An Irish Toast

"Never forget what is worth remembering or remember what is best forgotten"











































Sunday 18 June 2017




THE LOTTERIES GAMBLE


 IT is said that the “Best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”.  That’s exactly what happened with the Yahapalana government’s ambitious (greedy?) target to earn some quick money with a simple plan by just increasing the price of a sweep ticket by Rs. 10.- and get a neat net gain at the cost of those who buy and sell the tickets.

One can now witness almost all lottery ticket sales points with shutters down and suddenly the road side sweep ticket sellers have gone missing: a classic case of consumer resistance at its best which was what was lacking in this country so far, with everyone on the street silently bearing whatever burdens heaped on them by all governments so far.

It is really funny that with plenty of brilliant brains and financial “Osthars” in this government, that they have miserably failed so far to even present a workable and practical budget without subjecting it to so many cuts and changes since its presentation.  This sudden increase in the lowly lottery ticket came like a bolt from the blues and one can really understand the reaction of those involved in the trade as the government’s intention was to take it all without passing any benefit to those who really sweat it out to generate the income.

Besides, with this steep increase in the price of a ticket, the agents and road-side sellers would have to exert additional pressure and redouble efforts to market and sell the tickets at the increased price whilst facing obvious resistance, at least during the initial period, on the part of the buyers, as there is no chance of even an increased price money to compensate for the extra money they have to pocket out to buy a ticket.

One wonders what will finally happen to the lottery tickets already printed with the additional price being mentioned and whether there will be any draw during the first couple of weeks at all.

It would be interesting to see how this battle between David and Goliath will end.  After all, People’s Power in many other countries have resulted in great victories.

It is not for nothing that they say “Lotteries are a tax on the mathematically challenged”

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