Covid19 not at Lotto outlets?

THE EDITOR: Can someone in authority responsible for formulating the regulations of Public Health Ordinance 12 please enlighten the population as to the logic and rationale behind the closure of bookstores but deeming National Lottery online games as essential.

Please don’t get me wrong, I too enjoy a regular flutter on Play Whe and Lotto and I can't recall the last time I read a book much less browse through a bookstore to purchase one. There are relatively few bookstores in the country compared with, I guess, hundreds of online outlets. So where holds the higher probability of any potential spread?

My concern is what was the reasoning behind this far-reaching decision because I can't recall noticing people crowding, congregating or closely conversing as they leaf through a book, but I know of regulars who frequent and flock to the online games outlets to read the Play Whe charts for “winning” numbers.

We need to inquire if the Government's decision to maintain the online games was purely for income generation and so is willing to accept any possible virus spread as collateral damage.

Instead of his usual pontification, the Minister of Health needs to be honest and even-handed with the population about the motives behind the new regulations. Gaining the total trust of people will go a long way towards finally beating the covid19 virus.

S RAMPERSAD

San Fernando