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Submitted by Old Onion Bags
Is casino gambling coming?

The passing of  legislation this week to allow visiting cruise ships to gamble during the hours of 6 pm to 6 am, while docked in our port, is regressive. It may also be the first step in a chapter of our regret, should this also someday lead to casino gambling in hotels here. Here are some eye opening reasons to be considered from a regretful experience in the USA:

Why Legalizing Casinos is Not a Solution for Our State By Rep. Dan Bosley – (Edited)

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, casinos are a bad idea. Bringing casinos to Massachusetts will hurt jobs, hurt families, and cause our taxes to rise without receiving better services in return. Specifically, some of the detrimental impacts of casino gambling include:

  1. Change the Quality of Life in Our Communities Nearly all of the state’s 351 cities and towns will be within a short drive of a casino if the proposal passes. If you’re concerned about a casino coming to your community, then you should be concerned about a casino going to someone else’s. What does it say when the national leader of Listen to radio host Chris Lydon discuss casinos in Massachusetts. the casino industry lobby, Frank Fahrenkopf, said he’d oppose a casino where he lived? If he doesn’t want one in his region there’s no reason why we should. Check out Fahrenkopf’s statement against a casino coming to his home town.
  2. Dramatically Increase the Tax Burden on Non-Gamblers: “You Pay Even If You Don’t Play” Connecticut, New Jersey and Rhode Island all have casino gambling and all have higher taxes than Massachusetts. Under the ruse of property tax relief, Pennsylvania passed a bill to legalize slots two years ago and today their Governor is calling for a major increase in the sales tax rate. These states pay higher taxes in part because they need to make up for the unmet revenue needs that were promised by the casinos – every $1 in gambling taxes costs $3.4 Non-gamblers pay for the massive social costs like child neglect and bankruptcies that the casino gambling industry brings along with it. The industry certainly doesn’t pay the bill. The Governor’s revenue estimates (numbers provided by the casino industry ) also do not account for the reality that New Hampshire would put two casinos right on the state border if we legalize them here – Rockingham Park in Salem, NH (already owned by a casino developer) and Seabrook Dog Track on Rt. 95.6 Rhode Island would also expand its slot machine locations into full scale casinos in response to Massachusetts.
  3. Detract From Our State’s Economy Casinos don’t bring an economic multiplier effect to a region. Proponents say casinos are good economic development but The Boston Business Journal, one of the most pro-business newspapers in the state, strongly editorialized against bringing casinos to Massachusetts. A major reason was because casinos lower a region’s standard of living by attracting lots of low wage casino jobs and merely act as a jobs transfer and not a job creator.
  4. Push the State Well Beyond the Lottery Gambling Business A casino is uniquely different from a lottery because a casino gives free alcohol to gamblers to even further diminish the player’s odds, extends lines of credit to its patrons and allows gamblers to take cash advances from credit cards, all of which occurs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Slot machines are really legalized fraud. For an examination of the slot machine scam.
  5. Turn One Out of Every Twenty People into a Gambling Addict, Hurting Our State’s Families Governor Patrick’s casino plan is not in line with a “Wish for your neighbor what you wish for yourself” philosophy. His casino proposal plainly admits that 1 out of every 20 people (5%) would become a problem gambler as a result of this initiative. That’s 250,000 people, not including the family members and friends of these addicts who will also experience the consequences. Anyone comforted by the idea that casino gambling is voluntary should spend a day with the casino staffs that target people based on how fast they play a slot machine and track prospects’ and players’ observed worth, define their predicted value, and systematically maximize individual “share of wallet” through targeted and customized promotional messages, limited-time cash offers, and carefully tracked time-to-response and spending analysis. Unfortunately, while problem gamblers are very lucrative for the industry, their addiction leads to child neglect, crime, distressed families, suicide and bankruptcy. And, it is the non-gamblers who are left paying the tab for these costs through higher taxes.

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  1. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    As usual the Barbados Labour Party is ready to take a hypocritcal stance.

    Oppose for the sake of opposing.

    BLP people are just mindless!

  2. Clone Avatar
    Clone

    Onions
    Are you upset that Barbados is fighting back.
    Barbados became a homeport for some cruise ships where people fly in and are taken by bus to the port and the return trip. All of that is money going into the government revenue due to taxes.

    All the other countries in the Caribbean who are always back raising us are talking to the cruise ship companies to get them from home porting in Barbados.
    Allowing casinos on ships to open in the port from 6pm until 12 pm cannot be this big crime because Barbadians cannot walk into the port and go on a cruise ship unless they are cruising with the ship.

    Did you read the article Father Davidson’s article Straight up ‘it’s all gambling in Barbados Today. The point of his argument is that the society is riddle with gambling already and so casino gambling should not be used as this issue of corrupting Barbados. It has already been corrupted.

    A man with no principles like you who advocated that there was nothing wrong with a six year old wukking up on a woman bottom cannot be our MORAL COMPASS.

  3. Corrie Scott Avatar
    Corrie Scott

    I don’t believe they are suggesting bringing in casinos to Barbados. They are just saying they are talking about keeping casinos open on the ships. Mind you, Barbados had about 8 little casinos about 35 years ago dotted around the island, mostly at hotels. They were closed down in a very short time.

    I feel the need to raise the fact that we have almost every other type of gambling on this island except casinos. So we have rampant gambling on this island already and all internal.

    Government may like to look at the way casinos are run in the UK and not the way of the US. The US allows for casinos to rake in much of the money. The laws on gambling and slot machines are quite different in the UK. What people are allowed to do on blackjack in the US is not in the UK, as with many other games.

  4. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

  5. David Avatar
    David

    @Corrie

    This is yet another issue in Barbados being made a political football.

  6. Onion you humbug Avatar
    Onion you humbug

    Onions you idiot the legislation is to attract cruise ships here longer than 4 pm , its to have cruise ships stay here until midnight or longer. Its a boost for the pockets of taxi drivers and poor folks working in areas of tourism like the arts and crafts, beach vendors, small shops etc. Why stand in the way of poor Barbadians making an extra dollar?

  7. ac Avatar
    ac

    onions you got toomuch time on yuh hands i am not going to disagree wid you though you have the right to be ole and disagreeable.

  8. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    @ Corrie Scott
    INTRO :
    ” It MAY also be the first step in a chapter of our regret, SHOULD this also someday lead to casino gambling in hotels here.”

    ……operative words highlighted….

  9. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Onions…GET A LIFE!

  10. Clone Avatar
    Clone

    Onions
    I suspect that the Sunday Sun poll will say that your party will win the elections but when Barbadians really listen to your leader they will recognized that he plans to take us down the same path as before and may vote for honesty.

    He is still preaching CSME on how we benefit the most. Jamaica not taking our milk. Trinidad was forced to take some. Jamaica taking us to a court that they would not join. The judges invited all the other countries to join the case. We are always at the losing end.

    He is still preaching sell off anything worth selling.

    He says Stuart is a weak leader because he does not fire Ministers like him. He must remember that he cried to get the Leader position and then became stronger as time went on amidst the DEMs confusion.

  11. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Wonder how many shops in Broad St. open 6 pm til 6 am anyway? This type of tourist would rather walk 1 mile to Btown than pay a $10 fare..any Port taxi can attest….whats more they buy nxt to nothing..ask in the Port Arcade or nxt stop Pelican Village staff…Why should they anyway….with Food and Entertainment free on the ship….So much for helping art and craft men working for the dollar. ‘More than the mortar’…definitely

  12. ac Avatar
    ac

    onions you keep rolling the dice! looks like the BU deck is stacked against you on this one, sixes straight up

  13. David Avatar
    David

    @Onions, if the boat is sailing in the early evening the passengers have to hurry to get onboard about 3PM or so. No time to do anything. Imagine of the ship remains berthed in harbour? Do you have an imagination?

  14. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    @ Clone
    …one thing at a time breds….(in 2 days)..lets not be besides ourselves with speculations…lol

  15. Dont care Avatar
    Dont care

    Why is Wickham so happy and gay in his intense wicked crusade against the DLP and Fruendel Staurt in particular.

    If Owen Arthur wins the next elections it will be the greatest travesty of justice in the history of Barbados post salvery. If the runt does win may God help us.

  16. Clone Avatar
    Clone

    Onions

    Barbados has always been a leader in the Caribbean. This time we maybe following for the reason to keep those ships longer and as David said the cruise ship passengers who rent a chair at Browne’s Beach could stay and see the sun set and not rushed back to the ship at 3.00.

    Barbadians can become creative and make the areas around the Harbour an entertainment hub with open air markets style like Oistins.

    Onions you feel Bajans easy.

    My only hope is that the areas between the port and Bay street is heavily policed.

    Onions do not be so despaired for the second time DLP would have left you with a somewhat restructure economy and with a good break in the world’s fortune you could brag that you saved Barbados again.

  17. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Given all the ship amenities….Why would a tourist want to take a taxi from the Port at 2.AM anyway?…except for ….shopping connection… correct !

  18. Clone Avatar
    Clone

    Onions

    Don’t be ridiculous

    We are talking between 6 -9 pm at least

  19. David Avatar
    David

    @Onions

    Are you being deliberately dense a la Ronald Toppin?

    Because the tourist knows that the ship does not have to rush to international waters to open the casinos, passengers on shore can be a little bit more expansive and deliberate in exploring Barbados. Many of us have cruised and look forward to getting of at the several ports to experience what the countries have to offer. Some will avail themselves of the opportunity to do so.

  20. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Then there is the talk of the ship being off limit to LOCALS…you mean CERTAIN LOCALS…for those who know what I mean…Gambling brings with it all sorts of corruption…those overseas know what i am talking about…FACE IT,…it is what it is….and dread be the day it starts in Little Bim.

  21. David Avatar
    David

    @Onions

    Have you tried to visit a cargo shed in the port since 911 farther more going dockside?

  22. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    @ David
    For the umpth time…Cruise ship tourist have more than ample time ( and fewer $$) shopping in Bdo’s…I have Btown store owning relatives….they are an all inclusive tourist…..very few shop and even fewer find themselves rushing back to the ship by way of over shopping….why don’t you take a survey……Let a spade be a spade…..THESE EXTRA HOURS ARE STRICTLY FOR GAMBLING

  23. ac Avatar
    ac

    poor onions ! go play some dominoe and leave the gaming up to people wid big pockets. btw you going to the football tournament, you might just enjoy yourself . NO GAMBLING!

  24. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Dont care

    Have no fear, he will not win!

    The people of Barbados will not return to their vomit!!!!!

  25. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    @ David
    Have you tried to visit a cargo shed in the port since 911 farther more going dockside?
    *************************
    David…have you heard of a POLITICIAN and his friends and extras?

  26. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    “Gambling brings with it all sorts of corruption…those overseas know what i am talking about…FACE IT,…it is what it is….and dread be the day it starts in Little Bim.”

    Onions WAKE UP! It has been here for many many years. Remember a PM by the name of TOM ADAMS? He was an avid gambler and won big and lost big. This piece of rock has so much corruption that letting cruise ships open their casinos while in port is nothing. I used to work at the port and Thursdays was the only time we had a late departure. The passengers were able to take their time and shop. After touring the island they had enough time to shop.

  27. ac Avatar
    ac

    onions why you keep banging yuh head against a brick wall. the chips are down against you heads i win TAILS YOU LOSE.

  28. Clone Avatar
    Clone

    Onions
    I am getting tired
    Your thought process is all about the power of politicians. I now see why you like Owen Arthur so bad. He made Barbadians in those fourteen years into the most gimme gimme persons in the world
    That is what the independent voters of Barbados want to change. For example they can give you a contract, they get your daughter a job, and they can get your child into a school. They can get you a house

    If the rule says no locals then it should mean local politicians also.
    But you believe in this political dependency

  29. Observing (...) Avatar
    Observing (…)

    I’m late to the part and missed the debate so i eed a refresher please!!!

    what’s the purpose of the legislation?
    What’s the expected direct effect as a result?
    What about indirect effect?
    What’s the political spin on either side?

    Thanks to anyone who can help. Cheers mates.

    Observing

  30. Observing (...) Avatar
    Observing (…)

    @Clone
    “He made Barbadians in those fourteen years into the most gimme gimme persons in the world”

    I concur. Except I would say he and his team.

  31. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Allowing cruise ships to operate their casinos and shops while in the port just shows how bankrupt the Government really is. The reason for encouraging cruise ships to visit is to get the passengers to leave the ships and spend money at local businesses. If the passengers have activities on board, what incentive would they have to come ashore? This country is really in trouble if this is the best that the Government can come up with.

    Mind you, I listened to part of Arthur’s speech to BCCI and I came away with the impression that he too is running on empty. So far, I have heard nothing positive from either party that would convince me to vote for either of them. I have heard each party trying to convince me that the other party is not deserving support. The electorate is left to decide who is the lesser of the two evils.

  32. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Clone

    The rules also say that you are not supposed to purchase duty free items from the shops in the Airport if you are not travelling. As a matter of fact, airport staff members have been dismissed for doing so. However, the rules seem not to apply to some. A senior public official drove to the airport in his MP car, went into the departure lounge, purchase his duty free liquor and went home to have a drink. You can judge for yourself if the rules apply to all.

  33. ac Avatar
    ac

    onions this one fuh you

  34. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Onions WAKE UP! It has been here for many many years. Remember a PM by the name of TOM ADAMS?
    ***********************
    We have Casinos here?….yeah right….MORE LIKE GAMES ROOMS…..hey IsLGAL …here take a look WHAT A CASINO LOOKS LIKE….

  35. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Imagine the DLP got rid of $5 Billion International Business Industry …to RUN BEHIND A MEALY MOUT…….TWO bit Gambling…..BOY WE REALLY IN TROUBLE…..LOL…Time to SAY GOODBYE …Fa real…Since they bankrupt of ideas they now want to contribute in bankrupting ship visitors and whoever so Kenny to go and dice it on the Monarch of the Sea.

  36. David Avatar
    David

    The DLP did not get rid of anything, it is the same damn civil services bureaucracy which the BLP left. Why did Arthur employ many consultants?

  37. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    CLASS IS CLASS……WOW..BIG $$$ spend…NO GAMES ROOM….or MISS RAM GO CART PARK……whalossss

  38. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    ISLGAL…..I HOPE THIS TOUR OCCASION YOU AND OTHERS TO SEE WHAT A REAL CASINOS LOOK LIKE …AND THE COMPLEMENTING INFRASTRUCTURE…..we and the politicians better off playin TONK…up by Miss Burpip shop….or firing one wid the Onions at BERTS BAR…..whalossss too rich for our blood…..but then again we DONT have the FALL OUT problems like suicide and loan sharks and busted families……TAKE ONIONS ADVISE….WE BETTER OFF..by FARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !

  39. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Onions I have been to some real casinos in Florida like Miccosukee Village and off Florida on a cruise ship. You are such a fraud, a poser and a LIAR. How many have you been to? You have nuff time on your hands to pull up YOUTUBE videos. I don’t need you tube like you.

  40. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    You missed the point…..AGAIN !

  41. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Caswell
    You are very right about both parties running on empty.
    However the change to allow the cruise ships to operate their casinos in port is a no-brainer.

    We need the cruise companies and they need us. They need to sell the “chance to visit Barbados” and we need the tourist on the ground to spend! and more importantly, to get the urge to return on a longer visit.

    The cruise people have no particular interest in staying beyond 3 pm, since they would have achieved their objective of “visiting Barbados”.
    If they are then making a loss by not being able to open their casinos they will leave as soon as possible so that they can do so.
    Now Barbados stands to benefit if even only 10% of the passengers hand around on island for a few more hours.
    The OBVIOUS solution then, let the cruise ship open their casino in port, they make their money from their gambling passengers and we get to keep the others for another 4 hours at no real extra cost to us.

    This is a non issue that should have been supported by both sides.

  42. David Avatar
    David

    Bishop Holder of the Anglican church has come out against the move to allow the gambling. What can one say, nothing.

    http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/church-not-for-casinos/

  43. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    How about a time out….and a SWEET ELTON JOHN….encore
    (guaranteed NOT A GAMBLE ON THIS ON)….sweet fa days nostalgia

  44. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Bushman like you agreeing with me and I with you…..like you becoming too civilized.

  45. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Sorry…

  46. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Clone | September 28, 2012 at 9:01 PM |
    “He is still preaching CSME on how we benefit the most. ”

    Clone, why don’t you stop being disingenuously deceitful?
    PM Stuart has made it clear that it is his government’s policy to be 100% behind CSME. So what are you saying here? That the man is dishonest in his express commitment to CSME?
    Of course, like ac, you will hypocritically overlook these contradictions in your contributions.

    Now if you are a real clone of ac deny that the DLP and its leaders are more behind CSME than even OSA! Why not tell the CCJ to “F” off in regard to the Myrie case since Jamaica is not a member and does not intend to be one either. Just screw Barbados for millions in return for a finger foop.

  47. David Avatar
    David

    @Miller

    Now if you are a real clone of ac deny that the DLP and its leaders are more behind CSME than even OSA! Why not tell the CCJ to “F” off in regard to the Myrie case since Jamaica is not a member and does not intend to be one either. Just screw Barbados for millions in return for a finger foop.

    A man of your understanding should not cloud the issue of Jamaica’s membership in CCJ. You are aware that all Caricom members are bound to carry matters which are lodged in the revised treaty of chagaramus to the CCJ which is separate from using the CCj as its appellate court. Don’t confuse the issues.

  48. Caswell Franklyn Avatar
    Caswell Franklyn

    Bushie

    Barbados does not need this knee-jerk reactions. We need a clearly defined strategy to put this country back on a growth path. I repeat if this is the best they can do: God help us!

  49. David Avatar
    David

    @Caswell

    It seems like you have up your anti government rhetoric of late. Interesting.

  50. rubes Avatar
    rubes

    arguing back and forth, big news a lot of people gamble online, (millions)
    pokerstars.net etc.
    you can gamble anywhere if you have a computer $50 and the internet

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