Samuda THE LOCAL racing industry needs an injection of about $300 to $500 million to get back on track.
The question is, who will provide the funds? The Government and members of the Opposition have differing solutions.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Errol Ennis, says the money will have to come from either the public or the private sector, and suggests that the Government may have to play a smaller role in the industry in the future.
Horse breeder and Opposition Spokesman on Industry and Commerce, Karl Samuda, thinks the industry, like other businesses, should have access to the Govern-ment's approximately $1 billion retooling and investment loan offer.
Horseracing, he noted makes an important contribution to the national budget, as well as to employment and production.
Mr. Samuda, whose resolution calling for a task force into the industry triggered the debate, said there was no reason why the Government could not inject the necessary funds.
He said that there is no doubt that there had been an attempt to upgrade the plant, which he fully endorsed and acknowledged. However, it is clear that the industry does not enjoy the support it should from Government MPs, he said.
Mr. Samuda's resolution was motivated by the cancellation of a race meeting at Cay-manas Park on April 15, resulting from the conflict between the board of Caymanas Track Lim-ited (CTL) and race horse owners, trainers and jockeys. He said that despite the best efforts since then, the threat of further cancellations still existed and, as long as that was the case, the problem was not solved.
Despite numerous consultations, the Ministry had not come to the House with anything new although he was hoping that the Minister would have announced a plan of action with a time frame.
Derrick Smith, Leader of Opposition Business in the House and a horse owner, said the motion was of "extra-ordinary" importance in terms of the industry's contribution to the economy.
He said that conditions in some areas of the track, including the stable area, were "disgraceful." He sympathised with the trainers, but discouraged them from concentrating on individuals, because personalities had already led to a split in their association.
He noted that the last yearling sale was not a success and suggested that the Government look at importation to improve the lines of bloodstock owned by local breeders.
He said that while it was a difficult decision for Government to decide on spending on improving racing stocks, there would be long-term benefits to the country.
Responding, Mr. Ennis admitted to problems in bloodstock and facilities such as the Jockey's Room as well as the cancellation of race meetings.
"If such suspension occur with any frequency, it is clear that they will damage the industry and the Government has therefore moved strongly to reduce the possibility that anything of the kind will recur," he said.
He said that despite the problems, Government's revenue from the industry was already at higher levels than last year after only two quarters of 2000/2001.
At the same time, however, he said that the Government had not ignored the need for funds to be channelled from bookmakers into the industry. For the first two quarters of this financial year, $84 million had already been pumped into the industry.
He said that over the last two financial years the real value of the transfer from bookmakers to the industry rose by 3.4 per cent.
"I believe that with a feasible and appropriately comprehensive development plan, the racing industry could be much more secure and much more lucrative for many of its participants, actual and potential owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms, officials, the Government and therefore much more valuable to Jamaica than it is at present," he said.
He said that he believed that a plan could, and should, be rapidly put together, approved and implemented.
The Government has provided for a substantial proportion of its levies from the industry to go towards purses to ensure the continuation of the industry. The Government also recognise the clamour for more assistance and had the whole issue under serious consideration and will come to the right decision in the interest of the industry as a whole.
