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AN UNEMPLOYED SENEGALESE man who was rescued by the Spanish coastguard after making a risky journey from Morocco eight years ago on a packed wooden boat won €400,000 in Spain’s annual Christmas lottery, local media is reporting today.
The man, identified only by his first name Ngame, was one of the holders of one of the 1,600 tickets with the winning number – 79140 – in Tuesday’s massive draw, regional daily newspaper La Voz de Almeria reported.
The tickets had been sold in the southern beach city of Roquetas de Mar in the province of Almeria where the 35-year-old lives with his wife, who joined him on the crossing to Spain.
“I just can’t believe this, I can tell you that on some days we do not have five euros between the two of us,” he told the newspaper which published a photo of Ngame holding his winning ticket.
Ngame and his wife arrived eight years ago in the resort island of Tenerife, a part of Spain’s Canary Islands in the Atlantic off the coast of Morocco.
They were taken there after being rescued by Spain’s coast guard when the boat they were travelling in ran into trouble.
“There were 65 people on that boat. I want to give thanks to Spaniards and the Spanish government for rescuing me when I was in the sea,” he told the newspaper.
Since arriving in Spain, the couple have tried to survive on temporary farm work or as vegetable pickers in the sea of greenhouses that spread for kilometres in Almeria.
Ngame said he was recently laid off from his job in one of the greenhouses.
Spain’s annual Christmas lottery, known as “El Gordo” or “The Fat One”, is ranked as the world’s richest, handing out a total of €2.2 billion this year.
Unlike other big lotteries that generate just a few big winners, Spain’s Christmas lottery aims to share the wealth, with thousands of numbers getting a prize.
The Christmas lottery has been held uninterrupted since 1812. Even Spain’s 1936-39 civil war did not end it, as each side held its own draw during the conflict.
It has become a popular Christmas tradition in Spain, with friends, colleagues and bar regulars banding together to buy tickets.
The standard ticket costs €20 and queues form outside lottery stores weeks ahead of the draw.
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Perhaps they could hold the meeting at Stepaside Garda station, I mean it is not as if we have a problem with political interference in our policing. Can you imagine Leo castigating another states police service after he stood fully behind our Garda management, with full confidence in Noirin O Sullivan, when criminal offences and conspiracies where highlighted with scandalous regularity within our own Garda.
@Paul Fahey: There are problems in every police force Paul. That doesn’t mean the Spanish police are entitled to viscously beat voters – but hey, look the other way everyone.
Those officers should be brought before the courts.
@Danny Rafferty: * viciously
@Paul Fahey: We hardly sent cops to beat other cops and firefighters. If this were a vote for Munster to separate and Leo sent Gardai from Dublin down to do that. Its coconuts. We might live in a bit of glasshouse in light of recent scandals but nothing that compares to this.
@Danny Rafferty: please point out where I said it was acceptable for the Spanish Police to beat protesters. Perhaps you could read my post slowly and quote exactly where.
No doubt the Spanish Ambassador is quaking at the thought of being sent for. On the world stage John Halligan is huge.
@John Campbell: I’m sorry but you are a fooking idiot.
@TravellingTheWorld: thanks for the very edifying level of comment. You really add depth to any discussion.
@John Campbell: and he doesn’t identify himself. Easy then to call people names.
@John Campbell:
He is propping up the Blueshirts who have given their full backing to the brutal actions of the fascists.
Guilty by association IMO
I’d say they have enough to be worrying about than some clown simply looking for air time
@jose mosse: it’s ok he is using Leo’s script
@jose mosse: It’s not about Halligan. It’s a fair request.
@TravellingTheWorld: it would be equally fair of the ambassador to just ignore him
I think Halligan should concentrate on his CT Scan issue in Waterford. Ross got his way. Halligan still hasn’t. Yet his local council buy 60-odd new vans that weren’t required at a cost well over €1million.
Can’t see him getting re-elected.
@Father Hody Commody: what about the electoral computers. Scrapped.
Step forward all the Blueshirt trolls to belittle Mr Halligan… Even a hint of dissent needs shooting down.
Democracy in the Euro monstrosity being eroded daily. The Catalans can only vote in a way that suits European fascists , FG style .
@Willy Malone: that’s called mob mentality – keep an eye out for it. Usually only visible when you don’t agree with the narrative
@Willy Malone: The end of days for the EU. The request for the brutality on its citizens came straight from the nazis in EU headquarters
@Willy Malone: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar made clear his disapproval of the Spanish police behaviour on Sunday. We don’t need John Halligan throwing in his tuppence worth just to gain attention for himself. I wear white shirts myself. Don’t like blue or green ones.
@TravellingTheWorld: of course it did…
@Ciaran Whyte: I am not sure the orders came from the EU, highly unlikely, but have a listen to the pathetic response and their full support and confidence in Rajoy. Perhaps those words sound a tad familiar, because they very much sound like the script regurgitated so frequently by FG ministers about our own Garda, despite the glaringly obvious criminal behavior. Spain and the EU have made a big error here and they have given Catalonia independence an immeasurable boost.
@Paul Fahey: indeed but that point is entirely different to one saying the order of brutality comes directly from the EU. One point (yours) is based in fact, the other is simply moronic
@TravellingTheWorld: would you like to back that ridiculous claim up???
@Willy Malone: emmmm….no, not exactly. They can vote in the way that is set out in Spanish law in the constitution that they themselves voted to enact after the transition to democracy. They have to convince a majority (75% I think) of the elected representatives to agree to allow a referendum to take place. This is difficult because not only are a majority of Catalans not in favor of independence, neither are a majority of the political parties in Spain. Who is in favor is a minority pro independence govt propped up by CUP ( anti establishment party) who are driving the agenda…..pesky facts getting in the way of a good old anti-EU rant….sorry about that…..
We should mind our own business is what we should do and concentrate on dealing with our own major issues here in Ireland.
@Martin: No. It’s a question of doing whats right, we may or may not agree with Catalonian independence, but beating the crap out your own people is unacceptable. We would have liked if other countries stood up and said the same when our police force did this to the Shell protestors in Mayo so why should we shirk our responsibilities now?
@Jed I. Knight: Whats your position on the 431 injured police?
@Sean McManamon: it looked like some set up to me, was watching the news last night and seen one of the protesters fixing his hair when he realised he was on camera….
@Jed I. Knight: crumbs
Perhaps they should call in the Irish government & sort out the homeless families first with over 3000 children with no home. That’s an issue too close to the bone for Irish government.
Ireland’s left must be among the most opportunistic anywhere.
The only (traditionally tax and spend) far left that believes in cutting taxes, as with water charges.
The only member of the traditionally internationalist left that supports nationalist sucession.
Incidentally, succession by a rich part of Spain that would ultimately effect redistribution of resources to the poorer parts like Extremadura. (Not very left wing that).
They therefore support both cultural and economic exceptionalism. (Not very left wing).
Is there no bandwagon they won’t jump onto for some cheap publicity?
Don’t get me started with the flags on Dublin city hall.
Never any chance of them getting pulled up about these ahem! (Contradictions) by the supine Irish media.
@Deano Cracow: completely right. We are pathetic sometimes.
I support the right of self determination of the Catalan people but I don’t think that Ireland has anything useful to contribute to the resolution of this very difficult situation. It would be wise not to add to the destabilisation situation.
How about you call Leo about that cath lab you promised for Waterford John? You know, because of all the people dying and that…
When he has looked after the needed of the people who elected him then he can worry about the people of Spain. That could be a long time because he’s as useless as t%ts on a bull.
Pity he didn’t do the same when ordinary Irish people were being beaten outside their own homes when they dared to protest at their water being made ready to be privatised.
Who cares what Irish people think. We don’t have a clue about all of the details. The violence was wrong absolutely. But the catalan government are absolute cowboys and have been for a long time,robbing their own people. Irish people see the police videos and the response is “free catalonia”. If you don’t understand something fully you shouldn’t comment on it.
@Eoin de Barra: By far the most sensible and accurate comment on TheJournal about this so far.
There’s a bandwagon. Jump on it. Guardia were out of order. Halligan is still an opportunist.
Keep you snot out other countrys politics, and look after your own,
more nonsense….seems he knows as little about Spain and Catalunya as he does about his own constituency…
Frances Fitzgerald is ling over due a talking to.
He seems to forget the police violence in jobstown
Expel Spain from the EU and keep Catalonia. Decent EU citizens dont want to be associated with a police state that treats EU citizens like this.
I think Spain should give the catalanes their independence without any assistance or handout set up a border and see how many really want independent. ..
Those police were the best thing to happen for Catalonia, to justify their reasons for leaving.
I thought the liver was the only organ that could renew itself ?,Halligan lost his backbone when he went in to support the blueshirts ,unless he got a transplant of a backbone ?
Spanish cops beating democracy into its people.
Halligan the traitor lol
Whether the vote was legal or not, and whether or not Halligan is using the occasion for self-promotion, the Spanish police behaved in an outrageous fashion and those guilty of assaulting any peaceful voter or protester should be punished. The police could be justified in using heavy handed tactics where they are physically threatened or where they are defending others from a risk of attack but on most of the available evidence the police themselves were the aggressors and the instigators of the violence in this instance. This reeks of fascism.
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