LOCAL church leaders are sticking to their long held opposition to the introduction of casino gambling here, after the issue was raised again during a three-day summit between the Government and private sector leaders over the weekend.

“The church would take its stand as per usual,” said Bishop Herro Blair, pastor of the Deliverance Evangelistic Centre. “This is a moral issue and the prime minister has already given [us] his assurance and we believe that he will not go back on his words.”

On Saturday, Prime Minister P J Patterson agreed to ‘look into’ the issue and asked that private sector leaders provide his administration with an analysis of the social and economic benefits that casino gambling would bring to the economy.

The move, according to industry analysts, was a softening of the prime minister’s position on a matter which has been swirled with controversies over recent years.

“I can assure you that the church has not softened its position and so the government would have to prepare for the wrath of the church,” Blair added.

At the same time, Blair criticised the authorities for what he described as their “hands-off” attitude to those already operating casinos illegally here.

“I think what is happening is indeed hypocritical because casinos are currently in some hotels,” he said. “So it is there, why not license it or prosecute the persecutors. I am not saying they should really license the casinos but they know it is there and the players are saying give us a licence or we will break the law and nothing has been done to those who have already broken the law.”

Blair added: “I await with bated breath the findings of the committee that is making recommendation to see what new they’ll put on the table.”

Meanwhile, head of the Jamaica Pentecostal Union, Bishop Everton Thomas believe that casino gambling is an empty sport which would only serve to worsen Jamaica’s moral decay.

“Personally, I don’t buy the argument that it will boost the tourism industry. I’ve heard the experts in the field speak and the bottom-line is that it will not bring more tourists here but rather increase their offerings to the visitors,” he said.

According to Bishop Thomas, the country is ‘morally bankrupt’. “And to introduce such activities would only worsen this situation,” he added.

Vice-president of the Jamaica Association of Evangelicals (JAE), Rev Peter Garth, said while he believes the establishment of casinos here would “bring in some amount of cash”, that is no way to remedy the country of its economic and social ills.

What’s best for Jamaica, he said, is not to “win our troubles away but work our troubles away”.

Said he: “Those were the words of former Prime Minister Michael Manley when he turned down a similar proposal.”

According to Garth, establishing casinos here would only serve to create other problems.

“There is a falsity of ideas among the private sector leaders and that is one of the reasons that they suggested that as a way out.

“The view of the JAE remains the same and as far as my denomination goes, we are in total opposition to casino gambling,” he added.

Tarrant Baptist Church pastor, Rev Neville Callam, said while he believes the introduction of casino gambling here is “just speculation”, it would be very useful if the government makes its intentions clear before the upcoming local government elections.

“It would be very instructive that we know ahead of the local government elections because it would help [us] in the decision-making process,” he said.

Callam, however, believes that introduction of casino gambling would be tragic for the nation.

“Introducing casino gambling here would have enormous deleterious consequences,” he said. “It’s not wrong [for the Government] to look at it, but to look at it and feel it is right to introduce casino gambling, that would be tragic.”