I totally agree. The issue is not gambling itself. The issue is the people who would control it and the fact that only a few already wealthy and connected would manage to get themselves wealthier and even more connected.

    Who would get a gambling license ro a Casino? I would assume the Ritz would be the first one. I bet the little local bar who would like to put a single slot machine in their pub would not be able to do that.

    The only gambling that MAY make sense would be a national lottery. Who would run it. Government……ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha yeah right!

  4. Say it Aint So says:

    CNS you should have a Poll on the issue. A simple yes or no vote on the idea of a national lottery and Casino.

    CNS: Like this one?

  5. Mat says:

    I must admit that people want gambling because they "love" money more than anything else!  And I love God more than anything else!

    Hence, I find that in order for me to have protection of my rights to freely "love" God, it is only fair to protect the rights of gamblers no matter how much I disagree with their way of life.

    This is a fair, democratic, and godly approach.

    Don’t get me wrong.  I personally am not for gambling, but why should I be against it too when I don’t want anyone against me for serving God?

    I believe in living the life and leaving in the hands of God. When you try to force people or work through government to make people see the way you see, they tend to build a wall of defense and not want anything to do with you. 

    You only cause division.

  6. Kenny Rogers says:

    I’m for gambling. Why would I want to spend MY money in Vegas (granted it is much more exotic and has girls 😉 _ I would rather lose my $$ here for the most part. A lottery would also be good for the economy. Schools, Medical, Elderly and other cast by the way side projects would greatly benefit. To make the most out of it, the lottery should be international. Anyone, anywhere would be able to purchase and get a chance to win.  But unfortunately as long as the church sticks their collective noses outside the gospel side pulpit, politics here will remain trapped in the holy bowl of BS.

    "You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em
    Know when to walk away and know when to run
    You never count your money, when you’re sittin’ at the table
    There’ll be time enough for countin’, when the dealin’s done"

    K.R.

  7. Anonymous says:

    there already is gambling in Cayman, have any of you heard of the internet, numbers, raffles, poker etc…………….get casinos and the rest of it just don’t let the government run it!!!!   

  8. vocal local says:

    Question for the Premier; Will the Govt. call for a referendum on other IMPORTANT issues like dredging the North Sound, blasting and cutting through at East End for a quarry…err… port and having an oil refinery???

    These are all even more important to have the people speak to by referendum, than gambling/casinos…as we can change our minds and again outlaw gambling/casinos…whereas once we have allowed the other massive projects that the Premier is calling for, those will be PERMANENT!…with no turning back!..And thus the final ruination of these Cayman Islands.

    We the people of Cayman must educate ourselves on these issuesand insist on our right to speak (by way of referendum on them ALL). We cannot allow a few people to just say " it’s good for Cayman " and that’s that. We want open and transparent scientific research!

     

  9. Anonymous says:

     I am willing to "BET" that without the implementation of casino gaming our tourism product will remain the "dead horse" it is with pastors Al, and Sykes standing over it asking all of us to pray for it’s resurrection.

    Advanceyour thinking, liberate your minds and save the "damned" economy.Stop taking directions from archaic minds, quoting from archaic books. 

     

    • Anonymous says:

      What everyone is forgetting is that gambling can become additive – as can drugs or alcohol. I don’t see any bars and nightclubs closing down.  We are expected to be able to control our consumption and know our limits. Gambling is no different.

      Raffles are also gambling – all games of chance. Sykes should first look within his church for the problems with alcohol, family abuse, and adultery. Start cleaning up those issues instead of worrying about what MIGHT happen if casinos and lotteries are brought in. 

  10. Richard N. Parson says:

    You need millions of people to have a decent multi-million dollar jackpot.  Cayman is too small.

    • Jimmythe Fish says:

      Only if you restrict the players to the people in Cayman. 

      The whole idea is to attract money from players OUTSIDE of Cayman INTO Cayman. 

      See the difference?

    • Here is a thought says:

       Very much agreed. We are way too small to benefit from this and too much control and greed would go into cronies pockets.  Just look at the Matrix "payout"….money from gambling would be bigger than any dishwasher, dryer, new paved road, etc…. If we did not have wide-spread corruption before, this would open the door!

      I do not think tourists would even come here for gambling.  Diving and sunsets maybe, but gambling would not be a big draw.  Remember we are not a large stay-over destination and need to look at WHO are stayover tourists are….they do NOT fit the gaming demographic!!!

      If Mac gets his way, at least make it SMALL (like maybe Boatswain Beach!?!) and only allow tourists to participate.  I do not think it is a sustainable revenue to look at….but at least protect our weakest people and so not let our own residents gamble their hard earned few pennies away.

      • Anonymous says:

        I understand your thought process.  However, if this law is passed, there is a great necessity for restrictions against local gamblers (as is already in place in the Bahamas).  There will be tourists that come here strictly for gambling; a fantastic example is Las Vegas – there is little to do there besides spend time in a casino – and that can potentially upgrade our island, as long as it is implemented correctly.  Many celebrities from the US visit the Bahamas…  Why not switch to Cayman?

        • Anonymous says:

          Why not a two centre casino vacation.  From USA to Bahamas to Cayman. Or USA to Cayman to Bahamas. Put on a Cayman Airways flight from Cayman to Bahamas, at a ‘reasonable’ price of course!

    • Dred says:

      Mr. Parson have you not heard of that magical thing called the internet? It gets you access not just millions but 10’s of millions of people.

      Any lottery done in Cayman on just the backbone of Cayman is not wise.

      • Anonymous says:

        The "magical thing called the internet" for gambling sounds like a good way to launder money.

        • Anonymous says:

          The point being???

          • Anonymous says:

            I would have thought the point is self-explanatory. This is the last thing Cayman needs given the brush with which we have been painted by the international media.  

  11. Lachlan MacTavish says:

    Repeating posts here but just validating some good points.

    Cayman already has illegal gambling, lotteries, numbers, rampant crime and individuals who abuse and are addicted to gambling. Licensed and taxed casino’s, lotteries and numbers agents will do nothing but provide much needed income for our floundering country. Hotel guest only independently non Government operations will not add to the already rampant crime in Cayman. Licensed numbers operators will make this already illegal entrenched business legal, out of the car trunk and monitored. 

    • Dred says:

      Agreed.

      And my point to add is this. If you are not going to enforce the law then you may as well make some money off of it.

  12. The Enforcer says:

    The whole idea to even consider legalising gambling is a cop out by the government.

    The reality is they do not have the will to police this illegal activity.

    Do you think for a minute that those running the current numbers games in Cayman are going to come running to govt to be regulated, where up to 50% of their earnings may be withheld in taxes?

    No my friends. We will still have illegal numbers games even if gambling is legalised. 

    And the police will still not prosecute.

    Until we get serious about enforcing the laws in Cayman it is pointless making new laws.  

    • Dred says:

      I really believe that it is too hard to detail down the numbers games as to who wins and who looses and how much is made across the Island.

      I would believe the best angle for numbers is to license them at decent licensing fees to bring in money that way. Trying to go after % of revenues is going to be a massive undertaking to keep on top of.

      But as to the point of policing I would say this. Whatever the case is we are financially not in the position to enforce the law but if we are having revenue coming in we can direct some of those dollars at enforcement. At present we are strapped and making NOTHING off the numbers at all.

       

  13. Lady Luck says:

    Why can’t locals get piece of this pie too? I have noticed a few posting stating that the gambling should be only made available to visitors or locals with the big bucks, but why? 

    I would like the chance to change my current financial status too!!!

    If the US sells lottery tickets for $1, $5, & $10 I don’t see why I can’t buy tickets here for the same and up my chances to get out of the daily grind!!! 

    Hell most of the numbers game players spend this amount on numbers so why not allow the poorer class an opportunity to maybe get a lil touch of “lady luck”.

     

  14. Dred says:

    First and foremost you guys lack complete insight in how you would set up gambling in Cayman.

    First you would not make Casino gambling for people of the Cayman Islands or only if you qualify for a license which could be based on an income bracket. Then you have to buy it much the way you buy a license to drive a car.

    As for the rest of gambling what don’t we have already? Numbers is running wild. People who go to church do it. Police Officers do it, some even sell it. Politicians probably do it.

    So I want to find out if everyone is already doing it what social service nightmare could you possibly be seeing?? Huuummmm.

    All we are saying is that Government should be getting a piece of it. Casinos offers real financial ramifications for the Cayman Islands in terms of monies coming in from revenues.

    I have spoken to people and have seen cash takes on numbers. The amounts we are talking about is not thousands but tens of thousands weekly from one mid range seller.

    In fact you guys are only hypocrits. You go to church and buy numbers. Your church runs raffles and you believe this is not gambling?

    We will see come the ref where we are at here in Cayman.

  15. anonymous says:

    Gambling is for those who have the love for money.  Its addictive and can be fatal.  BEWARE!!

  16. Anonymous says:

    "Like Sykes says, gambling is immoral. It’s almost as bad as taking money from people while promising them the chance of a big payoff in the sky after they die".

    Now that’s just wrong.  Is that what you think "laying up treasures in heaven" means? 

    • Anonymous says:

       Or…. taking their money in the collection plate…..and promising a chance at heaven

      • Anonymous says:

        Wrong again. Except for selling of papal indulgences centuries ago there is no such teaching in the church. You cannot buy your way into heaven although some people might think so.  

        • Dr. Watson says:

          Then the taking of ANY kinds of offerings at ANY church should stop…Let’s see how long preachers keep being preachers, then..??

          • Anonymous says:

            That is a non-sequitur. It is always a good idea to have some knowledge of you subject and engage your brain before posting, Dr. Watson. Money is needed to do God’s work here on earth. Churches are involved in many charitable endeavours, assisting the widows and the orphans, running of schools etc. as well the support of missionaries abroad. No one compels anyone to put anything in the offering plate. It is a freewill offering. Unfortunately, there are some who do no hesitate to blow $100 on some unnecessary accessory but who are reluctant to put more than $5.00 in the offering plate.     

    • Anonymous says:

      It was also immoral for the ‘church of england’ early christains to used the people of africa as slaves..take note the rev skyes is apart of this church……google"CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND SLAVERY" the rest is history.

      • Anonymous says:

        You are right – it is HISTORY and therefore has nothing to do with Rev. Sykes. Let us deal with the present and leave off the red herrings.

    • CESAR AN SARAH says:

      Sorry cannot agree with Rev. Sykes, because in the first place gambling is not a promise by any banker that the buyer will win. 

      The game of chance is being taken by the buyer.  He buys with a hope of wining his bet.   Why would a person bet on a race horse,  or a dog race, Cock fight,  Why would I buy a ticket from Little  League expecting to win that car or pieceof land.  Why would I buy a plane ticket to miami?  The pilot is just like a banker.   If the plane dont make it you loose.    No gaurantee just a ticket buying a chance.

         The Banker promises nothing to any buyer that they wll win.   The only promise from the Banker, is that if your number plays you will get paid your betting amount of money.   If your number does not  play you loose.  Yes you loose but Cayman Islands Government gets their share of your lost 10 dollars.   Knowing that thegovernment would be collecting my loses makes me feel no way.   Because right now those lost dollars in Cayman are fattening up the Government treasury of  Honduras Jamaica, Phillipnes, India, Belize and USA.   That is my reason why I support a National Lottery in the Cayman Islands.

  17. I want a horse track says:

    I want to see a horse track here in Cayman. Nothing better then going out enjoying the outdoors and watching some horses race.  It would never work but it is a nice dream.  Maybe a dog track but horse are much cooler

    • Anonymous says:

      I am soooooo with you on that one!  Plenty space at Agriculture for a local race even if we couldn’t have the real thing… but like you say… pipe dream!  We could even name it after racing legend and author, Dick Francis, who loved the island so much and sadly died not so long ago.

      But seriously perhaps its not such a silly idea.  We all know its already popular in Jamaica and Barbados, and Miami’s not so far away –  perhaps it could even attract some good international competitors. See this for example:

      St Kitts: http://www.beaumontpark.kn/

       

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes why don’t we get both the horse track and the grayhound track?

      And after than we should get a Formula 1 track. 

      And a sea-horse race track too.

      Pipe dreams for an island with such a small population.

    • Lotophagus says:

      Maybe we should kill any losing horses then flail them mercilessly.  At least then we would be flogging a dead horse literally rather than metaphorically as in your post.

  18. Jimmy the Fish says:

    Fifty bucks says gambling is legalized in the Cayman Islands.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Right living is not just about the heart. It is also about what we do. Your argument is just another way of saying that the ends justify the means.

    The casting of lots to choose a new apostle in the Bible has nothing to do with casino gambling or the numbers racket. The latter are based on the love of money and wanting something for nothing. The love of money is indeed the root of all evil.

    • Mat says:

      Friend, notice your last statement taken from the Bible:

      "The love of money is [indeed] the root of all evil."

      Notice the word "love." It is not money that is evil, but the love of it that is evil.

      Hence, again… it all has to do with the person’s heart!  There is nothing wrong with making money just like there is nothing wrong with money itself.

      Let us not judge people playing a game of cards now!  The wrong is the "love" of it over others, family, community, and God.

      The "evil tendency" or "sinful bent" in human beings, is that we tend to forget God and who we are, and replace the importance of spirituality with mere humanity, ego, and self-centeredness.

      These are weaknesses found within ourselves that we have to change and overcome.

      Gambling is just like liquor!  Are you going to blame the liquor or glass of wine for the drunkard’s weakness? No… of course not

      God intends that we rise above these things and not become addicted to any thing whether it be woman, man, alcohol, or gambling in life.

      Leave judgement to God; God knows the heart. What you need to do is not worry about what other people, but ensure your own life and family is right with God.

      Let people gamble if they want to gamble!  For the Christian’s warfare is suppose to be a spiritual one, preaching humbly and lovingly without force and intimidation, the everlasting message of truth.

      That is what will change the world, dear reader, not legislation and politics. People must want to change in their hearts.

      Peace

      Whatever comes from the heart, is expressed in what one does and says – doesn’t it?  So if I with a good heart, roll a dice to win a prize, am I sinning? I love the Lord and my family, am I loving money because I roll a dice???

      If I decide to work overtime to make more money at my job, am I loving money?

      And if I decide to gamble to make more money, am I doing wrong?

      Believe you me, there is more people addicted here to their jobs, work long hours and deprive themselves of family-time than there are people addicted here  to gambling.

      It comes right back down to a person’s heart and on who or what they put first in their lives. Theheart is greater than your deeds. You can’t separate them.

      • Anonymous says:

        I am of course aware of the accuracy of my own quote "the LOVE of money is root of all evil". The point I was making is that gambling is motivated by the love of money. It is not productive labour (unlike working overtime) and is fuelled by an obsessive desire to be rich.

        You keep misunderstanding the point about judgement. It was not a command to void yourself of any judgement as to whether any activity is wrong or right, evil or good. That would be ridiculous. Say, I see a young lady being raped, but since I cannot "judge" (according to  your definition) I cannot reach the conclusion that anything wrong is being done and so do not come to her rescue. There could never be any laws if that were the case and society would degenerate into anarchy. We can and must make those distinctions. Do you understand how dumb that idea is?

        "For the Christian’s warfare is suppose to be a spiritual one".

        It is a spiritual one and nothing in the opposition to gambling contradicts that. What do you think that means – that we should never bear witness to Christian values?  That we should only sit in a room and pray? Jesus was indeed most spiritual but he overturned the money changers tables.  Sprituality sometimes means standing for something that you know is right even though your position may be unpopular and you will suffer slander or worse as a result.  

        And please stop with that "it’s all about the heart" mantra. What is in the heart is revealed by what you do. Out of the heart comes evil things, so that by their fruits you will know them. A desire to gamble shows the love of money which is the root of all evil. In the same way, according to the book of James, faith is not real unless it is shown by good works.  

        You reflect the problem of this age where individualism and selfishness is all important. All sense of community and social responsibility is lost.    

  20. Anonymous says:

    "Judge not that ye be Judged" 

    • Anonymous says:

      How is that relevant to this issue? Hopefully you didn’t think it means that we should not ever regard activity as immoral.  

    • Anonymous says:

      It’s:

      1  Judge not, that ye be not judged.
       
      2  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

      If there is a supreme being who is going to judge me no matter what (i.e. lest I be judged), why wouldn’t I also judge others anyway? 

      I’ll start now: I judge that you post strange postings that don’t seem to have anything to do with the subject at hand.  But you’re still cool in my books. 

      God bless the people of Cayman.

      Now where’s that beam in my eye?

       

  21. Anonymous says:

    People should make their own choices… if you don’t like it, don’t do it.

    • Anonymous says:

      Would you same the same about prostitution, or is this a convenient principle?

  22. SirTurtle says:

    You want gambling???

    HELLO!!!

    More money spent on rehab centers, more broken homes where fathers are not paying maintenance, more robberies, more crime, more debt for the country. Think! 

    • Dred says:

      No one is going to need rehab centres. We don’t have them now and Numbers is going nuts on Cayman with millions of dollars leaving the Island weekly.

      What you need is to actually look at how well other caribbean countries have done with Gambling.

      I would be okay with:

      1) Casinos (Limited to foreigners or locals with deep pockets and foreigners)

      2) Lottery (Online) – No CIG involvement except to collect money

      3) Numbers or some variant. – Or simply license them and collect licensing fees.

       

    • JustListening says:

      With your statement….."More money spent……", did not these problem exist before gambling arrived?  Therefore, these ills are not the result of gambling.   

  23. Anonymouse says:

    Unfortunately, this ranter didn’t actually listen to the CMA point-man. The Rev. didn’t say gambling was evil (at least while I listened) jsut that it was what our self-apointed Conscience has said, a very bda idea. – Vote No!

  24. Mat says:

    Gambling is not evil itself – rather it those people who are playing the risk. The Bible even mention how after Judas betrayed Jesus, there were 11 instead of 12 disciples left, and in the book of Acts it mentions how the remaining disciples "cast lots" amongst themselves to decide who will take Judas’s place. The lot fell on Matthias, and he became disciple #12. There was nothing wrong with casting lots, because the Bible says that the Holy Spirit was guiding them.

    Sometimes you have to let God take over and play your game of dice, and that is what the disciples did!

    However, on the other hand, once a person becomes identified with the gaming and starts to play for the love of money, greed, addiction, and disregard for his family and self-interest alone, there is where "sin" comes in, and gambling is wrong.

    I met alot of Christian people and there churches have raffles forgood and godly causes.

    IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH A PERSON’S HEART!

    • Anonymous says:

      That is why it doesn’t matter if we have gambling or not, if social programs are not in place and people’s lives are not right with God, we will forever have an increase in domestic disputes, irresponsibility, violence, and white collar crime.

      • Anonymous says:

        That is an illogical argument. All it amounts to is "since many people’s lives are not right with God some more vice won’t matter".  Making vice socially acceptable tends to increase it. It does matter.   

        • Mat says:

          That is not an illogical answer. That is a wise answer.

          LEAVE PEOPLE ALONE

          simple.

          If your God is so powerful, he will not need the law-makers of the Cayman Islands to enforce His morals. At least to me, that is not how God works. Just live the truth, let your light of love and goodwill to others shine, and God will work mysteriously, converting people and writing his laws on the "fleshly tablets" of thier hearts and mind.

          This thing about government fighting vice when they themselves are involved in it, is a complete joke. God is not for turning Cayman Islands Government into a Theocracy. The day that happens, you know Cayman Island’s government has become a tyrannical system

          • Anonymous says:

            God’s laws have formed the basis of our western legal systems for centuries.

            You have really mixed up about how writing his laws on our hearts works. Yo are saying if you are already a really good person then God will write his laws in your heart. You have got it entirely reversed.    

            If you "leave people alone" and it becomes a free-for-all you will have anarchy.   

  25. Anonymous says:

    Well said. I am not at all convinced that gambling is a good idea for Cayman.

    The main argument I can think of in favour of gambling is not that it would bring in extra revenue for government. It is that government travel expenses just might be reduced if "you know who" did not need to dream up excuses to go on gambling junkets overseas. We could also solve that expenses problem by voting differnently next time round – that would be a less expensive and less risky solution.

    • Dred says:

      What a pile of rubbish with so little thought put in.

      Gambling in Cayman will bring in phenominal amounts of revenue in the millions and millions of dollars. Look at any jurisdiction that has gambling and you will see tons of money being pumped into the economy.

      The cons can be mostly eliminated with how the whole gambling laws are drawn up.

      This is just another holier than thou act to shoot it down.

      What I want to see is all your raffles made illegal and then we’ll talk.

      Tourism will have another leg to stand on finally. Our typical tourism leg is going under and fast. Medical & Gambling tourism can stabilize that leg of our economy. It will create jobs, bring in investors and provide income to our government coffers.

      • Anonymous says:

        If you think Atlantic City and Las Vegas are great just think how terrific it would be to have Cayman like that. You ain’t going to get any Monte Carlo.

      • Anonymous says:

        "The cons can be mostly eliminated with how the whole gambling laws are drawn up".

        Dred, you usually have sensible posts, but that is just plain nonsense. Do you seriously think that merely putting some provisions in a law will avoid the obvious social problems that will occur.  For example, in the Bahamas the law says that locals cannot gamble in the casinos but in fact they do and addiction flourishes. 

        I for one do not participate in any Raffle of any sort by anyone. You have a totally overblown idea about the numbers of churches who use raffles. Most do not.    

        • Anonymous says:

          If a law says that locals cannot play in  the casino and they do then the law is broken and the casino loses its license.

          Ah — no one in cayman turns in the criminals so …

          I get it now — it is a lawless society so we simply cannot place restrictions on a casino as they won’t listen either.

          • Anonymous says:

            I am sure you are not as simple-minded as you portray. If the govt. is actually making money off the casino do you really think they are going to pull the casino’s licence if one Caymanian is caught playing especially when some of the politicians themselves love to gamble?