Bula
A resounding “No” was the feedback from Fijians who were asked whether they supported a $2billion casino project proposed by David Group, an investor from Macau, China.
Among those who condemned the move was Fiji Council of Social Services executive director Vani Catanasiga, who said Fijians were presently dealing with high food prices and a casino was the last thing the Government should consider opening. Fiji Labour Party also opposed the licensing of casinos in Fiji.
Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry warned that organised gambling was known to bring many forms of criminal activity, such as corruption, drug peddling, extortion, human trafficking, prostitution and money laundering.
“We just don’t have the resources or the competence to handle such complex issues to keep our people safe from its harmful effects,” he said.
He said Fiji already had a serious drugs problem.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said yesterday the Coalition Government had neither considered nor approved any policy guideline on the issuance of casino licences.
During a media conference yesterday aimed at clearing speculation in the public domain about the proposal, he said there were certain criteria that would have to be met first before any consideration for a licence was made.
