A Lesson For “Notes From The Margin” Blog – Who Wasn’t Sure How The Barbados Government “Gets Into” Gambling
Oh, sorry… we forgot that those in the industry like to use the term “gaming”. It sounds so much more wholesome when a person can’t feed their family this week because they blew the money on “gaming” – as opposed to “gambling”.
Another 2,500 machines heading for Barbados? No problem… bring ‘em in. They are an excellent life-lesson for the children in how to prosper and manage an economy or the family finances…
From the Jamaica Gleaner…
BET former owner to set up gaming operation in Barbados
Robert Johnson, the former owner and founder of BET, will roll out a new gaming operation in Barbados over the next three years, under a plan to broaden operations across the Caribbean.
Johnson’s RJL Companies, through CAGE Barbados Inc, will establish 2,500 video lottery terminals (VLTs) in Barbados that it has secured a long term contract to install and manage.
CAGE Barbados is a wholly owned subsidiary of RLJ’s gaming division, Caribbean CAGE LLC.
“This long term management agreement is an integral step towards fulfilling our strategy of a significant presence throughout the Caribbeanand Latin America,” said Bob Washington, chairman and CEO of Caribbean CAGE, a company he co-founded with Johnson.
RJL invests in diverse sectors ranging across financial services, real estate, hospitality/restaurant, professional sports, film production, gaming and recording industries.
Pleased
Caribbean CAGE – whose operation covers installation, operation and management of video lottery terminals, linked gaming systems and game content – already operates VLTs in the Turks and Caicos Islands and St. Kitts. It anticipates to start operating in Barbados by yearend.
The company did not disclose the size of the investment to be made.
“We are pleased to enter into a business relationship with Barbados.
Our ability to drive returns is good for Barbados and good for CAGE,” said Johnson, RLJ chairman.
Caribbean CAGE is based in Puerto Rico, but also has offices in Las Vegas, Nevada.
… read the original article at the Jamaica Gleaner (link here)
Previous Story On This Topic…
16 Comments
June 7, 2007 at 5:09 am
a number of politicians have been in Las Vegas over the past several years. I wonder how the junkets were paid for and what favours might have been anticipated, if any?
June 7, 2007 at 5:22 am
I remember when the Gline Clarke story broke that there were three mentioned as having a boys night out in Las Vegas.
They were if memory serves me right, Gline Clarke, Reggie Farley and John Williams.
I will see if I can find the posting in the Gline Clarke story.
June 7, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Robert Johnson has created the most destructive and insidious mechanism to perpetuate the oppression of Black people since slavery. BET glamourises violence misogyny, misanthropy, greed, gluttony and sloth. it is a pox and a virus, and the minister responsible for communications in Barbados should remove it from our cable roster if he cares about our young people. Little surprise that Johnson is now involved in enterprise that will further marginalise and deprive Caribbean people of all races.
June 7, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Dear Mr Johnson, Please let us know truthfully who are your Barbadian business partners in this venture in Barbados??
Do the names Hallam Nicholls, Owen Arthur, and Glyne Bannister come to mind as your local partners??
And if so what if any actual monies have they invested in this venture or have you given them money for favours ??
Your plan to raid the island with 2,500 new slot machines is sickening when one considers that up to this time the cap on these slot machines was below 1,000 machines we are now going to enlarging it to a mammoth 3,500 to be placed in every village and every rum shop around the island thereby creating more hardships for the poor people of this land.
You Mr Johnson, Nicholls, Arthur and Bannister surely cannot be so greedy for money to ignore the damage that these additional machines will cause to our society, if you did you would not be bringing these evils to our shores.
June 7, 2007 at 6:40 pm
I guess he wasnt fulfilled by making money off black folk in north america. time to get him some caribbean money
June 7, 2007 at 11:55 pm
not only do families go hungry. Pension cheques are cashed in order to bet on the Off-Track Betting.
I really wonder what these so called big-ups does really be thinking, is it that they have all arranged for US citizenship for them and their families leaving in in the hole, and so they getting they last bit before they get run out.
They have done more evil than they have good for the time they were in office. What about good care for the elderly, what about a good health care system?
What about good social structure to support and build up our young ppl off the blocks out of prison, out of the drug holes.
What has the BLP done for Barbados lately, except kill steal and destroy??????
June 8, 2007 at 1:49 am
notesfromthemargin responds…..
I was going to run a main story on this but it just isn’t worth it.
A quick search of Google showed that the Gleaner article was edited from a press release released on a pr newswire site. Here is the unedited release.
Today, CAGE Barbados Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Caribbean CAGE LLC, a division of The RLJ Companies, announced that it has been awarded a long-term management agreement for the installation and management of up to 2500 video lottery terminals (”VLTs”) on Barbados. This management agreement will allow CAGE to operate the connected and linked VLTs that will be installed over a three-year roll out period.
“This long term management agreement is an integral step towards
fulfilling our strategy of a significant presence throughout the Caribbean
and Latin America,” noted Bob Washington, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Caribbean CAGE LLC.
An official spokesperson from the BCA stated, “the Barbados Cricket Association looks forward to a long and successful relationship with Cage
Barbados Inc., in the operation of video lottery games in Barbados, which the BCA hopes will redound to the benefit of both the BCA and its
partners.”
“We are pleased to enter into a business relationship with Barbados.
Our ability to drive returns is good for Barbados and good for CAGE,”
stated Bob Johnson, Chairman of The RLJ Companies.
CAGE currently operates VLTs in the Turks and Caicos Islands and St.
Kitts. CAGE, headquartered in Puerto Rico, is well positioned to take
advantage of the VLT market in the Caribbean to generate superior returns.
CAGE anticipates beginning operations in Barbados by the 4th quarter of
2007.
You can find the page at http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-30-2007/0004598319&EDATE=
I did, it took me two minutes on Google and this just proves my point about BFP. Quick to jump to conclusions, and sloppy sloppy research.
*************
BFP Replies…
What is your point Marginal? Are you saying that the government is not licensing these machines and that they will have no revenue from them?
Really? That is your position?
Please explain exactly what you think is inaccurate about our article!
June 8, 2007 at 2:18 am
Fact. More One Arm Bandits equal more Bajans losing a lot of their hard earned money.
Sad but true
June 8, 2007 at 3:01 am
Name CAGE (BARBADOS) INC.
Number 27338
Date Registered / Inc. 2006-07-19
Category Company
…. almost a year ago it was registered.
By law if it has assets or revenues in excess of I believe $1million, it has to register its balance sheet and PL statement at Corporate Affairs and they become public documents.
Wonder if any of the gambling/gaming businesses have revenues over that magical figure?
June 8, 2007 at 7:02 am
It is not always a good idea to impose ones values on others, but if you stand outside betting shops and slot machine offices, it is often those – by appearance – who can least afford to lose money, who are the main players.
In some cases you have to protect people from themselves, and often this is the function of Government. There is always the argument, that in a free society, citizens should be allowed to do as they wish, with their own money, but sometimes I fear adults, yes adults, should be re-educated.
By the nature of their existence, gaming machines must make a profit, and for them to do so, more people must lose than win. There is always the dream that you will walk away with a fortune, but for that to happen, many, yes many dreams must be dashed.
Small societies must protect themselves from the general in larger countries, because the impact can be more severe than in large countries, and often the service structures in terms of counselling, financial management, citizens advice centres, etc are not available.
June 8, 2007 at 12:00 pm
I agree with an earlier comment. This is so horrible for the island the Barbadian public needs to stand up and fight this. Licenses for slot machines were heavily regulated in the past. How is it “Mr. Bet” can be granted 2500? But then again, aren’t elections soon due? BLP must have picked up a good piece of money under the table for the re-election campaign. These lawyer/politicians truly believe they are above the law and the people of Barbados. How are these slot machines helping the ‘grass roots’ man Owen?
June 8, 2007 at 1:31 pm
If one were to look a little deeper into this scam one would find the name of Hallam Nicholls and Glyne Bannister (and by extension Owing Arthur)hidden in there as well, the ones that really stand to make a killing on this deal are the abovementioned these are the ones holding the strings to this deal based on Owings granting the necessary approvals which obviously would never be a problem as he is part of this low life scam.
The likes of Conde Riley and the BCA are but a mere front from which they are using to operate their scam, this is nothing more than Nicholss et al gaining the approvals from their partner and friend Arthur for making a killing out of the poor people of the villages of this land.
The contract makes good reading ask them to publish it and lets see how honest they are!!!
June 8, 2007 at 1:36 pm
TheTruth
The party is not reaping any benefits here there is one person benefitting here and that is the almighty Owing, Nicholls and Bannister.
This is very much like the cheque for $ 750,000.00 that Owing deposited to his bank account party funds not Owings bank account if you please.
November 2, 2007 at 1:05 pm
The gov’t get 12% of the profit. Thats good money compared to what the other slot operators pay.
People should think b4 they write outrageous things.
May 20, 2008 at 3:09 am
clearly u do not know what it takes to own an arcade and the tremendous investment required. operators are now in trouble! For a mere 25 machines it cost over 700k annually in liscence fees and it is highly regulated.
These 2500 VLT’s are a joke to be allowed into Barbados -where did you hear 12% will be paid to the government?
That greedy bas#$rd Arthur has taken a HUGE payout and run. he will not see the repercussions! How can you increase capacity by 2500 machines on an island with 250 000 ppl? its the most insane corruption I have ever seen…..if you think Trinidad is bad crime wise wait till you see what happens to BIM!!
October 26, 2008 at 5:39 pm
[...] – Robert Johnson Pleased To Partner With Barbados Government In New Gambling Operation Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Video Gambling Machines A Free-For-All In The [...]