Govt. to go ahead with casinos
By Ravi Ladduwahetty-February 24, 2014
The government will proceed with its casino plans as a part of its overall plan to develop tourism, which was unveiled last week.
This follows the Cabinet approving a new US$ 15 million tourism promotion drive, with a large-scale increase in tourist arrivals, in the post-conflict era and with new efforts to promote Sri Lanka in markets such as India, the Gulf, China and other parts of the world.
"We will use all aspects of tourism to develop the industry and if we are to develop the industry for up market tourists, then casinos would also be an integral part of it, Government Spokesman and Media Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, told Ceylon Today. However, he added there were certain business aspects of tourism that the government could not proceed with, due to the cultural and religious backgrounds of the country, but casinos were nothing new to Sri Lanka.
Casinos were an integral part of the development of the tourism industry, and whether it is a part of government policy is another matter, he noted, adding that there are various ways of handling it.
"Maybe we could have secluded areas that are away from the cities and the villagers and confine the gaming aspects only to passport holders and residents of those premises.
"Look at Singapore, where even their Prime Minister was vehemently opposed to it, but today, the casino industry in that country has developed into something larger than Las Vegas, and maybe there would be casinos in the Gulf and they would call it offshore.
"We have to evaluate whether there would be deleterious aspects of casinos, and whether this would be a mere slogan shouting match that political opponents of the government would be proceeding with for their advantage."
Meanwhile, JHU Parliamentary Group Leader, Ven. Athuraliye Ratana Thera, said his party and the people of this country would answer these issues after the 29 March Western and Southern Provincial Council elections.
By Ravi Ladduwahetty-February 24, 2014
The government will proceed with its casino plans as a part of its overall plan to develop tourism, which was unveiled last week.This follows the Cabinet approving a new US$ 15 million tourism promotion drive, with a large-scale increase in tourist arrivals, in the post-conflict era and with new efforts to promote Sri Lanka in markets such as India, the Gulf, China and other parts of the world.
"We will use all aspects of tourism to develop the industry and if we are to develop the industry for up market tourists, then casinos would also be an integral part of it, Government Spokesman and Media Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, told Ceylon Today. However, he added there were certain business aspects of tourism that the government could not proceed with, due to the cultural and religious backgrounds of the country, but casinos were nothing new to Sri Lanka.
Casinos were an integral part of the development of the tourism industry, and whether it is a part of government policy is another matter, he noted, adding that there are various ways of handling it.
"Maybe we could have secluded areas that are away from the cities and the villagers and confine the gaming aspects only to passport holders and residents of those premises.
"Look at Singapore, where even their Prime Minister was vehemently opposed to it, but today, the casino industry in that country has developed into something larger than Las Vegas, and maybe there would be casinos in the Gulf and they would call it offshore.
"We have to evaluate whether there would be deleterious aspects of casinos, and whether this would be a mere slogan shouting match that political opponents of the government would be proceeding with for their advantage."
Meanwhile, JHU Parliamentary Group Leader, Ven. Athuraliye Ratana Thera, said his party and the people of this country would answer these issues after the 29 March Western and Southern Provincial Council elections.
