National Lotteries Authority projects $20m. drop in sales due to volcanic eruptions

THE FALLOUT FROM the eruption of La Soufriere volcano has disrupted the business of the National Lotteries Authority (NLA), and may reduce sales in 2021 by millions of dollars.

General Manager of the NLA McGregor Sealey, who last week Wednesday handed over EC$330,000 to the latest NLA jackpot winner Martina Mavis Lee, said that they had projected just over EC$100 million in sales if the trend had continued this year, but the volcanic eruption has slowed that down.

He said since the eruption on April 9, there are some agents in the lucrative areas who are still out of commission, and that means the NLA would not reach the EC$100 million mark.

The new projection is around EC$80 million, “short [by] around $18 to $20 million” and Sealey said the NLA was grateful to customers for continuing to play their games. The NLA made approximately EC$80 million in 2020 and Sealey said they may surpass that by about EC$2 million.

“But we are not going to attain the figure of EC$100 million, but nevertheless I want to thank those people out there, the customers and all our loyal supporters who are still rallying around with the national lottery and have been supporting our games on a daily basis,” Sealey said.

The GM also thanked the board of the NLA of Grenada, headed by Debbon Charles, for supporting persons affected by the eruption by sending household goods, foodstuff and water, among other items.

Sealey said these things were distributed to staff in the red zone and members of the public. He also expressed gratitude to Simon Wall of Canadian Bank Note (CBN) who used his private yacht to transport the goods.