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PANJIM: Aam Aurat Aadmi Against Gambling (AAAG) has criticized the demands made by Travel and Tourism Trade body seeking sops for the casino industry such as tax reduction, arguing that if tourism is based on an exploitative industry like casinos, it will sink the tourism industry, the same way as illegal mining sunk the the mining industry.
The NGO also demanded that the Government should repeal all amendments which allow casino gambling in the State. “The government had removed the powers of the lower courts to try casino related issues and instead announced that a Gaming Commissioner would be appointed. Till date no Gaming Commissioner has been appointed. There is no authority in place and the casinos have become a conduit for illegal activity. It has been reported that financial transactions are under scrutiny for terror funding,” the NGO said.
AAAG alleged that the government has gone out of its way to support a decadent economic activity which eats into the pockets of the common people as well as the social fabric.
In a press communiqué issued here, the NGO alleged that in the the last Assembly session in August 2012, the government brought in an amendment ostensibly for the benefit of the locals by banning entry
of local people. “However till date no rules and regulations have been framed and the casino business runs on bleeding local of their money. The rest of the amendments were to benefit the casinos. The fees were brought down from Rs 2000 to Rs 500,” it alleged charging that till date no monitoring mechanism to check how many gamblers enter the casinos.
The labour inspectors have stated that they have no jurisdiction to inspect the workplace. Exploitation of workers continue, AAAG alleged arguing that the government had promised that the Mandovi river would be cleared of casinos, but till date no steps have been taken in that direction.
AAAG had handed over a memorandum to the Chief Minister as well as the Governor, reiterating its demand to remove all amendments that permit casinos in the state.
Instead of heeding to the demands, the government takes 10 steps in favour of the casinos. Offshore casinos are permanently stationed in rivers, no check on sewage disposal in river, no PAN card is asked for large money transactions, machines are not regulated nor inspected, public pavements and jetties are occupied, no inspections by labour authorities are done as casinos are considered as beyond their jurisdiction, more workers brought from outside the state in slave conditions, no check on money laundering, no income tax report sent of large transactions, no clampdown on advertisement of gambling, reduction of fees, no check on sexual harassment and protection given to women,” Dr Sabina Martins of AAAG alleged.
Martins stated that the number of thefts and robberies have increased due to various addictions in the state and gambling being one of them. There are complaints of violence against women, harassment of families by banks for non repayment of loans for addiction and loss of family property.
