The Progressive Labour Party is preparing for a wide-spread national debate on gambling when slot machines are banned in July.

Party spokesman Scott Simmons said yesterday although the PLP had ?no position? now, it was ready to have a wide-ranging dialogue on whether to reintroduce gambling when the machines become illegal.

And he said the party would try to reflect the views of the majority of Bermudians ? even if that meant bringing back gambling in the face of stiff opposition from Christians within the PLP. His comments came the day after gambling expert Lyall Hall predicted to the Chamber of Commerce that Bermuda will have casinos within five years.

Mr. Hall, a partner with accountants KPMG in Toronto, said based on the explosion in gambling in North American in particular, it was here to stay and Bermuda would follow suit.

Chamber of Commerce president Charles Gosling said after the speech on Monday that the Chamber was not throwing down a challenge to Government, but it wanted an informed discussion on gambling.

But the Chamber did want Government to consider casinos if the waterfront in Hamilton was redeveloped and if there was a tourist complex built at Morgan?s Point.

Mr. Simmons told yesterday: ?The Tourism Minister Renee Webb has said she is in favour of gambling, and the party is interested in what the people want and it wants to be reflective of how people feel.

?People will be people, and one of the biggest criticisms of a lot of church people is they are involved in gaming here and when they travel.

?The party?s position has been no position. The party?s position (now) is let?s talk.

?Let?s have a substantive discussion on gaming and let?s make sure we look at it. We welcome the Chamber or any other group wanting to look at it honestly and have a constructive dialogue.

?The Government in July is going to remove these gaming machines, but let?s look at ways to reintroduce gaming.

?Bermudians have a very high opinion of themselves, and we would have the position that the reintroduction of gaming would have to be reflective of the national attitude and whatever people feel is appropriate.

?Our Government will bring it to the people and let them talk.

?We have listened to the church lobby and the churches and we understand them.

?But we also understand there is a constituency in Bermuda that is interested in gaming and we have got to be a mirror and listen to those for and against. There have been a number of issues on the national agenda that have pulled us away from gaming such as housing and independence.

?But it (the issue of gambling) will be reintroduced in July when the time runs out for the machines and there will be enforcement.?

He said the party?s church supporters would not be able to stand in the way of gaming being reintroduced if the majority of Bermudians are in favour.

?Every Bermudian has to have an opportunity to look at it seriously and it must reflect the majority view,? continued Mr. Simmons. ?We want forums, we want opportunities for people to look at it seriously and handle these issues in the same way.

?There will be some individuals that will be very tee-ed off if it is or isn?t reintroduced, but we are still a democracy and we are still run by the majority.

?There will be questions about how it will be connected to the tourism product, if it will be introduced to hotels, and we have seen the waterfront proposals in Hamilton include plans for a casino. So there are substantive debates. We don?t want to rush it and we don?t want to do it half-heartedly.?