The Taiwan Association of University Professors (台灣教授協會) voiced its opposition to the establishment of casinos on Taiwan's offshore islands in a press release yesterday.
On Oct. 15 last year, the Finance Committee and the Home and Nations Committee of the Legislative Yuan passed draft amendments to the Offshore Islands Development Act (
The amendments are now awaiting review by the legislature.
"We want to impress upon legislators and parties promoting casinos on Taiwan's offshore islands that they are endorsing a policy that will have a seriously negative social impact and will have repercussions for our children and grandchildren," the press release said.
The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior have both opposed the idea, while the legislative caucus of the ruling DPP has also made it clear that it will accept no partisan negotiations on the issue.
The press release gave four reasons for opposing casinos on the offshore islands.
First, legalized gambling will have a negative impact on Taiwan's political, economic, social and security issues, the release said.
Second, studies from the US show that the establishment of casinos has not led to economic renewal, but rather, the accompanying "replacement effects" and "swallowing effects" have led to the death of local economies, according to the release.
Third, legalized gambling will cause a widespread failure in public security, the press release said.
Quoting figures from the Las Vegas Journal, the release said Nevada was the third most dangerous US state in which to live in 1995. Crime rates in Las Vegas were also the highest in the US, according to 1996 figures from the Las Vegas Sun. Nevada also has the highest suicide rate, highest rate of convicted tax evaders, highest number of chronic gamblers, highest rate of high-school drop-outs and highest divorce rate. The release also quoted studies showing Nevada has the third-highest abortion rate, third-highest number of bankruptcies, fourth-highest percentage of children born out of wedlock, fourth-highest number of rapes, fourth-highest rate of alcohol-induced deaths and the lowest voting rate.
Fourth on the list of concerns, the gambling industry is very "politically influential," according to the release.
Atlantic City records show that four of the city's past six mayors have been accused of involvement in illegal gambling-related activities. As well, former Louisiana governor Edwin W. Edwards and his son were convicted in May 2000 for bribery and corruption related to the issuing of licences for riverboat casinos. Bribery and corruption convictions are rare in the US, but in the process of legalizing gambling, officials are frequently convicted for these crimes, said the professors' association.
Fifth, the gambling industry spreads fast, the release said.
Casinos are normally restricted at first but use political donations to influence policies to gradually relax these restrictions. In the US, only three states originally allowed gambling. Today, there are only three states that prohibit the practice. Some states originally allowed gambling only on boats that were not anchored in harbors, while gambling is now is allowed on shore.
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