Garwin Davis, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
A major confrontation between local church leaders and Caymanas Track Limited (CTL), promoters of horse racing in Jamaica, appears likely if the state-run agency gets its way in adding Sunday to the official racing calendar.
At present, Wednesday and Saturday are the two regular days that horse racing is allowed locally, in addition to some public holidays. But with the $4 billion per year racing industry, which falls under the Ministry of Finance, growing, there is an intense CTL lobby to get the Government to add Sunday as an extra race day.
In an interview last week on a local television programme, Karl Angell, CTL's executive manager, revealed that his organisation was stepping up its lobbying efforts to get a third race day, and that Sunday was being targeted.
When contacted by The Sunday Gleaner yesterday, Mr. Angell reiterated his earlier remark, and noted that Sunday was a big race day in a number of countries across the globe.
"England did not always have Sunday racing," he explained. "They tried, and it has worked out great for them. It is also a very popular racing day in the United States, as well as in other countries. It is an ideal day that we would love to have, but it is really up to the Government to decide."
Mr. Angell said that the racing industry has been growing rapidly, with the Government raking in over $200 million last year on its seven per cent returns. He added that he was not aware of any potential obstacles, noting that it was simply a legislative process.
Vincent Edwards, vice-president of the Jamaica Race Horse Trainers Association, was even more forthright. According to him, CTL operations were turning over an average of $22 million per race day, which he believes Sunday could easily surpass.
"I don't even know why there should be an argument here," Mr. Edwards said. "There are cock fights and other gambling activities already taking place on Sundays, so why not horse racing. Gambling is a part of our culture, and certainly Sunday racing would be generating money for the economy."
"...Also, it would not prevent those who want to go to church from going, as is the case on Saturdays," he added.
However, local church leaders are not amused with the proposal and are vowing to strongly oppose a Sunday race day.
"I am against gambling in any form, and on any day, but having it on a Sunday only serves to compound the problem," explained the Reverend Patrick Cunningham, from the Anglican Christ Church in Vineyard Town, Kingston. "As we have always done where gambling is concerned, the church will oppose this lobbying effort to have horse racing on a Sunday."
Pastor Richard Keane, from the Church on the Rock in Montego Bay, agreed. According to him, Jamaica should stop patterning itself after foreign nations and stick to doing what is right.
"To have Sunday racing would be like adding insult to injury," Pastor Keane declared. "It is really heart-wrenching when the Government and others who claim to be God-fearing would resort to doing something like this."
But the public, at least racing fans, appear to reject the church's position.
"I don't see anything wrong with (Sunday racing)," declared Dennis Kelley, a long-time punter from Ocho Rios. "As is the case with casino gambling, the church opposes everything that is progressive in this country."
Michael Adams, another punter from Montego Bay believes there are more important things happening in the country for the church to concern itself with, than to oppose Sunday racing.
"Who would Sunday racing be hurting?" Mr. Adams asked. "If people want it, then I believe the Government has an obligation to implement it."
Efforts by The Sunday Gleaner to contact the Ministry of Finance were unsuccessful last week. Ministry spokesperson, Cordel Braham, informed a reporter that Minister Omar Davies, was off the island, while Minister of State Errol Ennis was also unavailable.
