Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen of the media. Thank you for being here.
The Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, the Hon. Jamahl Simmons and I are here to announce the new Chairperson of the Casino Gaming Commission.
My Cabinet colleagues are here to be a part of this important press conference because they fully support and endorse the new Chair and this new Government’s approach to Gaming in Bermuda.
This Progressive Labour Party government wants to make sure we have a partner in the Casino Gaming Commission who is able to work with us in executing our vision for Casino gaming – gaming that works for the benefit of many.
It is important that commissions and organizations, which are created by acts of Parliament and funded by the tax payer, work cooperatively with policy makers … which in this case, are the persons behind me, who were chosen by the people of Bermuda on July 18th.
To address recent media reports, this Government will not be in control of the day to day operations of the Gaming Commission. The headlines and news stories which have been published in that vein are inaccurate.
To say that the government is taking away the independence of the Commission is not true. It is necessary for the government to have a working relationship with the Casino Gaming Commission.
An example is the government’s relationship with the Bermuda Monetary Authority. As the Minister of Finance, I have the ability to give directions to the BMA, but no one is saying that the Bermuda Monetary Authority is not independent.
This government has implemented and held ourselves to the highest ethical standards of any government in Bermuda’s History, and we will continue to operate in that fashion. We are fully aware of our responsibilities to our country and we will not do anything to jeopardize our hard earned reputation as a sound place to do business.
This government is committed to delivering Casino Gaming that will benefit all Bermudians and with that I am extremely pleased to invite the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism to introduce the new Chair of the Casino Gaming Commission.