Yesterday the directors of MTC/MTCSL were forced to accept the GRA / HRD conditions for races to start to avoid riots and chaos at the MTC parking grounds.
After months of working on the start of the racing season, and the last three weeks of malicious emails between the GRA/HRD clan and the MTC/MTCSL, a new legal battle about who owns and does what, who pays who and for what is underway and for how long only God knows.
Yesterday, the MTC/MTCSL were forced to accept the GRA/HRD conditions which deprives them from exercising their racing business fairly, respectably and profitably under these new GRA/HRD unfair and unacceptable conditions under the pressure from the 300+ MTC/MTCSL employees manifesting about their salaries and future at the MTC/MTCSL.
Then under such pressure the board decided to accept and went to pay and sign the GRA/HRD conditions in full, they were again met with a refusal, now on the grounds that the Municipality of Port Louis revoked their lease agreement and concession of privilege to use the Champ de Mars.
Can you believe this masquerade?First of all, it is good to note that all this protest happened because of Wednesday night communication from the Municipality of Port Louis which was sent to the MTC/MTCSL at 18:10 hours. A signed letter which stated that they are revoking the MTC/MTCL concession of privilege and right to use the Champ De Mars by stating the main reason that is, they do not have a valid 2022 racing license from the GRA, and that they are not in a position to start this 2022 racing season has they failed to accept the GRA/HRD conditions hence the cancellation of such given concession of privilege to use the Champ de Mars with immediate effect.
The chaotic situation yesterday morning which we all saw coming, was fuelled by an early morning protest that broke outside the Mauritius Turf Club executive board room, when the MTC/MTCSL employees were welcomed by a dark Champ de Mars, no lights around the track, no track work occurred nor could they even be held for safety reasons, and worst they were told there is no work today. Rumours started spreading fast that they would not get paid, that the club was broke and which the MTC/MTCSL confirmed that they are in a very difficult hostage situation as their capacity at managing racing and all their powers to organise races have been taking away from them. Angry employees stormed the management office and executive board meeting rooms, the press was called in and soon the members lounge was full of employees who were all seeking answers on their future and their salaries. As all hell broke loose after hearing that their monthly salaries would be late and uncertainty rose in inside the MTC/MTCSL executive board meeting and members lounge.
The unstoppable peer pressure grew so high that after consulting all employees in batches of 100+ each alternatively, where all had a chance to share their angers, frustrations and misfortunes of why they won’t get paid and what is going on as most of them were and still are in the dark. Under such a huge peer pressure led by this government institutions (GRA/HRD) and the Municipality of Port Louis to shut down access to the Champ De Mars, that the board of the MTC / MTCSL gave in to the plea of the 300+ employees to sign all their conditions and start races next weekend so to keep their MTC/MTCSL jobs. Mr Stephane De Chalain one of the MTC/MTCSL directors went to the GRA to pay for their 4 months license and signed all the GRA/HRD conditions so races could start, but most importantly so they could attempt at saving all their employees jobs and come up with the salaries. The board of MTC/MTCSL were forced into signing and abiding to these new GRA/HRD a 25 long conditions they only received a week ago on Friday 22nd April. We believe they had a chance here to ask for the one and only condition which could help save the MTC/MTCSL and Mauritius racing, is that the government re-opens the Champ de Mars to all and not been held behind a closed Champ De Mars and in camera view only as this is the sole revenues that would help replenish the MTC/MTCSL empty coffers.
This was suggested by us at last Friday’s meeting that this sole condition should be revised, agreed and allowed as we don’t see how they will make any revenues this season on these terms and conditions, when the GRA/HRD are now the real horse racing organiser.To start a horse racing season in such poor and critical conditions is not a mammoth task, it is an impossible task for the board of the MTC/MTCSL and all its employees, the executive management, their partners, and all the volunteers that work for the continuity of the MTC/MTCSL and the Champ De Mars. Without such a brave action, these 300+ employees would all be without a job tomorrow and have no answers to give their families as per their future. We say, hats off to the board of the MTC/MTCSL for taking such a brave action. Those responsible for the darkest of days and weeks that the MTC / MTCSL had to endure will pay dearly. They know who they are, the traitors of the horse racing oldest southern racing organiser will bring in their graves with them their involvement in the slow death and crucification of the MTC/MTCSL and the Champ De Mars. Never in history that such a legendary horse racing private club of 210 years was forced to become a public company under bogus laws to so called protect the industry from criminal activities, when government officials themselves have been court in illegal bet365 scams and foreign money laundering themselves. And this is the biggest and sole scandal the public only knows of, so much is going on behind closed doors and so much haven’t been reported and most scandals are buried and paid to remain silent.
Never in history a horse racing organiser had to endure 2 years of covid lockdowns with a closed circuit with only in-cameras viewing with little revenues plus was forced to accept from the GRA/HRD conditions which all the board members and both their president and acting CEO all refuted as unacceptable and worst without even meeting all the stakeholders around a table to discuss a fair win-win racing partner deal.
This is a BAI bis repetita.
History and the Mauritius horse racing fans have all witnessed and recorded the actions of such government institutions. The worst is ahead of us all, was yesterday the beginning of the end?
We salute all the MTC/MTSCSL board executives again to have taken the right decision to save 300+ jobs and reassured all their employees yet how will they be able to carry on under such poor conditions? They have done and taken the right action to save us from a social crisis which is very real after last weekend riots around the island for such poor living conditions and such high living costs.
Is Mauritius the next island under a social crisis and under siege like Pakistan is experiencing right now?
We think we are heading there.
Is it fair on the MTC/MTCSL management to have been stripped naked from all their IP’s and revenues they created and generated to pay all the employees and operating for 210 years?
Absolutely not, and we will all now let the court decide.
As far as we know races was going to be on next weekend a full two-day racecards on Saturday and Sunday will be worked out and we shall all see what the future holds for the never ending battle between the MTC/MTSL vs GRA/HRD. We are now told this option is not 100% and all will depend on the legal action to stop the Municipality of Port Louis from revoking their concession of privilege which is signed until 2028.
Let’s all now hope that the court gives reason to the MTC/MTCSL and hope that races can start next weekend, but what guarantee do we have ahead that all these hostile hostage actions will not stop racing in favour of a second horse racing organiser, obviously backed by the government institutions and the founder of SMS Pariaz whom by now the entire island and the horse racing world knows of him, and his partners in crime that are orchestrating his very clever moves behind closed doors. All their actions are to kill and steal what is not theirs with the government he heavily backed last election which he now gets their full support through their illegal and his sole weapon his capital means.
Will he destroy 210 years of horse racing and force the MTC / MTCSL to remain closed?
Will he control the Champ de Mars and organise races in closed circuit and in camera only, because that profit his online and betting and retail outlets?
Will the Mauritius horse racing fans accept to lose the MTC/MTCSL which was a meeting place for all walks of life, a place where all met to enjoy racing each Saturday and their sole weekend distraction and a way to make ends meet for 500,000 Mauritians, despite all the fixing and cheating that goes on?
How will the MTC/MTCL manage to remain afloat under such poor and unfair challenges with such new hostile agendas to take over their business status of being a racing organiser, more a racing course manager. How will they handle such illegal practice of their IP theft “Rules of Racing, Racecards and now the Champ De Mars concession of privilege and lease, revoked a week after races was scheduled to start by nonetheless the HRD team.
Let’s hope all the legal actions of the MTC/MTCSL goes well that this last minute recourse will save the favourite sport that unites a nation and let us all not forget nor forgive these involved in these dirty power grab and political nominees with their partners in crime further destroy our beloved social peace and our Mauritius Horse Racing. This was a first warning to the government how 300 angry employees that stormed the MTC/MTCSL executive board meeting. Next the GRA/HRD or PMO?
This was one battle lost, but not the war.
Here are the reaction of the president Mr Giraud on the situation and the Municipality revoking their license to use the Champ De Mars:
“I can tell you that there have been a series of events over the last few months that made you realise that one day it was going to happen, which happened today. We believe that the municipality has no right to take over the racetrack. We were not consulted again. Our lawyers are studying the file and we intend to react as quickly as possible to this letter from the municipality of Port Louis. As for the track, we have a full contract until 2028. They said since we don't have a license, well they're taking over the track. Or if we have a license, we won't start racing until mid-May. Advances Jean Michel Giraud.
Last night, the HRD emitted a Press Release, stating that: “The Horse Wellness First” and that the Municipality of Port Louis will as from Friday 29th April allow training and access to the Champ de Mars, and that the road will be closed form 6am to 8am and despite removing the day before such concession of privilege to the MTCSL.
Yesterday was the GRA 5th or 6th excuses that the Municipality of Port Louis who had revoked their lease agreement hence again not allowing the racing season to start by not accepting the MTCSL payment for their 2022 Racing Season.
The same government institutions, and municipality which revoked illegally their lease agreement concession of privilege to use the Champ de Mars until 2028, which seems to be the last hurdle for the racing season to start. Or is there more hurdles ahead?
As from a horse racing trainer, they will attempt a last legal mean to revoke the illegal access to the Champ de Mars and hope racing will start next weekend, if not we will have to wait much longer quite some time as Mr Giraud and the communication officer from the HRD who messaged us last night, as the legal battle between the GRA/HRD and MTC/MTSCL scandal continues.
The sad state of affair of the MTC/MTCSL and the GRA / HRD with their unacceptable conditions was purely designed to crumble the sole organiser of horse racing in Mauritius the MTC and to bankrupt their public company the MTCSL.
This is the beginning of the end, like Mr Soun Gujadhur said on a populous radio last Friday.
Everyone knows very well, when a government come play the saviour of horse racing with their incompetent political nominees all trying to orchestrate the death of the MTC/MTCSL this is what happens, you get 300 employees who will be out of a job soon and on the streets protesting and 300,000 fans who will turn up soon if races don’t start in front of their government offices to claim the start of the racing season. That you can count on it to happen. It is a matter of days not weeks before this sporting manifestation will occur.
If all the above is not a clear indication of a well co-ordinated government effort to only tarnish and burn to the ground the MTC/MTCSL.
We don’t see any other agenda here, but to hand over all the Champ de Mars facilities to the new kid on the block the Peoples Turf.
Like the good old sayings goes:
“100 days for the thieves and 1 day for the master.”
“Their days are numbered.”
“The sun shines for everybody.”
“The tide and wheel will turn come next election.”
Only the future holds all the answers.
