Ainsley Walters, Gleaner Writer

MINISTER DON Wehby yesterday said the Jamaica Racehorse Trainers' Association (JRTA) and other heads of horse racing associations, which reportedly issued a "five-day ultimatum" on Tuesday for him to respond to their demands, should let good sense prevail and resume dialogue.

Wehby was responding to a story in yesterday's Gleaner, in which "disenchanted groups", including trainers, owners, breeders, grooms, farriers, the jockey guild and the off-track betting association, moved no-confidence votes against the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) and Caymanas Track Limited (CTL).

Emergency meeting

The groups met at Caymanas Park, on Tuesday, at an "emergency" meeting called by the JRTA, at which they also called for the sacking of Pat Rousseau as CTL chairman after they failed to budge him on a $40-million purse increase offer.

Wehby, whose responsibilities as minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance include the horse racing industry, derided the associations' decision to run to the media while discussions were still under way among affected parties.

"In Jamaica, traditionally, we have a way of sorting our issues by running to the media. I believe if we have differences, we should have dialogue toresolve those differences," said Wehby, who dismissed the associations' claims that the first time they were aware of impending fee increases by the JRC was through the November 19 edition of the Track and Pools racing magazine.

"I am satisfied with what I have been told by the chairman of the JRC, that the heads of associations were notified of the increases from November 1, and I expected they would have sought discussions with the JRC," he pointed out.

As for the issue of a purse increase, Wehby said he had written to trainers' association president Vincent Edwards on November 21, accepting the recommendation that a committee be formed "to work together to present a united case for racing to ensure better distribution of the money earned from racing through taxation".

Recommendation

However, Wehby said he recommended, in his letter, that "the ministry of finance and the public service should nominate an independent chairman and a technical tax expert to the committee".

"I said I wanted an independent chairman to see how we could improve purses because taxation is a complex issue in Jamaica. I still haven't heard from them," said Wehby, who, in his letter to Edwards, requested that the committee submit a report to him by December 12.

Wehby, who is an owner and breeder of racehorses, further stated: "I don't like to sort issues in public but when I see what has been happening in the media, calling for people's heads, I believe it is unfair. I am also a stakeholder and we need to work in unity. This style of divisiveness in Jamaica must stop, that's old-styled. I am a businessman and approach things as a businessman and in a professional manner."