I bet you! (From Penarth Times)

I bet you!

THE GOVERNMENT is currently giving the green light to increased gambling in Britain.

Casinos will apparently be allowed in future to operate with minimal basic controls, and to remain open all hours of the day and night, if they wish. Gambling in general has not played a major role in my own life. When I have bought raffle tickets, I almost invariably fail to win any prizes, but that is not a big deal.

I am not completely against gambling per se. Even if I were, this would not mean that I should advocate banning activities, already legally enjoyed by large numbers.

The present government seems to be getting the balance wrong, both in their projected extreme liberalisation of drinking hours. The latest projected moves on pub hours may, however, be a step too far. Some pubs are very close to residential areas for a start!

The same with gambling. We do of course have our National Lottery, which seems to do some good, with some large donations to worthwhile purposes. With all forms of gambling, as with the drinking of alcohol, we have to recognise the problem of addiction and the multifarious social problems this can bring in its wake, which another branch of government may have then to deal with. The Salvation Army may appear austere and rigid in its welfanschauung, but the organisation must have extensive practical experience of picking up the pieces, the 'crockery' having been broken some of the time by the proverbial (government) bull in the china shop.

The government's moves on the gambling and alcohol fronts, and John Prescott's proposed huge inroads into the environmental protection offered by 'green belts' in town and country planning, make me feel this is not a government whose tactics and aims I could support and identify with. This is to exclude my looking at their extremely contentious foreign policies, of course, in spite of the spin and the double-talk which is heard from some ministers.

Michael O'Neill Railway Terrace Penarth