It is Minister Tonio Fenech’s problem if he felt confused by my article Why government is to blame on the gaming regulations particularly when he reached the erroneous and unsubstantiated conclusion that I am or ever was for a free-for-all in the gaming industry.

While the casino business has always been well regulated, the same cannot be said for the gaming outlets that not only were allowed to mushroom in the most dubious and sensitive of spots and areas by a Gonzi administration, but which also according to uncontested court testimony were even given the green light by the same administration in the run up to the general elections so much so that many operators of these outlets invested heavily in equipment on the basis of these reassurances.

As an Opposition we will now let the PN face the music for their capricious pre-electoral signals and nudging.

At no stage did I hint at total prohibition, so much so that I argued that gambling like prostitution cannot simply go away. Neither do I believe in its being driven underground. The Minister is definitely wrong when he hinted that I cannot fathom the complexity and this industry which varies from online gaming to Saturday lotto!

Had government acted promptly and decisively there would have not even been the need for the highly interesting debate in the Social Affairs Committee because the problem would not have festered by then. Equally there would have been no need for the justified concerns of such agencies as Caritas, Sedqa and the Church itself.

Minister Tonio Fenech is equally incorrect when he claimed that the Opposition resorted to sitting on the fence as well as to delaying tactics.

As he very well knows although amendments to the law were presented to us a few days back, it was only until yesterday that during a meeting with PL parliamentary representatives the LGA managed to clear the air on a number of pivotal issues which had until then remained nebulous to say the least. The Minister can rest assured that I am all for proper, practical, even and logical enforcement as well as in favour of a properly regulated sector.

I am sure that this will be made clear by the PL in the House of Representatives where I am confident that common sense – which has been badly lacking on the government side, primarily due to conflicting interests, which also include those of stakeholders close to PN parliamentary group members’ families – will prevail.

Leo Brincat MP

St Julians