By V. Lloyd Simpson, ContributorWITH THE exception of sponsorship which has now attracted the attention of the Jamaica Racehorse Trainer's Association (JRTA), as well as peace and goodwill between the promoting company and the trainers, all the remaining indicators of the quality of the country's horse racing sport and industry are still on 'red alert'.
The problems which have generated this sad state of affairs are abundant. They encompass a list which is unbelievable if one takes the high number involved into account.
Financial support needed by the promoting company (CTL) to operate the product with even a minimal margin to spare, is woefully inadequate at the present time to meet capital expenditure and recurrent outgoing.
The political directorate, despite tonnes of requests and pleas from the media and other observers, simply refuse to reduce the taxation burden which it has imposed on the operating company.
The proposed divestment of horse racing by way of lease or partnerships between the public and private sectors is critical to the mix of tribulations as a possible solution to the dwindling financial wherewithal. But for some reason known only to State Minister, Fitz Jackson, the proposal seems to have been relegated to the back burners since there has not been even the courtesy of a progress report to date, though months upon months have passed since the introduction of the proposal. What is even more of a riddle is why there has been this grand silence and lack of transparency.
The sport and industry are in dire need of the diversification needed to generate customer - appeal, or, to put it another way, to enlarge the population of turfites and hence the betting dollar to be shared among competing interests.
LIBERAL OPENING HOURS
More liberal opening hours should be made available to bookmaking enterprises. Why can't the chairman of the CTL board, leadership of the Jamaica Bookmakers Association and the trainers see the clear wisdom of granting the request for the concession which is being articulated by the hierarchy of the United Bookmakers Association?
The concession would be a highly effective strategy to shoot down the intrusion of illicit bookmaking and would go a far way in lessening the everlasting acrimonious dialogue between the bookmakers and management at CTL.
No business enterprise can feel self-assured when it has to be making do with the 'ad hoc' arrangement that exists at CTL. If Christopher Armond, a front-runner for the job, falls short on grounds of University qualification, is favoured by the JRTA and is a first choice on grounds of technical competence, why can't he be accommodated at the level of a consultant at least? But for the product to be carrying on with such a lack of permanent acknowledgement, it is asking too much of the present acting CEO.
I could go on and on about the problems which are in need of solutions in a hurry, but there is no need for that approach to the matter of getting the bureaucrats to act quickly to reverse the stampede to the possible collapse of the sport and industry.
