National Lotteries spends $23m in sponsorship

THE National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) spent $23, 262,521 in sponsorship last year during the covid19 pandemic.

NLCB officials disclosed this in a virtual meeting with members of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday.

After indicating the sponsorship for last year and explaining that some people ask the NLCB for advertising instead of sponsorship, company director Camille Forde said a total of $25,736,266 was spent on sponsorship in 2019, before covid19.

After comparing the two figures, PAC chairman Dave Tancoo observed, "That's curious, because I would have assumed that 2020 would have had a lot less sporting and cultural activities, etcetera."

Forde replied, "There were a lot of requests from persons asking for electronic devices for children, schools and so on.

"While there were not a lot of sports and cultural activities, we did see an increase in that kind of request."

In his capacity as Oropouche West MP, Tancoo said, "I was not aware that was an available option."

He said other MPs as well might not be aware that the NLCB offered this opportunity to help people affected by the pandemic.

Forde accepted Tancoo's suggestion that the NLCB advertise the availability of sponsorship as part of its marketing strategy. Foreign and Caricom Affairs Dr Amery Browne observed that the pandemic has resulted in mobile gaming being one option being used to conform with covid19 protocols and reduce the number of people coming physically to the NLCB's gaming terminals. He asked if the NLCB was offering mobile gaming.

In response, NLCB chairman Eustace Nancis said, "This is at the committee stage and at the Attorney General's Office."

He added the company is trying to ascertain guidelines as "to how far we can go and ensure that all the legal matters are in place."