BELIZE, Thurs. Mar. 21, 2019– Boledo sellers have had to adjust to new regimes quite a few times in the past few years, especially after Brad’s Gaming Company began to privately operate the National Boledo Franchise in 2009. Now there are rumors of a brand new regime which is supposed to come into effect on April 1.
Amandala has recently received a letter from a concerned citizen who is asserting that at the start of next month, boledo sellers who still use books and pens, especially in rural areas, will no longer be able to do so. This is not especially strange, since Brad’s has been trying to automate boledo tickets for some time now.
The letter also alleges that sellers who do not reach a quota of $2,000 weekly will lose their rights to sell boledo, and that the commission sellers get will be reduced from 13% to 10%.
The writer of the letter expressed his concern, because he believes many boledo sellers will lose their livelihoods when these changes are implemented. He put forward the question of collusion between GoB and Kim Jen Chee, the owner of Brad’s. The writer suggests that after April 1, it will be mainly Chinese businesses that will be able to continue selling boledo.
We got in contact with Lewin Samuels, the secretary of the Lotteries Committee, who told us that he is unaware of any definitive changes, but he has heard similar rumors earlier this week. Samuels said that normally, a decision like that would have to be made by the Committee, since GoB still owns the lottery, and Brad’s only administers it.
Samuels said that Chee is currently out of the country, and he will check with him when he returns. Still, Samuels said that a decision like that would not be something Chee could make on his own.
Samuels confirmed to us that there are still people who sell boledo with official paper books, which are designed in a way that any amount can be written on the tickets, unlike previously when there was only a limited amount.
Since Brad’s has already been trying to automate the ticketing system, the first part of the letter does not seem farfetched.
Samuels promised that he would do some further investigation about the claims in the letter to find out if it is indeed true. He said he will follow up with Chee as well as the Ministry of Trade, which is responsible for lotteries.
Samuels said he would get back to us on this matter after he is able to get information. We will continue to follow up with him on this.