Lotto agents want audit of NLCB

The TT Lotto Agents Association (TTLAA) said it was fed up of ill treatment by the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) and called on Finance Minister Colm Imbert to audit the state agency at a press conference on Tuesday.

TTLAA president Allen Campbell said several issues were raised in August with NLCB chairman Eustace Nancis, in which promises were made to appease the concerns of the agents but, to date, nothing is being done.

He said the major issues were the win tax payment that agents must pay, discrepancies with the weekly settlements documents, and suppressing of machines.

He said, “The weekly settlement figures are not compatible with what the agents’ personal records and the NLCB said some agents are owing win tax but failure by the company to produce the accurate and relevant documents has caused some agents machines to be suppressed.”

He said the NLCB had not given them an opportunity to challenge the issue and make the necessary adjustments where necessary as agreed on with Nancis.

Campbell called on the Imbert to intervene and ensure that a financial audit was conducted.

Speaking with Newsday yesterday, TTLAA director Dean Persad accused the NLCB of deliberately withholding contracts signed by the agents.

“We signed the contracts years now and the documents are not available to us. We were not allowed to take the contracts with us to sign and return. We had to sign it there and this is unfair.”

He added that the TTLAA was contemplating a nationwide shutdown because lotto agents believed the NLCB was taking advantage of them.

Campbell outlined other concerns including the issue of safe night deposits, an increase of the weekly fee from $8 to $100, outstanding contracts, annual financial statements, illegal setting up of lotto machines, machines that are in close proximity to each other and a stifled commission of eight per cent.

He added the matter of illegal operations were raised on several occasions with the NLCB and with the Commissioner of Police.

Contacted for comment, Nancis said the NLCB was making every effort to address the concerns raised and more would be revealed in a press release today.

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