ISSUES

Are casinos being given too many chances?

By Ranee Mohamed

It lies covered with long thick gunnies adjoining Hotel Ranmuthu in Colpetty.

It is like a true goni billa — this new building near a premier boy’s school, S. Thomas’ Preparatory School,  Colombo 3 — a school that  is reputed for its strict discipline and high standards of education for boys from grade one to the G. C. E. Ordinary Level.

When all the gunnies come down you can bet anything on it — out of it will spring a plush casino with a free flow of liquor, violence and of course women.

Thankfully nobody knows anything about it yet — it could be a clothes boutique, a bank or even an optometry.

But the truth will make one’s eyes pop out; for this building with its thick exterior is being renovated and furbished so that the night lights can shine during morn and noon.

“What building? I don’t know anything about it. Which building? Where?” asked the Principal, S. Thomas’ Preparatory School, N.Y. Cassiechetty, shocked and amazed when asked how he feels about having to love a neighbour that is a plush casino just next door.

Well, we have it from the horse’s mouth so to speak it indeed is a casino that is coming up right next to the school. (See box)

With close upon 1000 curious schoolboys in and around the place, this newest casino is expected to come under ‘fresh and vibrant’ study.

Chairman, Ceylinco Group, Deshamanya Dr. Lalith Kotelawala who has been responsible for several mega projects that have resulted in an accelerating development of this country was appalled when told that he will soon have this plush casino next to his intended mega housing apartment project near Hotel Ranmuthu.  “This is the first time I am hearing about it,” he said, surprised, when told about his ‘secret’ neighbour to be.

“If this is so the government has to take a policy decision on these casinos,” said Kotelawala who went on to say that the casino culture is not the culture for Sri Lanka.

Negative impact

“Without casting aspersions on the present casinos, I wish to say that casinos generally imply drugs, prostitution and violence. Casinos create a doubt in the minds in any country in the world and that is why many countries  do not want casinos — it is because of the criminal activities associated with them,” pointed out this businessman.

A concerned Kotelawala said that Sri Lanka has just come out of a 20 year old war. “There are 36000 army deserters and society has become brutalised at a time when we are talking about peace and economic resurgence. We have to take measures to ensure that we do not become  a Chicago-style society with mobsters,  gangsters and people of the underworld roaming around. This could be tragic, nothing could be worse than this. The government, the citizens and the opposition  should set a moral code and build a society free from violence,” asserted Kotelawala.

The casino curse is like a ‘spell’ over the city of Colombo. Casinos are mushrooming so fast that people will soon run out of luck.  But where is the authority that controls these dens? How many of these pay the annual Finance Ministry levy? How many of these casinos are legal and operating with a licence? Almost none.

It is noon and Bally’s Casino at 14, Dharmapala Mawatha is a hive of activity. Men and women wining and winning are a scene out of a glossy magazine on Vegas.

Star  Dust at Galle Road, Colombo 3, Bellagio Casino at R. A De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 3, Grand Casino at 772 Galle Road, Colombo 4 are some of the hot spots in the city and the Ritz  Club at Galle Face Terrace, Red Star at Galle Road, Colombo 4 are other grand venues.

Unlicenced

There are also the little brother type of casinos like the Region at Bambalapitiya,  Golden Nugget at Mudalige Mawatha in Fort,  Supsara Club at Malwatte Road, Pettah,  Crown Club at Olcott Mawatha, Pettah  Atlantic at Bambalapitiya,   Red Star in Colombo 4,  Dominion in Nugegoda,  Luxor in Kollupitiya and the list goes on.

Apart from being unlicenced they do not pay any gaming levy to the government — that is approximately Rs. 12 million each. For six unlicenced casinos the total levy lost is an estimated Rs. 72 million.

Several employees of these casinos speaking to The Sunday Leader said that they are stunned and shocked at the money thrown in — won and lost — when they do not even get their EPF or ETF or even a proper salary. There are estimated to be around 2500 employees in these casinos — a majority of them being young men

“Very few of these casinos pay their licence fees. They are being carried out with the patronage of the police,” said Deputy Mayor, Colombo Municipal Council, Azath Sally.

The Deputy Mayor said that there is no fear  of  the authorities in this country today. “Unauthorised constructions are coming up and so are the casinos,” said Sally who went on to say that many foreigners are coming to Sri Lanka and that they ought to be protected “There must be everything in this country but they ought to be confined to an area, they ought to be done legally and looked after equally — be it casinos, health centers or anything,” pointed out Sally.

Unaware

The Chairman, Board of Governors, S. Thomas’  Preparatory School, Rt.  Rev. Bishop Duleep De Chickera, the Anglican Bishop of Colombo said that neither he nor the  headmaster of  S. Thomas’  Prep. School are aware that a casino is coming up adjoining the school.

“If this is the case, it is certainly not desirable and can have an adverse impact on children in their formative years,” the Bishop pointed out.

He went on to say that the growing casino culture in the city concerns all religions and said that it is timely that the state initiates a conversation with  civil society, particularly religious leaders, educationists, and all others concerned — especially academics and professionals to study the pros and cons of this situation.

The common man however does not by any means wish to stand in luck’s way. But if this trend goes on then surely the die will be cast and peace and sanity will die a natural death as the red lights take over.

Where are the laws? It is time to straighten them for the time has come for it, for our society cannot afford to take any more chances.