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US$16M Carnival Casino to employ over 300 persons
Owner of the Sleepin Group, Clifton Bacchus flanked by his employees in one section of the extravagant casino
Owner of the Sleepin Group, Clifton Bacchus flanked by his employees in one section of the extravagant casino

– opens doors after five years of being denied approval to operate

By Navendra Seoraj

AFTER more than four years of being denied the opportunity to open its doors, the US$16 million Carnival Casino has been given the “green light” by the Gaming Authority of Guyana to commence operations, thus paving the way for the creation of more than 300 direct jobs.

Carnival Casino, which is part of the Sleepin Hotel Complex, was scheduled to open simultaneously with the accommodation aspect of the facility four years ago, but multiple applications to the Gaming Authority were rejected.

The Carnival Casino (Adrian Narine photos)

“Well, the casino was supposed to open in 2016… The first application was sent in 2015, and that was denied. And we applied again in 2017, and it was denied again. And now we apply under the new Board and got through,” said owner of the Sleepin Group, Clifton Bacchus during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday.
Chairman of the Gaming Authority of Guyana, Manniram Prashad told this publication that the Authority’s Board of Directors reviewed the new application recently, and found that the company’s financials and plans were in order, so there was no reason to deny approval.

The prior applications would have cost Bacchus $18 million, but this was only a microcosm of the unwarranted expenses he’d incurred, the businessman told this publication.
“The total investment was about US$15 million, but after the almost five-year time span, it took us up to another million, because we had to send the machines back and then bring it back… We also had to redo the place, because it was closed for five years… Remember, we also had the interest to pay, and everything else took up the investment,” Bacchus lamented.
Despite those ‘setbacks’, the businessman was elated that his perseverance paid off, and he could finally open his establishment, which, he foresees, will remain competitive, even amidst increasing proposals from key players in the international hotel industry to enter Guyana.

His intention is to employ mainly Guyanese. And, although the facility has the capacity to employ over 300 persons, Bacchus said he will be employing 150 for now, because of the pervasive novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“We are only employing 150 persons for now, because of the social distancing and so, and because you have to close at a certain time,” said the proprietor.
The application of COVID-19 guidelines will, however, not just be restricted to the level of employment, but will also apply to all aspects of the casino’s operations.

TOP-CLASS FACILITIES
The facility has live games, machine games, food and every possible feature of any international casino. Those activities will be managed by competent employees, who have been trained by experts in the field.
“Everybody will be fully trained; we will continuously train our employees to ensure that they are the best… So, we were anxious, but now a burden is off my shoulders, and we could start our operations and hopefully recover the investment over a period of time,” Bacchus said.

This gentleman is getting his game on

It was reported recently that based on available statistics, over 3,000 persons are expected to gain employment next year when mega hoteliers ‘land’ their multimillion-dollar investments in Guyana.

Several investors have already acquired private land to kick-start their investments. The Guyana Chronicle understands that 10 developers have acquired such land, and will start construction in the coming year.

While the names of those investors were not released, the Guyana Chronicle had reported that a business-friendly climate, supplemented by the anticipated economic ascension is being credited for the attraction of major players in the hotel industry, such as Sheraton, The Element, Delta Marriott, Best Western Hotels and Resorts, the H-Tower Luxury Hotel, the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, the Radisson Hotels, and the Hilton Hotels and Resorts, among others.

These potential investments are seen as timely, because Guyana, which sits on the edge of South America and has a population of about 750,000 people, is expected to ‘boom’ with its new-found oil wealth, which is expected to drive infrastructural development and other sectoral advancements.

According to a study by Oxford Economics, hotels are extraordinary job creators in communities all across the nation. In addition to offering numerous entry-level positions, hotels also provide stepping stones for employees to quickly move up within the organization.

The same study found that a typical hotel with 100 occupied rooms per night supports 230 local jobs every year.
And the nation’s hotel and lodging industry bring other important benefits to local communities. These businesses are a cornerstone for local economic activity, providing increased tax revenue, capital investment, tourism-related development and promotion, civic leadership, charitable contributions, and sponsorship.

https://guyanachronicle.com/2020/12/02/451487/

Replies sorted oldest to newest

More business means more employments. More employments means more revenues circulating and taxes are being paid. Good economic sense means Guyana is moving forward. GNI should get its head out of the hole and get some fresh air. Put the country first.

Viper
@Django posted:

The plans are to make Guyana the Las Vegas of the Caribbean.How many business are up to date with their taxes ?

The new administration has little over 100 days in office. Give them time to sort out the country's business. You don't beat a working donkey and give credit to the lazy jackass.

Viper
@Viper posted:

The new administration has little over 100 days in office. Give them time to sort out the country's business. You don't beat a working donkey and give credit to the lazy jackass.

Do they have a real plan ? do you recall the failed National Development Strategy ?

Django
Last edited by Django
@Django posted:

The plans are to make Guyana the Las Vegas of the Caribbean.How many business are up to date with their taxes ?

Guyana has larger problems than collecting taxes. Are many of these businesses legitimate or just fronts? How can you have the "Las Vegas of the Caribbean" when the country is noted as a shit hole with no reliable source of power, high crime and murders?

Who would choose to vacation or gamble there over the Bahamas?

I borrow Totaram's term. "Chupid" people.

FM
@Former Member posted:

Guyana has larger problems than collecting taxes. Are many of these businesses legitimate or just fronts? How can you have the "Las Vegas of the Caribbean" when the country is noted as a shit hole with no reliable source of power, high crime and murders?

Who would choose to vacation or gamble there over the Bahamas?

I borrow Totaram's term. "Chupid" people.

Casinos are known for money laundering in backwater countries.

Django
Last edited by Django
@Nehru posted:

How come when PPP in Govt Guyana smells like fresh Rose and when PNC in Govt the place STINKS like a SHIt HOLE????

Because you like to visit while PNC in govt, is you who does make the place smell bad.

cain

This casino is great news for Guyana.  There will be many more businesses opening because of this great venture. People will flock to the shores of this great nation for better entertainment and Guyanese with money will be coming to take part in the development of their country.

Thank God the PPP won.    God bless Guyana and its president.

Allah is great!

R
@Ramakant-P posted:

This casino is great news for Guyana.  There will be many more businesses opening because of this great venture. People will flock to the shores of this great nation for better entertainment and Guyanese with money will be coming to take part in the development of their country.

Thank God the PPP won.    God bless Guyana and its president.

Allah is great!

Put you brain in gear, casino and money will attract bandits more than they have now.

Tola
@Nehru posted:

How come when PPP in Govt Guyana smells like fresh Rose and when PNC in Govt the place STINKS like a SHIt HOLE????

How u know this. U been deh fuh tek in the smell or yuh breaking wind as usual.😄😃😄😃

Sheik101
@Viper posted:

More business means more employments. More employments means more revenues circulating and taxes are being paid. Good economic sense means Guyana is moving forward. GNI should get its head out of the hole and get some fresh air. Put the country first.

Yaaawn......christopher columbus just made a discovery. Smfh.

Sheik101
@Former Member posted:

Guyana has larger problems than collecting taxes. Are many of these businesses legitimate or just fronts? How can you have the "Las Vegas of the Caribbean" when the country is noted as a shit hole with no reliable source of power, high crime and murders?

Who would choose to vacation or gamble there over the Bahamas?

I borrow Totaram's term. "Chupid" people.

"Las Vegas of the Caribbean" is not what the government has in mind. Some people like to assumptions and then start to believe them. Furthermore, Guyana is not a shithole country. Maybe under the APNU/AFC government, they were. The PPP is taking the country to greater heights.  Borrowing Tota's term is pure ignorance.

R

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