Jason McKay

Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) and McKay Security recently launched an armoured car Stable Patrol unit, reducing dependence on excess manpower while strengthening response time and mobility on the 196-acre Caymanas Park racetrack property.

Caymanas Park's stable area is notoriously difficult to secure as it is bounded by at least five formal communities and many informal settlements, most lying adjacent railway lines in the Gregory Park area.

Over the years, the stable area's easily breached perimeter walls have resulted in shooting deaths of not only licensed racing personnel but also members of its security detail.

McKay Security chief executive officer, Jason McKay, said the move to utilise an armoured vehicle will not only save money but also lives on the ground.

"We're looking at savings of about $1m per month to CTL. Outside of that, one can't put a value on lives saved on the job. That alone, speaks to the value of this investment," McKay pointed out.

24 hours Security

The fully staffed and armed vehicle patrols the stable area 24 hours per day, communicating with the main entrances to the stable area, the Gregory Park and Meadowvale gates.

"There is also a hotline to the vehicle, which can traverse any terrain at the track, so response time will be greatly enhanced," McKay added.

Last year, August 24, trainer Tony Kirlew was shot and killed by two gunmen, who approached him as he drank a coconut in the stable area.

Kirlew was the third trainer killed in eight years in the stable area. Donovan Bruce and Howard Philips were similarly murdered on the compound.

A McKay Security guard, Edward Green, was also murdered on the Caymanas Park property in 2005.

The new armoured vehicle that will be used to patrol the stable area at Caymanas Park. - Contributed