Here in Barbados, it appears Government did not act on a cellular tax nor a Lottery winnings deduction… No big shock, since if such policies were actually enforced, imagine how easy it would be to hand over the regime on a silver platter to whoever’s the Opposition?

Over in Belize however, the Dean Barrow administration seems to be playing hardball with their gambling entities as of yesterday afternoon, just after a “whopping” jackpot of $90,000 Bz was won over the weekend… According to over there;-

“…government hasn’t renewed the license for – the company that operates the Lotto. So no Lotto tickets were sold today and there will be no drawing tonight. There will also be no BEL-3 tonight and likely none tomorrow. A Lotto representative told us that they are working with government to renew the license and she was optimistic that it would be worked out. But until it is – there will be no Lotto drawing…”

In Belize however, lotteries in terms of victory and what happens is very different from here – in Belmopan you have to pose with a costumed mascot for one thing as you can see to the right (click on photo if you wish bigger). Over there, they also have no hesitation in laying a tax on Lottery pay-out’s, Paula Vasquez started with $90K in Belizean currency but when all was said and done she only took home $76,500 Bz. She spoke with ;-

Keith Swift,
“When did you find out you had won?”

Paula Vasquez,
“Sunday morning, a call from my mother. She asked me if I got the numbers, I said no and I called the hotline. They said it was a single winner and I said wow when I checked my ticket I went like wow and it was real exciting. I informed close family and friends.”

,
“Why did you wait until to come and claim it?”

Paula Vasquez,
“Well I still have to get it validated, to put it in my head that I won it and I just wanted to make sure. It is still a wow moment, I am still overwhelmed by the win.”

She deposited the cash once validated and plans to clear bills and give her mother a special holiday.