In a bid to boost the image of the Lotteries Board, Minister of Economic Reforms Milinda Moragoda has launched a programme to identify the Board with certain causes such as preservation of places of historical importance, anti-drug programmes and child protection projects.

The Minister told the Daily Mirror that using lottery money for these purposes is a common feature in European countries and that in England the National Museum is funded by lottery money.

Adopting a similar approach the Lotteries Board hopes to fund the renovation and maintenance of the old Dutch Museum, in collaboration with the Dutch embassy, and other programmes such as renovating and preserving monuments, he said.

So far lottery money had largely been used for the board’s own promotional work and for propaganda work of the government during the PA regime.

Minister Moragoda said the Prime Minister has emphasized that there should be a ceiling on expenditure for promotional work funded by the Board.