Marc Bean has told the Island’s churches that they have no business interfering in the issue of bringing gambling to the Island.Pointing to a need for a separation between church and state, Mr Bean questioned what right the church had to comment on “matters of the secular realm”.The Progressive Labour Party leader also said that while he did not gamble personally, he would vote in favour of it being introduced so that “my view does not negate the freedom of others to gamble as they choose”.And Mr Bean, who yesterday called for Government to “get a move on with a gaming referendum”, believes that Bermudians needed to move away from a “hypocritical conservatism” when it came to enabling tourists to have the same fun Bermudians enjoy when they travel, and said the “stiff-necked attitude towards tourism” must change.In response to the PLP leader’s challenge, Premier Craig Cannonier said last night that the OBA would bring a debate on Gaming to the House of Parliament “in due course”.Any discussion on gaming is likely to bring renewed lobbying from Bermuda’s churches, who have been vocal in their opposition in the past. Mr Bean though believes the time has come for the people to be allowed to decide for themselves, without pressure from religious leaders.“I must add that I mean nothing disrespectful to the church,” he said. “It’s important that they do have the right to give their views on all matters of morality. I’m not saying the churches should be silent, but we have to look at this from a secular, economics based perspective.“There is a reason why humanity, and democracies, have moved towards a separation of church and state. Many will say that the church has a role to fulfil, but under issues of this kind, the secular kind, they should not interfere, and just allow the people themselves to decide.“Many will claim that churches are able to operate tax free, like many international businesses — tax free. So if you’re able to operate tax free, what weight outside of the moral persuasion that you’re bringing to the table, what special right do you have, to speak on all these matters of the secular realm?”Mr Bean believes the Island’s conservative approach to gaming, and certain other leisure activities, are hurting it economically.Pointing to the 5,000 cruise ship visitors who have arrived in a country with comparatively few amenities beyond sightseeing tours, restaurants, and the beach, the PLP leader scolded Bermudians for what he considers a hypocritical approach.“Collectively, I think Bermudians need to move away from what I consider to be hypocritical conservatism — in the sense that, when we are here, we expect guests to conform to this rigid standard of behaviour, where we tell them, ‘This is how you can act’,” he said.‘[When Bermudians travel] we spend money like there’s no money left to spend; we enjoy ourselves.“So why is it that when we travel, we act one way, but expect our visitors to come to Bermuda and to act another way? Fun is fun. We need to move across what I consider is a stiff-necked attitude towards tourism.”Placing fewer restrictions on what visitors could do would benefit the Island economically, Mr Bean said.“When you feel happy and there are very few restrictions on the choices you can make, you want to spend money. When you come to a jurisdiction that is stuffy and there are very few amenities outside of a sightseeing tour looking at Bermuda’s old English history and going to the beach, that’s not going to suffice,” he added.“Not when you have other destinations that are competitive and provide these goods and services that the visitor likes. Why is it that Bermuda is one of the few countries in the world with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but a tourist cannot even go get a cold beer?”While Mr Cannonier said last night that gaming was likely to be discussed in Parliament, which reconvenes today, in due course, that was in response to an earlier challenge from Mr Bean.“There is no reason to delay progress on this issue,” the PLP leader said at the party’s Alaska Hall headquarters. “The PLP’s position is clear: the people’s voices must be heard. Premier Cannonier, I call on you to let the people have their say. Table the Referendum Bill and let’s move on with the people’s business.”The Opposition leader described himself as “frustrated by the lack of movement on this issue” since the OBA took power.Challenging the new Government to stop “dragging its feet” and put the question of gambling to Bermuda’s people, Mr Bean pointed to the fact that the PLP had passed the Referendum Act last year, and tabled a bill in Parliament to allow the Island’s residents to decide on casino gambling.In response, Mr Cannonier questioned why Mr Bean was calling for a referendum when he had already said he backed gaming.“I find it interesting that the Opposition leader, Mr Marc Bean is calling for a referendum on gaming when only a few weeks ago, he stood up in the House of Assembly and stated that he is fully supportive of gaming,” said the Premier. “I believe his exact words were for the Government to quote ‘bring it on..’, ie apparently without the need for a referendum.“I also cannot fathom how the Opposition Leader can accuse the OBA Government of dragging their feet on the issue of gaming after only one parliamentary session, while under the PLP government, the discussion of gaming went on for years and in the end, it was not brought to referendum.“To be clear, and as promised, gaming has been discussed in further detail and will be brought to the House of Parliament in due course.”