Horse Owners, trainers say they should be included in meeting

Dec 20, 2012 Sports

– Situation should be looked at holistically

By Samuel Whyte

As the issues continue over racing dates between the Rising Sun Turf Club of Arima Park West Berbice and the Port Mourant Turf Club of Corentyne, the government through the Director of Sports Neil Kumar has decided to intervene in the current impasse in an attempt to resolve the issues that is plaguing the sport at this moment. With both sides sticking to their guns and staying with their December 30 date, a meeting has been quickly called by the Government between the two parties and Chairman of the IMC, former Chancellor Justice Cecil Kennard, to sort things out as all efforts are being made to find a solution and save the game from degenerating into chaos.
Both clubs have organised multimillion dollars nine-race events for the 30th of December. A mere three days after the Kennard Memorial Turf Club Multimillion dollar Boxing Day meet on the 26th of December. With the clash of date, Horses owners and trainers are stating that they will not be participating in either of the two events if the situation remains the same.
The situation is that the RSTC is the usual venue to the end of season meet either on Old years or New Year’s Day or the Sunday closest, while PMTC will usually have a date on the first or Second Sunday of December. Both clubs are blaming each other for the present state of affairs with president of the IMC former Chancellor Justice Cecil Kennard stating that the clubs do not want to adhere to simple instructions. He along with Senior Council Marcel Crawford had blamed the lack of legislation and the sloth of the government in implementing the necessary legislation for the current scenario.
Spokesman Colin Elcock says that they are also sticking to their guns and hope that an amicable solution would be reached. He blamed the entire fault on “lil boy” attitude on the part of the horse racing fraternity. He stated that, “…we are big men and I cannot see why big men cannot sit down and work things out. We had meetings and dates since the start of the year, while some are traditional dates, so why the foolishness.” He understands the IMC cannot do much in terms of enforcement, because of a lack of legislation for which he blames the government for, but stated that people must act like big men.
Elcock stated that horse owners are blaming both clubs and to a lesser extent the IMC for the squabble which seems to be overtaking sports in Guyana. The eminent racehorse owner took a broadside on the principle of the PMTC for allowing the club to be used and raped of its benefits. “If the executives and the principals of the facility cannot perform and protect their assets, then they should leave and allow others who would look into the interest of all the people that should benefit to take over.”
Delving into some history he stated that the PMTC is not a private club and is the only public Race Track in Guyana. He stated that the village of Port Mourant has a lot of history and the Port Mourant race track was given to the people of Port Mourant by the colonial rulers with the government as the guardian for them to benefit and not to a few friends and their cronies to reap havoc. He said that the facility is being raped and is urging the government to get on board before the situation gets worst. “How can a government allow something like this to happen to its assets?” he asked.
Elcock had asserted that horse owners had agreed that they will not be taking part in any meet once the controversy continued. He had said that, “We will not be taking part in any meet if the situation is not sorted. If the two races will be held on the same day we will not be participating. The tracks will have to get their houses in order. We as horse owners are saying that we will not take part. We will not be drawn into this madness. They have until this weekend to decide on the way forward. I will stop training and exercising my horses by then, if nothing is worked out. I have already spoken to a number of owners who have expressed similar sentiments.”
Most in the horse racing fraternity has noted that the absence of the relevant legislation by government is the main cause for the current situation. Senior Council and eminent Horse racing personality Marcel Crawford had drafted and handed a draft legislation to Minister of Sports more than a decade ago.