(Barbados Nation) Church leaders said a resounding “no” to the likelihood of casino gambling being allowed on board cruise liners berthed in the Bridgetown Port.
Responding to the introduction of the Cruise Ships (Opening of Facilities) Bill in the Lower House of Parliament last Tuesday, church leaders and representatives said they feared it would lead to Barbadians being involved in casino gambling, which has long been outlawed by Government and frowned on by the church.
Anglican Archbishop of the West Indies and Bishop of Barbados, Dr John Holder, said yesterday he simply could not support the opening of cruise ship casinos while in port, since casino gambling attracted far too many negatives to be ignored.
“I cannot ignore the negatives that have been attached to gambling and would want persons not to venture therein. Even with the argument that no Barbadians would be involved, those actually involved are children of God. If anything harms or defiles a child of God, I cannot support it. Once there’s a chance that there’s a negative that can corrupt people, the church would have to say no to it,” he told the SATURDAY SUN.
