Forced to bare all on TV

The lakhs of various Lottery Board sweep ticket buyers, many who do so quite regularly, must be watching the lottery draws telecast live over the TV right throughout the week between 9-9.30 p.m., including on Poya days, on Rupavahini and ITN.

The winners of such lottery draws make their appearance before the panel of judges or observers individually or with their family members to receive their prizes by cheque.

The people conducting the draws ask various personal questions, including family details such as (Powlay Thoratharu), the number of children in the family, husband’s occupation, what they intend doing with such a large amount of money etc.

In the event a lady sweep winner, who has no children, makes her appearance and is questioned about the children in her family, she would definitely be placed in an embarrassing position in the presence of so many TV viewers.

As a retired Chief Inspector of Police looking at it from a security point of view, I personally feel that it is a serious matter to question the winners in this manner as they are thus exposed to possible criminal elements who may get ideas of perhaps visiting their houses and extorting large sums of money.

The party concerned will not dare step into a Police Station and make a complaint against them. I am not for a moment trying to dictate terms to the officials of the Lottery Board, but I wish to make a suggestion to call the prize winners to collect their prizes (cheques) privately after producing proof of their identity.

For both the sweep winner and for smooth functioning of the respective Lotteries Boards I make these comments in the interest of the security of the prospective sweep winner, in the context of today’s security situation.

By Al-Haj, M.S.A. Rahim, Retd. Chief Inspector of Police