Valley says no lottery bobol

LEADER of Government Business, Ken Valley, yesterday dismissed allegations from Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh of a $70 million contract that will allegedly promote widespread gambling among minors throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday on amendments to the National Lotteries Act, Valley said the legislation was simple and the PNM brought similar legislation to Parliament in 1993 but the then Opposition UNC refused to support it. Valley also noted that in 1997, the then UNC Government passed the very same legislation which it refused to support in 1993 and “no one should object” to amending the Act now.

However, Singh accused Prime Minister Patrick Manning of feigning ignorance on an alleged five-year, $70 million contract signed between the National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) and British company G-Tech to initially import 500 “video lottery solution machines” and have them operational in public places in January 2004. Singh said if Manning was unaware of the contract’s existence, “Who is the NLCB accountable to? Which Minister?” he asked.

The Chief Whip wondered how Government Ministers could be accountable “when they have no knowledge of what is going on under them.” Singh declared there was an “obvious breach in corporate governance in TT and in the nexus of ministerial responsibility.” He added that ministerial responsibility was “sacred” in the Westminster system of Government. Singh claimed the NLCB’s chairman “has a history of breaching the law.” He further alleged there was provision in the alleged contract to extend it by two years.