In today’s editorial the distinguished Mexican newspaper, El Universal, published a piece entitled ‘Corruption in Casinos’. Without doubt a selling title but much mistaken in our opinion. This aside, the Editorial subtitle reads that it is an “Inspiration in the public interest, responsibility, search for the truth, for permanent justice and for the fulfilment of these...” Furthermore, we insist that this Editorial piece suffers from myopia.
Below we copy the link to the Editorial but basically the commentary has as its base the criminal attack on Monterrey’s Casino Royale that “serves to remind us of the disorder that exists in gaming and betting establishments.” Writing disorder in bold print for properties that are full casinos in everything but name.
The journalistic attack of El Universal is against Roberto Correa, ex director general of Gaming and Betting at the Governance Secretariat (SEGOB), which controls the emission of licences authorising gambling venues in Mexico. This refers to the fact that Correa “granted – one day before resigning – a permit that allowed just one business group 41 betting venues” and the article all but blames the ex official for the entire disorder of the country’s gambling sector.
Certainly there exist serious doubts over the actions of Correa, as reported by El Universal, other media and experts in the search for easy targets. However, if it is a question of responsibility and the search for the truth, El Universal and the rest must dig more deeply into the actions of an official who has almost no political power.
As we have said from the time in 2004 when the then president Vicente Fox signed the Regulations (Reglamento) to the 1947 Federal Law of Gaming and Betting, under the astute direction of ex Secretary of Governance Santiago Creel, the only thing this legal manoeuvre could do was create confusion in Mexico’s gaming sector. This in particular because it placed in the hands of a few companies and private individuals hundreds of permits to open gaming centres, which along with the ‘sale’ of such permits to third parties, the gaming and betting parlours have been converted into de facto casinos.
In 2004, and well before then, there existed bills in Congress to formulate a Casino Law to replace the outdated 1947 Act. Santiago Creel put an end to all these with his ‘Reglamento’, as a workhorse to seek the election of the PAN candidate in the Mexican presidential race. By pure coincidence or good luck, SEGOB granted 65 gaming licences to the brand new company Apuestas Internacionales, subsidiary of the transnational Televisa, queen of the television soaps and champion of the ratings throughout Mexico.
Up to here the myopia of El Universal but now to the theme of responsibility. Certainly mass communications media tittles are specialists in half tones, half truths and sitting on the fence so as not to injure the sensibilities of influential politicians.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
However, a headline such as ‘Corruption in Casinos’ is designed to sell newspapers like hot cakes and has nothing to do with “inspiration in the public interest”.
The corruption, gentlemen of El Universal, is not found in the casinos and if it exists it is because of the actions of questionable political conduct that has compromised the gaming sector in Mexico. Without this, there would have been no casinos now in Mexico other than those that operated under court rulings (recursos de amparo) before Creel’s ‘Reglamento’.
Today newspapers such as El Universal have used the highways and byways to tarnish the image of an industry that so far has responded only to erroneous political actions that have defined Mexico.
If we are speaking of justice, this too must be found in the political and administrative management that fails to meet its basic functions supervising the adherence to rules for public security, such as ensuring that emergency fire doors remain unlocked and escape routes remain uncluttered, in public places like the Casino Royale.
Why do these and other procedures remain unenforced? Because of disorder in the sector but this has not been generated by the operators and owners of casinos and gambling venues.
In the gaming industry we work responsibly in properly regulated jurisdictions under laws and regulations supervised by legally established state agencies. Only in this manner is public interest safeguarded responsibly and the truth is not difficult to find because the industry plays with all its cards above the table, complying with both the law of the land and the regulations that support it.
Unfortunately this situation does not exist in the Mexican gaming industry and over 50 people have died for no reason because disorder promotes crime, whether committed by politicians, businessmen or common criminals. Now more than ever Mexico needs a casino law such as those that exist in Chile, Peru, Spain or Great Britain and it is the responsibility of everyone, particularly the media, to demand this right so that order will exist in Mexico’s gaming industry – and without irresponsibly pointing an accusing figure at any convenient scapegoat. (E-09.08.11)
* http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/editoriales/54593.html
|
|
