Howard Hamilton

IN THE newspaper business that headline is known as a "grabber". I am sure many readers will have done a double take on reading it.

In my visits last year to racetracks in the USA, I was fascinated and impressed to discover evidence that the Church has come to accept gaming as an activity that is with us to stay and, in a very pragmatic way, has developed ways and means to reach out to those who earn their living from it.

In every society, in every industry, there are those whose lives sometimes gallop out of control. The most vulnerable are often the most easily forgotten - those out on the backstretch of life. Through the racetrack Chaplaincy of America a network of priests has been deployed to tracks across the 'USA to guide and influence those involved in the industry, particularly the 'backstretch boys', who in that country are often drawn from the ranks of the poorest who frequently find themselves in need of family or grief counselling, crisis intervention, conflict resolution and good old-fashioned religious guidance.

Soap boxes

The priests who participate in the programme do not do so from soapboxes from which to rain down fire and brimstone or vent their spleens of their distaste for the industry in which these people are employed. They see only souls in need of Christian care and it is on that basis that they conduct their involvement. Would that the Church in Jamaica had such a clear-eyed vision of its role in the scheme of things?

It is no secret that the Church in Jamaica is adamant in its opposition to gaming in all forms. Fortunately, by the time that opposition had crystallised, organised betting on horse races had taken root in Jamaica. Our involvement with the industry goes back centuries But ours is not the only society in which the Church opposes gaming.

In most of the gaming jurisdictions in the region the Church stands in firm opposition to gaming and casinos. Yet gaming and casinos exist with the sanction of pragmatic, courageous governments that recognise the value these entertainments and diversions can have to the tourism industry and to the national treasury.

Position

I have come to admire the position taken on the subject of gambling by the former Anglican Archbishop of The Bahamas, the Most Reverend Drexel Gomez, who reminded us in his address to the 152nd session of the Synod that "morality cannot be legislated".

The archbishop obviously shares the view of this writer that it is better for the Government to regulate and benefit from that which is widespread, than to ignore it and permit to grow unchecked. He said that, while he recognised that the government of The Bahamas has enjoyed a measure of success in restricting Bahamian participation in casino gambling (Bahamian residents or citizens are prohibited from gambling in the casinos, but may work in and enjoy the many other facilities that a casino's presence makes possible), the government had not yet been able to prevent Bahamians from engaging in other forms of gambling.

I attended a symposium put on by the University of Arizona, a farsighted academic institution that actually offers a degree programme for the racing industry. At that symposium I was pleased to attend a prayer breakfast hosted by the Race Track Chaplaincy of America.

At that breakfast 1 learned of the wonderful Christian outreach programme that this group of dedicated churchmen had developed. I was particularly moved to learn of the experience of retired leading jockey Pat Day, himself a devout Christian, whose testimony continues to motivate his peers and those with whom he comes into contact.

Definite difference

"When I go on the backstretch of a track without a chaplain," he said, "I can see a definite difference. All the ills that plague a group of people who work and live together are more prevalent when there is not a chaplain there to address their needs".

Simple as these words sound they have evidently not occurred to the many leaders of religion that inveigh against gaming and horseracing in Jamaica and seem convinced that all who are involved in it are dammed to hell. What better place to expect to find men of the cloth than amongst those who are so damned?

Doing so would be to follow an example set some 2000 years ago, by Christ himself.

Howard L Hamilton is the former chairman of Caymanas Track Limited and the current president of the Jamaica Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. He may be contacted at howham@cwjamaica.com.