The JVP today accused the government of attempting to legalise gambling in the country by once again tabling 3 gazettes in the Parliament related to the establishing of casinos and pushing for tax exemptions on them.

The government has decided to hold a debate and vote on the 3 gazette notification on April 24 and 25, JVP Propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath said, addressing a press briefing in Colombo.

He alleged that casinos are businesses which promote prostitution, alcohol consumption, gambling as well as control money laundering, crime, violence and political authority.

It increases social crimes and is an industry which brings about results muck more dangarouse than your average village gambling den, he said.

Herath stated that on January 30 this year, just 3 months after the two gazettes (1829/23, 1829/24) approving the building of casinos in Colombo were temporarily retracted amidst backlash from the opposition and religious leaders, the government presented 3 new gazettes instead.

He stated that these new gazettes approve the establishing of 3 casino hotels by three private companies and is signed by the Minister of Investment Promotion.

The JVP Parliamentarian further said that the gazettes have been tabled under the Strategic Development Projects Act, No. 14 of 2008, which is usually reserved for country’s main economic development projects 

He charged that by classifying casino projects under Strategic Development Projects the government aims to provide tax exemptions for these casinos for a period of 10-15 years.

He said the casinos will be free from various taxes such as custom duties, port and airport duty, taxes imposed on foreign loans obtained for capital expenditures.

“What the government is attempting is the legalisation of gambling,” he said, adding, that the while imposing taxes on essential goods used by the public, the ruling regime is affording tax exemptions casino’s owned by foreigners who will turn the entire country into a gambling spot.