Gambling rampant in East Timor

Gambling rampant in East Timor

DILI, East Timor: Prominent legislators criticized the
government yesterday for taking no action to stop gambling, which
they say has gone unchecked in Indonesia's youngest province.

Umar Balafid and Manuel C.G. Oliveira warned that gambling,
which is illegal in Indonesia, threatened the future of young
East Timorese.

Umar said he was confused by the government's policy on
gambling. "If it's forbidden by law, why do they close their eyes
to the rife gambling here?," he said.

He denied suggestions that the ruling Golkar party, to which
he belongs, encourages the illicit activities in order to divert
the people's attention from the province's pressing social
problems.

According to Oliveira, law enforcement is so slack that many
government employees are often seen gambling during office hours.

"The government should pay better attention to the problem if
it does not want to see the future of the province's younger
generations devastated," he said. (yac)