Lotteries fund gives Lm300,000 to good causes

Some Lm300,000 from the National Lotteries Good Causes Fund were distributed to about 30 organisations this year.

Colin Calleja, from the Finance Ministry, said yesterday that the fund incorporates a percentage of the tax on games and lotteries and any unclaimed prize.

Donations can be given to individuals, associations or non-governmental organisations. Funds are not usually given to cover running costs but for specific, one-time projects.

Organisations have to submit an application to the fund, based at the Finance Ministry, giving a background of the association and the estimated cost of the proposed project.

Applications are received throughout the year.

The applications are vetted by an advisory body which consults other bodies before asking the minister for approval.

Mr Calleja said organisations receiving funds were of a social, cultural, sports, educational, philanthropic or religious nature.

Band clubs receive about Lm15,000 every three months through an agreement which sees them getting a percentage of the commission on the sales from lotto booths situated within the clubs. One of the biggest donations this year was to the Infetti Nursery Ground in Birkirkara.

A big donations went to Angela House of Guardamangia yesterday to cover part of the purchase of a van and another to the YMCA to purchase tools and machinery to be used in technical courses for its residents.