Health authorities face double-headed coin with lottery return

The restoration of the National Charity Lottery (LNB) is not seen as an urgent need except by those who sell the tickets, and various groups that have received donations from the organization.

In fact says  Pedro Meilán Pedro Meilán, former head of the Consumer Protection Authority (ACODECO) many low-income purchasers have saved from $20- $30 dollars a month by the shutdown. 

They have also been spared the actions of predatory sellers who illegally sell tickets “married” to numbers the buyer doesn’t want or add a cash surcharge to selected numbers.

According to Meilán, the time has come to change the system to protect consumers and points out that if it had been virtual it would have continued through the last five months. Whether the administrators are prepared for the tsunami of protests from sellers is another matter.

Meanwhile, if the draw is to go ahead. The LNB will have to convince health authorities that  processes are in place to stop the spread of COVID-19 with the inevitable agglomeration of frenzied buyers  lining up for their twice-weekly fix