Peter Murray, Mosta
Polling booth at 16, casino at 25
It has been much touted of late to reduce the voting age to 16. Whatever one's perception of this, it remains nevertheless highly debatable and controversial. Moreover, it flies in the face of the current perceived wisdom of forward-thinking governments who are actively considering increasing the age limit in this and other crucial issues such as the age to legally drive a motor vehicle.
However, what is truly remarkable is that it is considered appropriate and age-compliant, not to say non-discriminatory, for Maltese citizens to have reached the grand age of 25 before being legally entitled to enter a casino (I mentioned discriminatory as foreign citizens are considered much more mature and eligible to enter at 21).
How disparate and obtuse is this dichotomy which, I say again, may be determined as parochial and iniquitous.
It is apparently envisaged as perfectly acceptable and accountable to allow a 16-year-old to have the right to contribute to such monumental and ground-breaking decisions as electing members of Parliament or the local council or other massively vital decisions relating to our future heritage but not to even think about having the right to play Black Jack in a casino until they are in their dotage (OK, so 25 cannot realistically be considered as such but hopefully you get my drift!).
Let's get real before it's too late!
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Peter Murray
Sep 8th 2008, 21:15
FAO:_
ANDREW SALIBA.
What an absolutely ridiculous analogy to make!I never once initimated that I was advocating gambling rather the more crucial issues of freedom of choice and accessibility,as if it was up to me I would not issue any licenses for a casino to operate.However,if an age limit for entrance to a casino exists then it must operate on a level playing field and be the same for all.In any event ,one does not solely enter a casino to gamble alone.Also I was attempting to direct the appropriate authorities attention to realise the obvious distinction between being allowed to vote at 16 ,and the connotations this invokes,with the ridiculous disparity between both this voting age and the age at which non-Maltese may enter a casino.IT is all relative to freedom's and parity across the board.
Joe Cordina
Sep 3rd 2008, 15:21
Speaking of gambling, how about these un controlled gaming rooms that are mushrooming all over the island especially near schools and juniour college. What is being done to control who enters and at what age? There seems to be a lacuna in our laws in this regards and no political will to address the issue. What about revenue. We had been told that these gaming rooms will be equipped with online machines which will automatically pay 40% tax from their income. I bet (gamble?) that this is not set up as yet and all the income is being kept by the operators!!! Shame on the Gaming Authority, we have not heard a word from them for months, they only boast of the increasing number of online gaming companies who have chosen toset their operations in malta. Is this because we have become a tax heaven for these money making machines????
A. Saliba
Sep 3rd 2008, 14:23
Is L Galea seriously saying that Maltese people shouldn't be allowed to gamble? How about we ban alcohol and cigarettes too (only for Maltese people, mind you), after all they cause more harm than good? Why is it the government's job to interfere in people's lives? Oh right, because there are authoritarians like yourself who, as the Maltese say, "ihobbu jiddefsu."
But let's not go into that. The point is, as Mr. Murray said, it is uttery discriminatory to allow 18-year old foreigners to enter a casino (the minimum age is actually 18 not 25 for foreingers) while a Maltese must wait till the age of 25. The funny thing is, one must only be 16 to play the national lottery! How sad.
vincent a galea
Sep 3rd 2008, 13:07
Correct me if I am wrong, but my impression is that the suggestion was for 16-year olds to only vote in Local Council elections. This I find a rather good idea and commendable.
As far as gambling is concerned, I agree completely that Maltese Citizens should not be allowed to gamble at all, considering the immense hardships this causes families !! But here we live in a very peculiar Island: HERE EVEN THE CHURCH RADIO (!!!) INCESSANTLY URGES PEOPLE TO GAMBLE - "SE TIEHU CHANCE?" (BUT DON'T YOU DARE MENTION DIVORCE TO THE ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITES!!!!!!!!) MAMMA MIA, WHAT A FARCE!!
E Gatt
Sep 3rd 2008, 12:00
I am 44 years old and in my whole life-time I only entered twice in a casino, and this when I was past 40!! the total amount I wasted in casinos was around Lm 20 (€ 46) so as you can see I am not a compulsive gambler, in fact I am not a gambler at all (not even Super 5 or Lotto!)
BUT
the fact that a Maltese has to be 25 and a foreigner has to be only 21 to enter a casino is dicriminatory on basis of nationality and is paatronising in the belief that the authorities think that Maltese youngsters are not mature enough to enter a casino while foreigners can. Or else it is that casinos are not a good thing so they want to protect Maltese youths from this bad habit but to hell with foreigners, they can destroy their lives as much as they want!
L Galea
Sep 3rd 2008, 10:49
I wish the authorities would not allow Maltese citizens to enter the casinos.
We already have too much broken families due to compulsive gamblers.
Mind you, it is not males or females who are compulsive gamblers, but both sexes.
But then whoever takes such a decision would be criticized as being undemocratic and interfering with the freedom of the individual.
Andrew Saliba
Sep 3rd 2008, 10:00
Are you a compulsive gambler by any chance?
You are actually trying to associate social awareness with gambling?
This is totally crazy. Gambling is such a big problem in Malta, young and old, it would be ridiculous to lower the age for entry to the casino. Voting on the other hand is on a totally different spectrum, How many young people go to these mass meetings that the parties hold? Do you think they are all over 18? Young people today know what is happening to their country. They are smart enough to make up their own mind and no afraid of stating their opinion like in the old days. The times are changing but confusing voting with gambling is unheard of.
GAMBLING is a VICE & ADDICTION - BAD
VOTING is a SOCIAL AWARENESS - GOOD