Govt shuts down Casino Royale

KATHMANDU, Nov 22:

Casino Royale, which resumed operation two months ago, was forcefully shut on Friday afternoon on the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA).

Policemen closed the casino located in Hotel Yak & Yeti premises at around 1:30 pm. MoHA instructed Nepal Police to shut the casino after the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) wrote to it, claiming that the casino was being operated illegally.

There was a brief scuffle between policemen and workers of the casino before police ultimately closed the casino.

"Police came all of a sudden and closed the casino. We had resumed operation based on the stay order issued by the Supreme Court," Bhabishwor Aryal, general manager of Casino Royale, told Republica. "We had been clearing dues on installment basis."

The government had shut down all 10 casinos earlier in April after they failed to clear outstanding dues and renew license as per the new guidelines. However, only Casino Royale had resume operation after clearing dues and getting a go-ahead from the Supreme Court.

MoCTCA officials, however, say the casino was being operated illegally as it had not renewed license based on new Casino Regulation which was introduced earlier this year.

Umakant Parajuli, joint secretary of MoCTCA, said that Casino Royale has not renewed license as per the new regulations. "The Supreme Court did not advise casinos to resume operation without renewing license," he argued, adding, "This is why requested the home ministry to shut down its operations."

Laxman Tiwari, president of Nepal Independent Hotel Workers Union, said the government shut the casino even though it was clearing dues. "The casino was preparing to renew license as per the new guidelines. But police shut closed it down without giving prior notice," he added.

Casino Royale had resumed its operation from September 23 after it "received go-ahead from the Supreme Court on September 21".

"We got a letter, which said the casino was operated illegally, from tourism ministry this morning only. In the afternoon, police came shut the casino forcefully," Aryal said.

Casino Royale has been providing employment to around 750 people. “The government action has rendered us jobless. More than 10,000 workers have become jobless due to the government decision to close the 10 casinos," Tiwari said, adding, "It should have thought about the works before amending the guidelines."

Meanwhile, Aryal said they would move the Supreme Court as they had resumed operation based on the apex court´s stay order.

Source: Republica