Workers' Party Policy Statement on the PAP Government's Casino
Proposal
7th April 2005, Singapore
The Executive Council of the Workers' Party, after reviewing
opinions from a Public Consultation Exercise held on 5th March
2005, numerous feedback, its members, surveys of other countries
and cities with Casinos and viewpoints by various groups and
deliberating on the pros and cons of the proposal has decided to
reject the government's plan to include a Casino in its call for an
Integrated Resort. It rejects the proposal for the following
reasons:
To date there is no clarity to what negative mid and long term
impact the Casino will have on Singaporean society. The Workers'
Party notes the adverse effects of gaming in our society with the
current proliferation of gaming outlets in Singapore. There is no
conclusive study done locally on the scale of impact that gaming
has on family and society. However, based on feedback and news
reports, there are obviously negative consequences. The Workers'
Party believes that setting up of Casino will further aggravate the
situation. The government should make a comprehensive study of the
social ills caused by current gambling activities and present it to
the public for a balanced judgment on whether a casino is desirable
for the society.
While various measures to restrict Singaporeans from gambling at
the proposed Casino have been mooted in an attempt to persuade
Singaporeans that the social costs can be contained, even the Prime
Minister himself, by announcing that social costs would be managed
by setting up a centre to treat addiction, has implicitly
acknowledged that addictive gambling will be a problem.
Moreover, any measures to curb social costs are subject to changes
in the future with possible intense competition from the region.
There is nothing to stop the government from making a decision to
drop all safeguards in order to be more competitive, with a claim
that the society is mature enough.
Due to the smallness of Singapore, the casino will remain
physically accessible to Singaporeans. The compactness of Singapore
with high density of population means the whole population is in
the immediate ?catchments area? of the Casino. Unlike countries
with bigger geographical area, there are no other ?cities? in which
Singaporeans can choose to raise a family while staying clear of
from the influence of a Casino. There is a risk that the attraction
of ?integrated resort? sugar coated to be a family entertainment
centre will attract both parents and children to the same venue
known for its gaming culture.
The economic benefits cited as being linked to the Casino have not
been convincing, as it is not clear how long having a Casino with
integrated resort will put Singaporean in an advantageous position
in tourism, nor the extent to which Singaporeans will benefit from
job creation. It is also not known how having a Casino will affect
Singapore's reputation as a country known as a good place to ensure
family values and bring up children. The Workers' Party does not
want the international community to identify Singapore as
synonymous with Casinos and gaming.
That the Casino is not a life and death issue as the Casino should
not be the only solution for the economy. PAP ministers who are
paid world-renowned high salaries should be able to come up with a
better solution for the economy.
Casinos would breed new opportunities for sophisticated crimes such
as casino-related fraud and money laundering. The Workers' Party
observes that the authorities such as the Monetary Authority of
Singapore are still working on tightening anti-money laundering
measures generally, and whether these would be adequate to prevent
Singapore from being a centre for money-laundering when the casinos
are operational is still not known.
The Workers' Party notes that a broad cross section of Singaporean
society is concerned about the negative effects of having a Casino
literally at their doorsteps. Yet the PAP Government has refused to
allow Singaporeans to exercise their right to decide on having a
Casino in Singapore through a referendum. The PAP government has
also refused the challenge by the Workers' Party to make the
proposed Casino an election issue. Even PAP MPs have not been
allowed to vote according to their conscience in Parliament.
The Workers' Party reminds the PAP that receiving a mandate to form
the government in general elections does not mean the PAP can do
what it likes, especially on matters which would impact society in
fundamental ways and when there are strong reservations about the
Casino from many sectors of the community. In taking a path which
many do not feel comfortable with, the government should allow
Singaporeans to express their view by choice and not merely pay lip
service to getting feedback by encouraging people to participate in
discussions, only to decide on the issue by itself.
At present times the Workers' Party feels it is prudent to get a
more thorough understanding of the negative effects of gaming
already in Singapore instead of hastily deciding on proceeding with
a Casino.
The Workers' Party repeats its call to let the people decide
directly on the matter.
James Gomez
2nd Assistant Secretary-General
The Workers' Party