Those gaming machines that are a common appearance in grocery stores on the city's south side have become an institution, but soon, they will be no more and if you want to play poker or blackjack with the one armed bandit, you'll have to cross the river. That's the effect of a decision taken yesterday in Cabinet which has decided that it will grant no new licenses for gaming establishments and will not renew licenses for all machines on the southside of Belize City. Also it will ban the importation of gaming machines for use in gaming establishments. It's a sharp reversal in policy and practice for the government that introduced legalized gaming in 1999 and today we had the opportunity to ask the Prime Minister what's behind the sudden flash of conscience.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa, Prime Minister of Belize
"The fact that the Southside of Belize City happens to be the more disadvantaged area of the city and there has been a proliferation of these gaming machines, particularly on the southside. So the
representatives, at least the PUP representatives on the southside, felt that some dramatic policy decision had to be taken to phase out these gaming machines on the southside and the Cabinet gave full support to that."
Jules Vasquez,
Is this akin to the reveler who waking up the day after a massive drinking binge and swearing off alcohol for the rest of his life? The fact is your government has been complicit in the penetration of this gaming phenomenon in those disadvantaged areas since 1999. It has been accruing all the taxes from these increasingly expensive gaming machines and now you wake up three months before an election and you have a conscience. Is that believable? It seems farcical.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"Well after that review of the government's motives in this matter, according to Jules, let me say this: there were gaming machines in Belize long before 1998; many gaming machines all over the place. We have tried to control this matter, particularly where it affects establishments near churches and schools. But the truth of the matter is that there has been a proliferation and maybe we weren't paying sufficiently keen attention to what was happening but the fact of the matter is that when we reviewed it, when we saw the numbers and the figures of all these establishments with these machines, we decided to take this decision."
Jules Vasquez,
When the legislation was passed on April 30th 1999 the wash was that it would benefit educational and health services but the fact is that all the taxes accrued from this went into the consolidated fund which may be used to pay debt servicing for Novelo's, which is now in a bond.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"The truth of the matter is also that, yes, we've had to make debt service payments but this government has a historic record of being the government in the whole of the history of Belize that spent the most on educational improvement and healthcare. So there's no question about that. We can categorically show, definitively, that we have invested heavily in education and in healthcare. It can't be disputed."
Jules Vasquez,
It was a ruse to say that it's going...it went into the consolidated fund.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"Of course but money is fungible Jules, as you well know. The thing is we can show that we made the investment in education."
And in those few gaming establishments that remain on the southside where licenses will not be renewed, the fun is done for their patrons. And today Keith Swift hit the very downscale establishments to ask patrons how they feel about what for them is bad news. A couple spoke to us about the comedown, but they asked to remain off camera.
Gamer,
"That will feel kind of complicated because a lot of people can't go into Princess but these are fun for some people to play instead of walking about on the street people just come and play their little money and enjoy themselves. Sometimes you lose and sometimes you win but..."
Keith Swift,
How often do you play this machine?
Gamer,
"Sometimes when I am bored at home I would come and play and I feel a little enjoyment because sometimes you win and you are happy with the little change. Why only on the southside they will close down?"
Keith Swift,
I am asking you. Why you think they did that?
Gamer,
"I don't know. Maybe it is because people lose and because they are poor. Sometimes I lose a lot of money but I don't worry about that."
The gaming operators who run those establishments say they don't know about Cabinet's decision and will have to check with their agent, Bob Hotchandani.
And while putting an end to gaming operations on the southside was the headline, the real news for the southside is that Cabinet is looking for funding for a major project for Port Loyola, Lake Independence and Collet. British consultants, the Halcrow Group have presented a study of the southside, which says that the three divisions will require $47 million to be properly drained, laid out, complete with housing, streets, sidewalks, playgrounds, and other amenities. Government says it now has to find that concessionary funding for the project. And while $47 million sounds like a fair amount for three divisions, it hardly compares to the over $30 million spent on a few miles of road, the Marine Parade in the Fort George division.
