Bermuda should get some UK lottery money

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27: Bermuda could be in line for a massive cash windfall from the UK National Lottery, the Minister for Overseas Territories Henry Bellingham said today.

Mr Bellingham said the Lottery Good Causes Fund — which raises a staggering $44 million a week — should be extended to cover Overseas Territories like Bermuda.

At present, strict laws governing the lottery forbid donations outside the UK,

But Mr Bellingham said he had been in talks with the UK’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport, which oversees charity donations from the Lottery.

He said: “I’ve made it clear to my fellow Ministers that this is something we need to sort out. It’s completely illogical that money is not available to the people of the Overseas Territories.

“It seems wrong and anomalous they don’t enjoy the benefits of the Lottery Fund.”

He added that he hoped to have the law changed to allow charities and community groups in the Overseas Territories to submit bids for Lottery funding.

Mr Bellingham said: “I can’t tell you when, but for me this is a priority.”

The UK lottery helps fund organizations all over the country, from sports groups to community-based and green initiatives.

Mr Bellingham was speaking as he announced a new UK White Paper on relations between the Overseas Territories and the UK.

He said: “This is clearly the most appropriate place for me to launch it. You have heard of our plans to reinvigorate the relationship between the UK and the Overseas Territories.

“We want to do that in a number of ways — we want to make sure the UK is doing everything it can to support the Overseas Territories.”

Mr Bellingham said that it was a decade since the last White Paper, prepared by the former UK Labour government, which led to the restoration of full UK citizenship and the right to live and work in Britain for the peoples of the Overseas Territories.

He added: “Ten years on from the last White Paper, it’s appropriate the new government in the UK should reappraise the relationship between the UK and the Overseas Territories.

“It’s equally important that the UK honours its part of the commitment and keeps its side of the bargain.”

Mr Bellingham added that Britain was committed to fighting in Bermuda’s corner as international bodies like the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development tightened up the rules governing offshore financial centres.

Debt

Mr Bellingham added that he had met Premier Paula Cox during his three-day visit, his first to the island, as well as Government Ministers and ordinary Bermudians.

He said: “The Premier and I have a very good relationship and I applaud the strong stance she has taken on public finances. Like any other country — although it’s a healthy debt situation compared to many countries – she wants to reduce the public debt and that’s going to be tough and will mean tough decisions.”