Breaking

In a statement during the House of Assembly on Thursday September 3rd, Minister for Sports Myron Walwyn pointed out that the Ellis Thomas Downs needs upgrading and machinery for maximum operations and it will take a significant injection of cash to bring about needed improvements.

According to him the Horse-Owners Association has been doing a significant amount with assistance from the Government but this is not being done with any structured and coordinated programme in place and is not sustainable.

He said it is an industry that is being operated as a past time when it has great social and economic potential and this potential cannot be realized without deliberate action to capitalize on it.

Minister Walwyn said the scope of possibilities is wide but there needs to be proper governance and management mechanisms in place and this includes appropriate investment and regulation to ensure accountability and to safe guard the interest of all involved.

“Madame Speaker, discussing a way forward for the development of horse racing has always been a ‘ticklish’ matter which draws both negative and positive comments across various groups in the Territory,” he noted.
“In particular, the issue of gambling for example is one that many would rather not discuss and it is important for us to look closely at the situation and weigh the pros and cons.

“While many would shun the discussion, what is very clear is that we cannot continue on the present path as it is not a healthy and desirable situation. We must therefore begin a dialogue which will bring us to possible recommendations on the way forward”.

The Sports Minister said “I think we must move to a position where legislation is put in place to establish a Horse Racing Commission with responsibility to regulate and control the entire horse racing industry. This Commission will be responsible for such things as making all the rules that are necessary for the proper functioning of horse racing and the operations of the horse courses; undertake to register race horses and owners; issue licences and permits; establish training schemes for jockeys, stable lads and other personnel in the industry and hear disputes arising out of the rules of racing and so on”.

He said it makes no sense to keep side-stepping what presently takes place with horse racing in the Territory and it is a hard and frank discussion we must have.

To regulate what is happening will only augur well for the entire Territory. It will bring in funds which will go to the upkeep of the facility and allow us to improve the track and its surroundings. To have legislation, a Commission and pari-mutuel betting in place provides the opportunity for the country to get more involved in Sports Tourism and this opens up a large number of possibilities such as providing opportunities for employment he added.

The races happen every year, several times for the year. Pari-Mutuel Betting takes place in the USVI, (St. Thomas and St. Croix) and in the other islands such as Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica.

“We have arrangements with our neighbors in the USVI and many look forward to going to the races here and to travel to the USVI for those races there. We say proudly that the sport is a part of our “Culture”. Horse racing is not going to disappear”, Minister Walwyn noted.

Minister Walwyn said he has already instructed his Ministry to begin the research and to have a draft proposal and policy ready to allow them to start the dialogue.