Packer packed home empty handed
Posted on October 22nd, 2013
Ranjith Soysa MELBOURNE
The report that the Casino King Packer was sent home empty handed‚ defies‚ all attempts to mislead the whole country by establishing a Casino empire in D R.Wijewardane Mawatha and in Slave Island‚ under the pretext of building a hotel complex‚ By following moribund economic strategy of beggar my neighbor policy the Government is attempting‚ to push Sri Lanka into a bottom less pit where at the end there will be tens of thousands of Sri Lankans looking forward and lazily dependent on the wheel of fortune and the investor leaving the infra structure after collecting his profit -including free tax benefits- to another lucrative‚ and unfortunate destination.
The Opposition should receive a big bouquet of thanks from‚ the Sri Lankan public for scuttling this rouge piece of legislation. It is hoped that the Opposition will go ahead creating problems in the Government’s attempts to get the legislation approved by hook or by crook.‚ We appeal to the right thinking members of the Government to have a second look at this appeasement of a few at the expense of thousands of individuals and sound economic principles and decide to make it a conscience vote.
The casino monster and the promoters are‚ so hungry that they will not mind what they are consuming.
October 22nd, 2013 at 7:28 pm
With the adverse and slanderous propaganda against Sri Lanka now increasing at an alarming rate and the Govt not able to counter such volume of false propaganda bombarded every day, the Sri Lankan Govt has to encourage more foreigners to visit the country and see the truth for themselves. Developing the hospitality industry and catering to the interests of many upper end tourists is one way forward. Therefore, I do not see a major problem if under proper control the four Casinos already operating in Sri Lanka, are encouraged to move to a single location and operate within strict guidelines, joining hands with mega-investment projects in the tourist industry, like the two proposed hotel entertainment ventures by John Keels Ltd and Crown Ltd. provided these two groups do not receive new Casino licences. Like the garments manufactured for foreign companies are only for export, these two Casinos could be restricted only to overseas visitors at least in the interim and then reviewed after several years. The bottom line is, nothing is perfect, but Sri Lanka needs to attract more foreign visitors to earn foreign exchange as well as observe the true situation in the country and to achieve this, all means need to be explored rationally.
October 23rd, 2013 at 5:03 am
I agree with Mr. Soriarachi. There is a downside in every move. At the moment Packer is useful for SL for the reasons mentioned and he should be handled with care. Packer has not been sent empty handed as suggested but deferred to build in more safeguards.
One should not throw the baby away with the bath water.
October 23rd, 2013 at 7:20 am
Packer Empire is based in Melbourne and there are lots of Sri Lankan employees mainly Sinhalese either working or have been working at the Melbourne Crown Casino owned and operated by James Packer. Most of the Sinhalese living in Melbourne take their visitors to this entertainment complex. Crown Resorts have other Casino related resorts in other Capitals in Australia and around the world and are planning similar operations in other parts of the world including Sri Lanka, US, UK, Europe and Asia. It is a great opportunity for young Sri Lankans mainly the unemployed Sinhalese youth to enter the expanding world wide Resort boom. It will be great for our local Ayurveda to show our own way of life to the world and make money out of it. The employees will be able to get employment in other Crown resorts.
There are number of Casinos in Colombo and Kandy and major operators have backing of Indians and Indian colonial parasites in the Island nation. No wonder the Indian Sinhala terrorists arm JVP opposes the project. I do not know who provide funds for the JHU, but I guess they are the local Indian colonial parasites. A leading member of the JHU was living and working in Melbourne, Australia and I am sure he or his friends worked in the Casino in Melbourne.
What is good for the Sinhalese in Melbourne in Australia is not good for the Sinhalese in the island nation. They want the Sinhalese in Ceylon to be domestics in the Middle East or be slaves of the Garment industry mainly owned by Indian colonial parasites.
We may loose a great opportunity and be economic slaves of the Indians and Indian colonial parasites for ever as promoted by the JVP and other Indian backed Socialists of the island.