-Dr. Luncheon
Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, at his post-Cabinet media briefing at the Office of the President yesterday, said that legislative polices have been put in place to permit the operations of the Princess Casino.
Dr. Luncheon was at the time responding to questions posed by media personnel as it relates to regulations for the operations of casinos.
“I don’t think the opening of the casino in anyway contradicted what the undertaking years ago was made. The gaming authority is in existence and notices, their meetings, regulations…all of the legislative trappings have been put in place and only because that has been done have we gotten to the stage when the first casino in Guyana opened for operations recently,” Dr. Luncheon said.
In 2007, the Gambling Prevention (Amendment) Bill 2006 was approved by the National Assembly.
The Amendment Bill seeks to bar existing hotels and resorts that do not fulfill requirements and conditions, from establishing casinos on their premises. No more than three casino licences will be issued in each administrative region.
Section 30 of the Bill states that no person other than workers and guests of the hotels or resorts shall be admitted to the casinos.
Failure to comply with Section 30 can evoke a summary conviction carrying a fine of not less than $20M and imprisonment for a term not less than six months and not more than two years.
In addition, a Gaming Authority was established on December 1, 2008, by the Minister of Home Affairs in accordance with Section 32(1) (c) of the Gaming Prevention (Amendment) Act.
According to the Regulations made under the Gambling Prevention (Amendment) Act, the Gaming Authority shall be the body responsible for the issuance of licences under section 32 of the Act, the monitoring of casino operations in Guyana, the administration of regulations made under the Act, and advising the Minister with respect to the administration of the regulations or any other relevant matter.