Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

THE NUMBER of uninvited guests to Caymanas Park's stable area should be greatly reduced as of Thursday, September 14, when all licensed personnel will be required to swipe bar-coded identification cards to gain entry.

Licensed personnel entering the stable area from the Gregory Park, Meadowvale and Official Car Park gates, the three main access points to barns, will have identification cards scanned and the information stored for reference.

Should licensed personnel be unable to produce the bar-coded identification card, the requirement is that an electronic note pad should be signed and a photo taken at the access point.

Could face opposition

The new security measures, initiated by security chief Jason McKay, could face opposition as his firm, McKay Security, has fought for more than a decade to have licensed personnel, especially grooms, adhere to regulations.

However, McKay said he is confident the changes will be met with cooperation as meetings have been held with Caymanas Track Limited's (CTL) management, grooms and the Jamaica Racehorse Trainers Association (JRTA).

All three parties agreed the electronic cards would ensure licensed persons utilise the new system as well as provide a more accurate record of entry and exit.

For years, grooms have battled security personnel at Caymanas Park, often opting to produce their Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) 'blue books', which bear licences, instead of presenting CTL-issued identification cards.

Both have been used in the past to gain entry to the stable area, but the bar-coded identification cards should greatly improve the system as the JRC 'blue book' simply identifies its holder as a licensed groom.