President of the Jamaica Racehorse Owners’ Association (JROA), Dr Graham Brown, says owners at Caymanas Park are extremely happy that, after waiting for more than 30-odd years, Caymanas Park will be divested to a private entity.

Despite giving solid agreement with the divestment to Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL), Dr Brown is however warning it cannot be the same old, same old of yesteryear, and that SVL must be transparent in its operations come March 7 when they officially takeover as the racing promoter.

“We at the JROA are very happy that tomorrow (today) that SVL and the Government will be signing the final documents regarding the takeover by SVL. It has been a long time coming and we are just relieved that the final steps are being taken,” Dr Brown said.

The JROA president stressed in no uncertain manner that patience and time must be given to SVL in its new mission, saying that the promoting company must be open, they must be transparent, and they must involve at all stages the people who have carried the heavy weight of sustaining the racing product for so many years on their backs.

“When I say the stakeholders, I mean the owners, the jockeys, the grooms, the farriers, the trainers, the jockeys’ agents, the exercise riders and, of course, the workers.

“All have made tremendous sacrifices to keep racing afloat; they have the best interests of the sport in their hearts. And now, while we move on to another phase in the development of horse racing in Jamaica, and while I know that SVL cannot solve the ills of the industry built up over so many years, and while I ask for patience and time for the new promoter to get their act in place, I also ask them to communicate with us and to involve us in the development process,” Dr Brown said, while emphasising that progress cannot be made without engagement.