Howard Hamilton

I have been travelling through south-east Asia for the last three weeks. Travelling still provides me with the thrills and excitement that I used to have in those earlier years. I still believe that visiting different countries and experiencing the way of life, the culture, the architecture , the history, the food, and just the atmosphere is still the best form of education that one could ever hope for. I have been fortunate.

My career with SHELL gave me the opportunity of travelling through South America, Central America, and Europe. Now that I am retired the love and lust for travel has not diminished, and I have the added excitement of visiting Thoroughbred Race tracks all over the world. I now restrict my travel only to those places which still appreciate the thrill of horse racing. I will make one exception-the thrill of a cruise to Antartica is still one of my "must do" experiences.

I am not deterred by the near disaster last month when a liner hit an iceberg and had to be evacuated. I figure with all this global warming we better move quickly before every thing melts away!

Before dealing with the horses, I must share with you some observations on China I was based in Hong Kong I spent quite some time in Shanghai and Schenzen. We even had the opportunity of visiting Bangkok for a few days.

China benefits from the legacy of Confucianism especially the values of hierarchy and hard work. Today's China is a society obsessed with talent guided by the intense human capital policies. Their educational system is interestingly quite elitist. Only the top one per cent of some nine million who sit exams, manage to enter the elite universities. Instead of rewarding mental skills, these exams test the ability to work hard and memorise things. Having passed through university and succeeded at the highest level you are now eligible to join the Communist Party.

No political philosophy

We have still been indoctrinated to think that the Communist Party in China has anything to do with political ideology. There is no political philosophy in China except prosperity. The Communist Party is one of the social networks its members use to build wealth together. The system could be described as meritocratic paternalism. It rules society the way a wise father rules the family. Once there were students lobbying for democracy now they are content with economic freedom and opportunity.

China is booming. Hundreds of millions are rising out of poverty. There are malls in Shanghai richer than any American counterpart. Office towers shoot up and AUDIs, BMWs, and BENZs clog the streets. Visiting China, you can't help but feel pride in what they have achieved and their promise for the future.

The development in Hong Kong is no less impressive. I was last there some five years ago and the changes are phenomenal. Roads on top of roads, new tunnels connecting with the mainland. With all of this there is still strict travel conditions between mainland China and Hong Kong.

The little former Portugese colony of Macau is now beyond description. This is the Las Vegas of S.E. Asia and already the numerous casinos are surpassing Las Vegas in turnover. All the big boys are there - Venetian, Wynne, MGM Grand - all in there palacial splendour.

Now unto my favourite topic - the horses.

For over a century, horse racing has thrilled Hong Kong residents, providing first-class entertainment to a highly demanding public. The Hong Kong Jockey Club - one of the wealthiest corporations in Hong Kong - manages two race courses - one in Happy Valley in the city and the other further away, Sha Tin. These race tracks attract over two million racegoers each season. The betting turnover exceeds HK$70 billion, the highest in the world.

There average betting turnover per race is the highest globally and exceeds the daily turnover of some of the largest tracks in the U.S.A.

Happy Valley is in the heart of Hong Kong island and also serves as the home of the Hong Kong Football Club with several playing fields utilising the inner field. This is a turf course and seats some 60,000.

Sha Tin hosts the most important horse racing events in Hong Kong. This must easily be the finest racing facility in the world I still have to visit Dubai and Japan, I cannot imagine anything that could be done to surpass the splendour of this facility. They have the world's largest diamond vision screen and the only retractable parade ring in the world.

Fabulous picnic facilities

The inner-field is a public park open to the public on non-racing days. There are the most fabulous facilities for picnics, boating, horseback riding, etc.

Racing here is also meticulously regulated and the participants make sure that they play within the very strict rules. One jockey was sent to prison for providing prior information on the probable results of a race. The judge ruled that this was tantamount to insider trading and should be treated no differently. Can you imagine that attitude in Jamaica?

It is good to be back - there is really no place like home.

May you all have a holy and peaceful holiday, and may the New Year bring the fulfilment of your dreams.