台湾:亚洲的下一个赌博天堂?

Residents of the outlying Taiwanese island of Matsu have officially opened their arms to the idea of hosting Taiwan's first legal casino and earning a robust living in catering to gamblers from mainland China - after voting in favor of an 'integrated resort' that promises to transform the island. But is the deal too good to be true?
在远离台湾本岛的马祖，当地居民投票赞成开设一家有望改变马祖面貌的“综合度假村”，此举意味着他们对在马祖开设台湾第一家合法赌场的想法予以了正式支持，也意味着他们赞成通过招揽中国大陆赌客让自己过上好日子。但是如此好事能否成真呢？

In a referendum on over the weekend, 56% of Matsu's 3,162 eligible voters cast their ballots in favor of allowing a casino on the island, opening the door to a $2-billion proposal that includes upgrades of the island's ports and airports, an abundance of job opportunities - and monthly stipends of up to NT$80,000 ($2,670) for all people registered as Matsu residents at the time of the referendum.
在7月初举行的公投中，马祖3,162名合格选民中的56%投票赞成允许在岛上开设赌场，从而向一项20亿美元的议案敞开了大门，该议案建议升级马祖的港口和机场，这将创造大量就业机会──并可每月向公投时马祖的所有在册居民发放高达80,000元新台币（约合2,670美元）的津贴。

The developer, Weidner Resorts, has vowed to turn the underdeveloped and tightly military-controlled archipelago into the 'Mediterranean of Asia,' complete with five-star hotels, restaurants staffed by celebrity chefs, entertainment venues, high-end shopping centers and, of course, casinos.
开发商怀德度假村（Weidner Resorts）承诺将把这个经济落后、在严格军事控制下的群岛变为“亚洲的地中海”，并称完工时将建成五星级酒店、名厨掌勺的餐馆、娱乐场所、高端购物中心等等，当然也包括赌场。

Weidner has also said it plans to build a university on the island and establish a welfare fund for locals.
怀德度假村还称，该公司计划在岛上建立一所大学，并为当地人建立一个福利基金。

Voting in favor of the casino might have been an act of sheer desperation on the part of Matsu residents who feel neglected by the central government, said Anita Chen, a lobbyist for the gaming site. '[Matsu residents] see it as a tool to get the infrastructure facilities they needed but couldn't get [from the government]. Deep down, people in Matsu have doubts as to whether this will actually happen,' Ms. Chen said, noting many of her contacts in Matsu supported the initiative because they felt they had nothing to lose.
这家赌场的说客Anita Chen称，居民们投票赞成设立赌场可能是他们感到被台湾政府忽视而深感绝望之下的行动。Chen说，“[马祖居民]将其视为获得他们需要但无法[从政府]获得的基础设施的工具。从内心深处，马祖人民对于是否真能建成这些基础设施感到怀疑。”她指出，她在马祖的许多熟人都支持这项议案，因为他们认为自己反正没有什么可失去的。

Ho Jung-shin, a professor of journalism at National Taiwan University, said in an editorial published in the China Times that the estimated yearly tax revenues of NT$15.5 billion after five years is tempting and alluring, but he cautioned that those projections are based on the risky assumption that China would allowe its gamblers to come to Matsu uninterrupted for years to come.
国立台湾大学（National Taiwan University）的新闻学教授何荣幸在《中国时报》（China Times）上发表的一篇社论中称，五年后，估计年税收收入将为155亿新台币，这一数字十分诱人，但他也警告，这些预测基于一个有风险的假设，即中国大陆允许赌客未来不间断地前往马祖。