May 15, 2020

DEFEATED: Opposition Abstains In Vote On Gambling Bill

By Newsroom

The Gambling (Gaming and Betting) Control Bill, 2016 was halted in the House of Representatives on Friday, as all fourteen Opposition Members abstained from voting in its favor. 

Finance Minister Colm Imbert, while making his contribution, expressed frustration over the Opposition’s lack of support, saying they had presented the same legislation during their term in office.

“Everybody in Trinidad and Tobago knows that there is serious tax evasion with respect to gambling. Everybody in Trinidad and Tobago knows that the banks are refusing to deal with casinos and refusing to open bank accounts for them because they cannot meet the test for anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing,” Minister Imbert said, as he questioned the Opposition’s motive. “Could it be that they are being lobbied, Madame Speaker? Could it be that promises are being made by these people to the Members opposite? What is it? What is the reason?” he asked.

Having failed to get the support for a three-fifths majority, the Finance Minister said government will go back to the drawing board to draft a new bill. “We’re going to have to come with some other regulation of the sector that would not be as powerful as this Bill but certainly, we’ll be able to close some of the loopholes that currently exist in terms of tax evasion and that sort of thing,” he said.

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