Dear Editor,

It is a fallacy to believe, and a folly to suggest that Sunday racing has no economic benefits and is a parasite to human morals. I attended the first Sunday racing for 2012, accompanied by my 13-month-old baby and my eight-year-old daughter.

Amazed by the majestic and elegant display of the metronomic strides of the horses, my daughter was constantly on her phone describing every moment of her day’s activity to friends and family. But let me not digress. The Jamaica Council of Churches has called for the immediate cessatian of all Sunday racing, as a result of moral issues. I would suggest to them to research the facts surrounding their opinions.

Let us remember that local racing is a $7-billion industry that provides over 25,000 jobs. It is one of the few sports where we are able to receive significant foreign exchange through the breeding, sale of horses, and international jockeys. The industry is a source of income for thousands of grass-roots individuals without a college degree. Many grooms, jockeys, trainers, exercise riders and youngsters attend the track at 5 o’clock each morning with the hope of one day earning an income as an exercise rider.

There are so many benefits to be derived, yet we have not come close to operating our racing industry as a world-class premier track. In California, horse racing has significantly helped the economy to cushion the shock of the world recession,

In a study prepared for the California horse-racing industry, done by the University of Kentucky, the following impacts were noted:

o The industry generates more than US$3 billion each year for the agribusiness, tourism and entertainment sectors of California.

o Nearly 25,000 Californians work either directly or indirectly in the industry.

o The state’s share of pari-mutuel receipts is three times higher than the national average.

I acknowledge the views of our many church groups, but only until they can fill the economic crater that will result in their recommendations. I would advise that the nation’s leaders not add to the cry of our people – jobs, jobs jobs. Pathological gambling may be an invisible or silent disease, but it is not a costless disease. A special levy tax may be examined that is geared towards social problems and treatments of the few compulsive gamblers.

Richard Longmore

Kingston