Horsemen reject new JRC conditions
Police records for trainers to operate at the Caymanas Park Racing Complex in St Catherine faces strong condemnation from horsemen at Cayamas Park on Thursday.
Criteria that bound racehorse owners, trainers, grooms, jockeys, exercise riders, and blacksmiths, among other occupational employees, to procure a valid police record among other incidentals to operate officially at Caymanas Park February 1, 2013, raised the wrath of trainers, grooms, jockeys and other occupational groups who currently ply their trade at the Racing Complex.
The Jamaica Racing Commission, in a release, asked for three conditions to be met by the horsemen before any lawful activity can be conducted at the track: It states: (1) Each applicant must submit a valid police record along with their application. (2) Each trainer must present an up-to-date wage book to the Welfare Officer for inspection and approval accompanied by proof of payment of statutory deductions for all licensed employees.
In addition, trainers must provide proof of the tax returns for the year 2011, or the year last licensed prior to the year 2012. (3) All new grooms and exercise riders who have not held an occupational licence in any of the occupational groups other than that of stable assistant must have been licensed as a stable assistant for at least one year prior to applying for such groom’s or exercise rider’s licence.
However, at Thursday’s meeting held at the Trainers’ Room, the police element of the conditions was vociferously rejected by the various groups and a letter was being prepared to be forwarded to the JRC from heads of the various groups that will outline their gross disaffection with the new ruling.
The discussion on the subject was led by the JRTA’s president Vincent Edwards on behalf of both racehorse trainers’ groups and the other groups. Following open talks between member heads, the groups then decided not to accept the new measures with Edwards telling the gathering: “We are not prepared to accept no new regulations in regards to police record to get my trainer’s licence.”
