Govt 'talking' on national lottery

As of Monday, July 30, 2018

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE "conversation" has started within government on the creation of a National Lottery, according to the deputy prime minister.

"I want to make millionaires, and we do that by taking risk and being creative. A National Lottery gives the opportunity to make millionaires overnight. Right now that power is in the hands of seven people, and they are making millions every other day," said KP Turnquest, pictured, during a Friday presentation to the Raotary Club of East Nassau.

"There is such emotive sentiment that goes with this idea of lottery and gaming that governments have been reluctant to a take firm position," he added. "I can say the conversation has started where we are looking at options to use the existing framework for the government to create its own game, utilising existing infrastructure and existing franchisors in the market. There is thinking that is going behind that subject, but it's too early to say what that would look like."

Obie Wilchcombe, former tourism minister, said in a recent interview that a National Lottery could generate $150-200m per annum.

Mr Wilchcombe, who had responsibility for gaming under the former Christie administration, argued that a National Lottery would not only be an attractive sell to Bahamians but could also capture at least a million of the five to six million annual tourists who visit The Bahamas.

He added that the revenue generated could be used to fund educational, healthcare, sports and cultural programmes.

DDK 5 years, 8 months ago

Yeah! Don't just talk, Mr. Turnquest, do it!

Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 8 months ago

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DDK 5 years, 8 months ago

I would like to say, you can't be right, but after all the garbage that has happened lately, you may be. I don't think a PPP is necessarily a BAD idea, but we would prefer a true NATIOANAL lottery, and certainly not partnering with the likes of these numbers guys.

"existing infrastructure and existing franchisors in the market" MY BAD. Maybe they will tax them out and then buy them out? LOL!

vlmarshall 5 years, 8 months ago

"I can say the conversation has started where we are looking at options to use the existing framework for the government to create its own game, utilising existing infrastructure and existing franchisors in the market. There is thinking that is going behind that subject, but it's too early to say what that would look like."

Stop reading too much into nothing @ well_mudda

This is the approach that should have been taken from the onset. It would have allowed the government to establish itself in the shortest amount of time as a viable option for a lottery. That way the government can promote it as the only true Bahamian Lottery. The only problem has been and continues to be the lack of trust that continuous governments will misappropriate money. That fault doesn't lie in the thieves, it lies in the people that refuse to press for the thieves to be prosecuted. But I would support the idea of a Bahamian lottery, as long as pars of those proceeds go directly towards reducing the overall debt and another portion is split between education and sports.

DDK 5 years, 8 months ago

and HEALTH!!!!!

Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 8 months ago

ditto

vigilantBahamian 5 years, 8 months ago

WTheck are you talking about. The government would not get value for money spent. You must be on the pay roll. This is a highly sophisticated Niche Service

vlmarshall 5 years, 8 months ago

If the proceeds are guaranteed to go towards making the Bahamas better then I'm all for it. Just as long as there policies surrounding the proposed lottery are transparent. While health is a major issue, I'm not sold that free health care is the way to go. I'm more team education than I am for team health.

vigilantBahamian 5 years, 8 months ago

How could the government ga allow the Webshops to do a national lottery. WTF how you ga allow them suckas to run a sterile national lottery. Not the peoples lottery. They are not in the business of launching different jurisdictions lottery. TELL the government WE DO NOT support the web boys doing the National lottery. The so called infrastructure are not webshops they are gas stations food stores. Do not give them the call to invest in that type of infrastructure.

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