Govt moves to stop students from gambling

Addressing the launch of the National Lotteries Control Board’s (NLCB) online logo and advertising campaign at the Hilton Trinidad on Tuesday night, Enill noted that the NLCB had made significant contributions over the years to the Consolidated Fund. He observed that in 2001, that contribution exceeded $741 million and had increased to $971 million and this has contributed "to much needed services (health care, education, security, social services etc) to our citizens."

Notwithstanding these impressive and growing financial contributions from NLCB to national development, Enill revealed there was a darker side to the gaming industry in Trinidad and Tobago which threatened Government’s efforts "to bring about a society which is richer in every manifestation."

He explained that because public concerns were expressed about the manner in which the industry was expanding, Cabinet appointed a committee in March 2004 to address those concerns. Among other things, the committee was mandated to evaluate the socio-economic impact of the industry on TT and optimise its contributions to the economy.

Enill said arising out of a report which the committee submitted to Cabinet in February, Government directed the NLCB and other related agencies to scrap plans to introduce lottery terminal centres in Port-of-Spain and San Fernando.

He also disclosed that one of the main reasons behind this decision was concerns raised by Education Minister Hazel Manning about "the way the industry was going and the participation by schoolchildren (in gambling activities)." Enill gave the assurance that Government has "put a mechanism in place to attempt to deal with that."

"While the revenue that the NLCB remits to the Government is substantial, the social health of our citizens must be of concern to our Government," the minister declared.

NLCB chairman Louis Lee Sing said the profits from lotteries in other nations are specifically designated for certain things and proposed to Enill that Government consider channelling all of the NLCB’s profits into "the new and growing University of TT." Lee Sing recalled that NLCB was formed at a time when TT "needed every source of revenue available to it." However with TT’s energy sector now "firing on all cylinders," this scenario is changing.

He said NLCB is often asked where its profits go, and the company’s answer of the Consolidated Fund never seems to satisfy certain people — particularly the Opposition UNC.

Lee Sing added that playing the NLCB’s various games was a form of entertainment tax and people had a desire to contribute to something which they could see redounds to the national good.