CARLTON BROOKS, a racehorse owner who was barred by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) two years ago from entering his horses in races until he had paid an outstanding debt to his trainer, has failed in his attempt to have the sanctions lifted by the Court of Appeal.
Brooks had contended that the JRC had no jurisdiction to intervene in a private dispute. Antonio Barker, a racehorse trainer, had complained that Brooks owed him $418,000 for training his horses.
A meeting was held with the Operations Steward and it was discovered that Brooks had paid some of the money and $204,000 was outstanding. The matter was taken to the JRC which held in December 2000 that Brooks could not transfer his horses or enter them in races as long as the debt was unpaid.
Brooks took the issue to the Supreme Court seeking an order to quash the JRC's ruling. Brooks contended that the ruling was oppressive and was destroying his chances of earning a livelihood in the racing industry. He asked the court to find that the JRC had no jurisdiction to be involved in a private dispute between parties.
Justice Howard Cooke heard the motion and upheld the JRC's ruling.
Brooks appealed against the Supreme Court ruling on the ground that the judge erred when he asserted that the JRC had jurisdiction to engage in a private dispute.
