Howard Hamilton - Horse Sense Last week we looked at the development of the West Indies Thoroughbred Racing Association within the context of the CARICOM Single Market Economy and the need to intensify the vigour with which we have been pursuing the integration process of the racing industries of the Caribbean territories. We conclude this week with some of the decisions taken at the eighth annual general meeting held in Trinidad in October.
SOME OF the important decisions taken at the annual general meeting held on October 23rd included the following:
i) The annual fees will move from US$5,000 to US$10,000 with effect from year 2004.
ii) WITRA will be responsible for promoting the WITRA Classic race day.
iii) WITRA will pay all costs relative to the transport of horses for the race day.
iv) WITRA will secure sponsorship and ensure purses for a minimum of five races with the WITRA Classic having a minimum purse of US$100,000.
v) All purses to be supplemented by subscription from the nomination fees applicable to that year.
vi) The WITRA Classic will be changed from a three year old race to a four year old race to be run in the first quarter of each year.
The change to a four (4) year old classic is the most far reaching decision and was taken against the background of each territory having quite a number of three year old races including their classic series and other well supported and highly sponsored races.
It was felt that it would be asking too much of the three year olds to support another top level race. On the other hand, there were no top class races restricted to four year olds and it was felt that this change would be well supported. This decision will have to be ratified by the contributing owners but it is hoped that there will be full agreement.
Transportation has been the major deterrent to full integration of territorial racing.
While Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados have regular exchanges Jamaica has not benefited on a structured basis from these exchanges. Both the Barbados Turf Club and the Trinidad & Tobago Racing Authority along with the Arima Race Club have recognized the importance of these exchanges and have facilitated the funding of transport costs.
Unfortunately, neither our promoting company Caymanas Track Limited or the Jamaica Racing Commission have attached the same level of importance to the integration of racing in the CARICOM region.
It is with this in mind that WITRA has decided to take on the responsibility of funding the transportation of horses to the WITRA Classic.
It is worth noting that the annual fees to WITRA for Barbados are paid by the Barbados Turf Club and for Trinidad and Tobago by the Trinidad & Tobago Racing Authority.
In Jamaica we have to scrounge around getting contributions from The Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association, The Jamaica Owners Association, The Jamaica Racing Commission and the promoters Caymanas Track Limited and in most years the payment for Jamaica is late.
EMBARRASSING AND SHAMEFUL
How embarrassing and shameful this is when one notes that the racing industry in Jamaica turns over in revenue some ten times more than Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados combined. It will be interesting to see how Jamaica is going to cope with the increased annual fees of US$10,000.
It is time that our racing commission get their act together and stop being beggars when it comes to the financing of the important role which they have to play in the regulating of the racing industry.
May I suggest that they take a look at how the Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission finances its operations. The Lottery Companies pay an annual fee of J$5 million for each game licensed e.g. the Jamaica Lottery Company has three games for which they pay an annual fee of J$5 million each in addition they also pay an annual 'administration fee' of 1 per cent of gross sales.
Why not adapt this method of financing the Jamaica Racing Commission. Caymanas Track Limited, their sole licensee, with a turnover in excess of J$2 billion should pay an annual license fee of J$10 million plus an 'administration fee of 1 per cent of gross turnover. In addition to this all revenue from the operations of the bookmaking activity should accrue to the Jamaica Racing Commission, not the Betting, Gaming & Lotteries Commission.
It is interesting to note that all the government taxes from the racing industry in Trinidad & Tobago is paid over to the Betting Levy Board - not the Consolidation Fund of the Ministry of Finance. The Betting Levy Board proportions this income over the various Racing interest groups. What an enlightened way of dealing with the racing industry!!
Howard Hamilton C.D., J.P., is a former Chairman of Caymanas Track Limited and is the current President of Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association of Jamaica. He can be contacted at howham@cwjamaica.com.
