COMMENTARY
INTERVIEWS
SPECIALS
CHAT
ARCHIVES
SEARCH REDIFF

Goans oppose move to open casinos

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

Whether it is the Hindu protagonist party like the Bharatiya Janata Party or the Church of Roman Catholics, the political parties or the voluntary organisations, the English media or Goa's vernacular press, all of them agree on one thing -- casinos should not be allowed to operate.

Except the ruling Congress party, the rest of Goa appears dead against allowing casinos in the name of tourism. The only thing that remains to be seen is whether this opposition translates into a joint united action.

None of them have supported, even in principle, the idea of full-fledged casinos that tourism minister Churchill Alemao has floated. The only exception is Dr Wilfred de Souza, former chief minister and now the state president of Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, who as a Congressman had floated a similar idea in 1996, as the tourism minister.

"I am not opposed to offshore casinos in principle. But Goa cannot have it because neither the locals support it nor the naval authorities. The Coast Guard won't allow it in the sea. Will Churchill have it on the fishing trawlers?" he asks.

The BJP, main opposition in the assembly, has threatened to take to streets if the Congress tries to move an amendment of the Goa Public Gambling Act, allowing real casinos of table games like roulette and poker.

"It reflects the perverted mind of Churchill Alemao," quips Prof Subhash Salkar, the local BJP secretary. On the contrary, he suggests commercialisation of Goa's rich folk culture in order to give boost to local artists.

The Church, on the other hand, is more worried about the future of the young generation if casinos are brought here. "Come with casinos the immoral acts and even violence. It would destroy family peace in each household," fears Father Albert Luis, representing the Diocesan Service Centre for Social Action.

Melsa Vaz Monteiro, representing the women's commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, wonders whether Alemao intends to generate revenue through casinos at the cost of "our ethics and culture".

"Sex tourism is a natural offshoot of casinos," says Auda Viegas, president of Bailancho Ekvott.

The Jagrut Gonekaranchi Fouz (Vigilant Goans Army) emphasises public education. It has taken up a state-wide awareness campaign on the theme ''Their Holiday, Our Homes''.

Business

Goa