NO FRAUD!

Manager: I would not be a part of any plan to defraud anyone

Manager of the National Lotteries Authority Macgregor Sealy has extended an open invitation, to any member of the public who believes that there are irregularities in the Three D, Lotto and Super Six draws.{{more}}

Sealy, responding to a question raised at the handing over of a cheque valued at EC$80,000 for the funding of the Nine Morning festivities, said that it was beyond him that after 23 years, there are people who still see the lottery operations as fraudulent.

“Anyone who wants to come and see for themselves, let them come,” he said. “We have nothing to hide. As manager, I have the integrity of the NLA to protect. I would not be a part of any plan to defraud anyone.”

Sealy backed up the statements of Product Development Manager Anthony Dennie, who earlier in the day emphasised that the NLA does not dictate how the results of the draws come.

He stated that all draws are audited by auditing firm KPMG, which is present at every single draw.

“They (KPMG) weigh the balls. They decide which balls are being used, and there are test runs conducted to make sure everything is in order. There is no tampering whatsoever.”

Sealy laughed as he recounted how many times over the years the question of fraud has been raised.

He said that if there was any type of illegal activity going on in the draws, it would have to be a collaborated effort among the NLA, KPMG, SVG TV and the presenter.

“With so many people involved, someone must have come forward by now,” he joked.

The NLA is also affiliated to Canadian Bank Notes Incorporated, a Canadian based company which is involved in lottery systems, and assists the NLA in its operations.

“The NLA is a growing organization, and this is because the public believes in it. If it were not so, they would not be playing our games, and in the process enabling us to contribute to sports and culture the way we do.”

The draws for the Three D and Lotto are recorded at SVG TV ten minutes before they are aired, while the Super Six draws are recorded and sent from St. Lucia.

What started out on Upper Bay Street in 1984 with just under five employees, now has 45 staff members, over 130 agents, a new headquarters building in Paul’s Avenue and over EC $36 million in sales in the last fiscal year.