Voice of the People Discusses Slot Machines

In Guam there are those who are truly unhappy at the thought of bringing slot machines to the island. There are also many who want the slot machines as they will bring in money for the island, as well as increase tourism. However, everyone gets to have their voices heard in Voice of the People.

Voice of the people is a forum for those who have something to say to say it and be heard. This month the focus seems to be those that have an opinion on Prop B, which would legalize slot machines at Guam Greyhound Racetrack. While you can discuss anything, three people chose to discuss the slot machines and why they were for or against bringing them in.

Kenneth Hezel said that the money spent on Prop B, the initiative to legalize slot machines, could have been put to much better use. Instead of spending more than $800,000 on a slot machine initiative that probably won’t be approved anyway, they could have spent it in a variety of ways. He then goes on to list the number of ways that money could have been spent: “Help put in sewers for the residents being evicted from Gil Baza; purchase a roundtrip ticket for the family of the sick person that is soliciting donations at ITC intersection; start a "Gamblers Anonymous" program;” etc. and ends with the suggestion that they could have provided everyone a 'Monopoly' game to help them understand Prop B.”

Joe Mendiola said that to bring in slot machines is not necessarily a bad thing, it just depends on what they do with them. He said that gambling has existed in one form or another for years on Guam, since this is the case why not allow the slot machines to come in but “control them to the island’s benefit?”

Jose Sevilla agreed with the bringing in of slot machines, but took a different stance. He said “He was born a catholic and fully understand the values taught by the Catholic Church” but he didn’t understand why they are choosing to go against the slot machines when there are already so many forms of gambling on Guam. He said you can’t allow people to invest in Guam and then not let them do what they came here to do. He said if they didn’t want slot machines they shouldn’t have taken John Baldwin’s money.

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