NLCB denies discrimination charges

THE NATIONAL Lotteries Control Board (NLCB) yesterday denied it discriminates in the allocation of funds for financial assistance. It made its position clear in response to allegations by Satnarayan Maharaj, Secretary-General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha. Maharaj had accused the NLCB of not fulfilling a promise it made to the Maha Sabha to make funds available for purchasing musical instruments for its schools. Maharaj cited a document from the Ministry of Finance, itemising 70 recipients of financial aid from the NLCB for a 15-month period during 2002 and 2003. He said of the 70 recipients, 68 Afro-Trinidadian Individuals and Groups received assistance. But the NLCB said that information was entirely incorrect and the document cited was incomplete. It said during the period January to March 2002, it assisted 270 different organisations and during the October-December period of the same year, it assisted 230 different organisations. “From the information provided with these two periods alone, it is clear that Maharaj’s information is flawed, and such, all deductions from such flawed information, will as a result be also grossly incorrect”, said the NLCB.

It advised Maharaj to obtain the correct information before arriving at such conclusions. The NLCB also categorically refuted any allegation that there was racial discrimination in financial assistance it gives. It said for the period January to September 2002, it assisted 59 Indian organisations and/or projects with funding representing over $100,000. “Included within this are several SDMS schools, as well as Indian Arrival Day and Phagwa celebrations hosted by the SDMS.  Therefore, having been a recipient of NLCB funding at a variety of levels, the NLCB is puzzled about allegations of discrimination”, said the NLCB. It also said that allegations by Maharaj that it does not assist people from CancadeeVillage, Felicity, Poole, Biche, Las Lomas and Chandanagore” are inaccurate and irresponsible. “The NLCB considers seriously all requests for financial assistance, regardless of where in the nation such requests originated.  If persons or organisations from particular areas do not write the NLCB for assistance, the NLCB cannot be held accountable for ignoring that particular area”, said the Lottery Board. It was stressed that the new Board, on assuming office, put in place mechanisms to have requests for donations investigated. All such requests are investigated by Marketing and Public Relations Officer of the Board, Devant Maharaj who is also an Executive Member of the Maha Sabha. The NLCB also said like most responsible corporate citizens, it sponsors a steelband — Fonclaire, a sponsorship that is very specific in nature and time.