Workers’ Union ‘claim’ of Racecourse up for sale, Ministry unaware

Monday, 14 August 2023 02:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Rejecting speculations of a possible takeover of the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya, currently managed and maintained by Royal Turf Club (RTC), its officials stated that certain parties with vested interest are working with a different agenda.

This, RTC claims, as being backed by a Workers’ Union of the Sugathdasa Sports Complex Authority, under which the control of the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse comes.

“Daily maintenance and repairs are being handled by RTC, by a group of employees working under a centre manager appointed by us. However, the so-called group claim that they have employed a workforce of a dozen to maintain the facility, which is totally false,” an RTC official stated.

The Nuwara Eliya Racecourse was granted to RTC by the Sugathadasa Sports Complex Authority, a governing unit that comes under the Ministry of Sports, in 2015 on a long term contract. But after a few years the contract was abruptly terminated by the Ministry of Sports, but RTC continues to maintain the facility up to standard.

The Workers’ Union claim that an unnamed entity are on the verge of ‘buying’ the Racecourse facility and the centre portion around the track, which is estimated to be around 83 acres. However it is unclear or unknown as to which party or group are attempting to buy the property that comes under the government supervision.

It is learned that a few individuals, connected to horseracing outside RTC, have attempted to fix an appointment with certain top officials of the Ministry of Sports with intentions of taking over the Racecourse. However, a top Ministry official rejected the claim made by the Workers’ Union and confirmed that the Nuwara Eliya Racecourse will continue to function as usual under the current management of RTC.