The Guyana Lottery Company (GLC) last year grossed its lowest annual sales since it began operations here, recording a 29% decrease against the previous year.

Sales went down to $1.15 billion in 2001 compared with $1.6 billion in 2000, but the company plans to re-launch lottery in Guyana in a big way this year, with modifications to existing games to renew interest in the games of chance.

General Manager of the GLC, Tracey Lewis, and Finance Comptroller, Mohamed Khan, both said that the downturn was the result of multiple factors such as the economic situation in Guyana, the results of political unrest and perhaps the novelty of lottery in Guyana waning. The company grosses 60 per cent of its sales in the city with Berbice accounting for an average 15 per cent, Essequibo, Linden and West Coast Demerara accounting for about five per cent each and the East Bank and East Coast Demerara the remaining ten per cent.

"Last year was a disappointment for us. It was slow and it took a long time to regain. There was a long period when agents were just afraid to open up for business," Lewis told Stabroek News yesterday, alluding to the aftermath of general elections in March.

But she said that this was not the only reason for sales to be low and conceded that some interest might have been lost, while disposable income, in face of increasing cost of living, shrunk for what she dubbed a "luxury expenditure" in lottery.

A good indicator of the company's sales performance last year was the jackpot prize, the highest for the year being $27 million and paid out on March 1, 2001. This compares with $102 million the previous year. Lewis said the increase in the pot was very slow, by one million each roll. The volume of sales determines the size of the jackpot.

With the exception of the 3D cash game, sales decreased for every game. The 3D game secured $26.7 million in 2001, almost $2 million more than 2000.

Ticket sales for instant scratch were $270 million compared with $326 million in 2000 and lotto sales were $461 million against $915 million the year before.

Daily millions, introduced in June 2000, brought in $397 million, just over the six-month sales figure of $368 million in 2000.

The company's operation was subsidised by its parent company, Canadian Bank Note to the tune of its entire 12% share of gross revenues or $138 million last year, Khan indicated. Forty-eight per cent of the sales goes to fund prizes, while the government gets 24 per cent and six per cent finances the GLC's operations. The remainder finances agents' fees.

Khan said CBN's subsidy to the GLC operation last year was the greatest and a plan was being worked on now to allow for a reinvestment into the operation to allow the company to recreate its image in the minds of Guyanese and enhance its bottom line. There is to be a massive promotion "to make our presence felt," Khan said.

Lewis said there would be fundamental changes in the products being offered to make these attractive to customers.

"We as an organisation need to add something to our products to stimulate players' interests...there are many things we can do to spike up the game," Lewis asserted.

Lewis said that the business since the Christmas season had begun to show signs of picking up again with the jackpot closing to $33 million at present. She said she expected this trend to continue and with the adjustments to the products to see a better year of operation.