SINGAPORE : Nineteen proposals have been received by the
government for an integrated resort, and the Cabinet will decide on
the issue in four to six weeks.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made clear to Parliament on
Wednesday that the issue will not be put to a referendum or a free
vote in Parliament as suggested by some MPs.
He said while the robust public debate so far has been emotional at
times, the issue is a policy one and not about national survival or
an issue of conscience.
Mr Lee said the robust public debate was an example of active
citizenry, but this does not mean that the Government can abdicate
its responsibility in decision-making.
Mr Lee said: "The Government cannot govern by referendum. The
casino is not an issue of national survival or sovereignty that
deserves to be settled by a referendum.
"Nor is it an issue of conscience or fundamental principle like
abortion or organ transplantation, because we already have many
forms of legal gambling in Singapore. So there is no need for a
free vote in Parliament, which Mr Tan Soo Khoon had
suggested.
"It is a policy matter - whether to allow an additional outlet for
gambling, and weighing the pros and cons to decide whether the
economic benefit to Singapore of doing so outweighs the social
costs.
"Let me put the issue in perspective. The casino will neither be
the panacea to the challenges facing us, boosting growth, creating
jobs or raising revenues.
"Nor will we allow it to undermine the foundations on which
Singapore has been built and what we have come to stand for - hard
work, strong families, a safe and secure and wholesome environment.
No one can know exactly how things will turn out, but this should
not paralyse us from making a decision one way or the other."
Mr Lee added: "Besides ensuring a conducive overall environment for
businesses, we will continue to promote in a more focused way
certain key and promising sectors of the economy. Tourism is one
such sector, and the proposed Integrated Resort including possibly
a casino is part of our overall set of initiatives to promote
tourism." - CNA