PANJIM: Bailancho Saad, demanding that the government scrap all casinos and honour the promises made during the 2012 elections, has objected to the decision of the government to bring in more casinos and has decided to resist all attempts to take the casinos into the rivers of Goa.
At a meeting held recently, the Saad deliberated on the casino issue, where it was pointed out that the government had promised to phase out the casinos by this year end and that no casino would be allowed in river Mandovi. The government has not only allowed the casinos to continue but also facilitated bigger casinos replacing the smaller ones, thus cheating the people of Goa, the meeting found.
The meeting also took stock of the increasing rate of casino related crimes, the latest being the murder of a gambler. Casinos seriously affect the law and order of the State, with the police machinery unable to stem related crimes like drugs and prostitution, said Bailancho Saad member Sabina Martins.
She argued that casinos have been wrongly promoted stating that they are creating employment for the locals and that the large scale removal of local workers from the casinos and mass recruitment from outside the State speaks for itself. To consolidate its base in Goa, initially local people were recruited, but now more and more local workers are being pushed out. The government has no control over the affairs and the promised Commission has not seen the light of the day to check illegalities.
Calling on people to be alert, the Saad alleged that casinos continue to pollute the rivers and people have fallen sick eating the sewage contaminated fish from river Mandovi. People cannot enter the waters of the Mandovi as many develop rash with the contaminants.
The meeting resolved that no casinos will be allowed in the inland rivers of Goa and will resist all attempts of the government to do so. The people from the villages have demonstrated their power when the casino was shunted out of River Sal. The casinos are now parked in River Mandovi due to the past and present local MLAs and governments who receive party funds from casinos.
