Government has brushed off Opposition criticism that it has overlooked significant funding for sports other than cricket and football at a time when there are many aspiring athletes.

The issue was awakened during the reply to the Budget on Youth and Sport last night in the House of Assembly.

Opposition MP Jon Brunson questioned if Government had a long-term plan and vision for development in sport.

"Far too often we hear about the negative things that are happening with our young people in Bermuda and sports can be a vehicle in which they can channel their energy, a positive alternative," Mr. Brunson emphasised.

Earlier, Minister of Environment and Sport Elvin James said he wanted to provide Bermuda's young and inspiring athletes "every opportunity to excel."

In order to achieve this he said Government would start with its programmes and extend them to include the clubs and all national sports governing bodies.

"We want to see academies of excellence or centres of excellence run in the after-school programmes to give all of young people a chance to develop to the best of their abilities," he stated.

"We want to expand them (after-school programmes) not only centrally, but we want to have them at the east end, the west end, in every sport.

"Not just in cricket and football... we want to give everyone a chance to excel.

"And we do not believe in this notion when we give people things that we shouldn't strive to be the best in the world – we believe that we can produce athletes than can compete with the world.

"We look this morning to young Nick Jones who is in Florida, came through our junior Bermuda Golf Association, he's there, he's won three straight tournaments shooting under par and featured on Golf Week Magazine.

"This is the type of thing we want to see all of young people doing."

While highlighting Government has allocated millions for cricket and football in the 2008/2009 fiscal year, Mr. Brunson slammed Government for not pumping any more money into the National Sports Centre.

He said: "In the 2006/2007 budget you see an actual investment of $10 million, then in 2007/2008 you see an investment of $5 million and then a revised estimate, which remains the same, so there was no change in the level of investment.

"But then, in 2008/2009, in an Olympic year, you see zero. Mr. Chairman, you see zero investment and I would ask, what has changed?

"I see the Carifta Games being held there, I see the World Cup Qualifier being held there, Mr. Chairman, I see the 20/20 being held there, I see what the National Hockey Association has been developing there, which is a major thing... and we have talent.

"But yet we see no commitment in 2008/2009 to the continued development of the National Sports Centre.

"Mr. Chairman, we are surrounded by water and our commitment to swimming is $60,000 and we've had some successful swimmers but in order for athletes to take it to the next level, they need a proper facility."

PLP MP Zane DeSilva later took the helm and said Mr. Brunson was reading from last year's budget figures, relating to the swimming topic.

Before that, Minister of Education Randolph Horton contended: "I want to point out... the honourable member (Mr. Brunson) went to pain to indicate how important other sports were.

"He was criticising the fact that this Government gave money to football and to cricket."

Mr. Brunson interjected: "Point of order, the honourable member is misleading the house, my point was looking at sports as a whole and looking at how we allocate the funds.

"I did not criticise them for making a contribution to football or whatever the case may be, I was just looking at a way to better re-allocate."

New Opposition MP Mark Pettingill questioned if Bermuda had "lost the poetry in the click of the willow on a summer day" with regard to cricket.

Speaking about sports in general, he said: "The Government, the people of this country, should receive full effort from its players for the money that's poured into the sport.

"And when we hear international writers referring as they did to our cricket team as 'the fattest, unfittest, most arrogant group of players'... these are the observations that people are making.

"These are the observations that people in Bermuda are making."

Mr. Pettingill made it clear the quote did not reflect his personal views, "Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking away from the pros, the clicks and the winners," he added.

He suggested that Government invest more funds into field hockey, rugby, and other sports where real talent has been shown.