Centre and will look into covering the stadium bleachers, a Minister said yesterday.

Dennis Lister , Minister for Youth, Sport, Recreation and Parks was speaking during the debate on his Ministry's $11 million budget.

Mr. Lister said the complex was the largest project ever undertaken by the Ministry but said he was baffled to learn the trustees of the NSC had never been instructed to build covered seating.

He said they had now been instructed to make covered seating a priority along with electronic timing on the 400 metre running track.

The new direction had caused an adjustment to the completion schedule to the NSC.

Mr. Lister pointed to numerous accomplishments by the Ministry during the last year but said this year would see new "vision'' in the Ministry's planning.

Treating the $5 million Parks allotment separately from the rest, Mr. Lister hailed the opening of the new Pembroke Park on Parsons Road.

Topping the list of projects this year is the opening -- on a $1 a year lease -- of the Springfield recreational facility next month in Sandys.

St. David's will also soon get a community centre on the former base lands at Southside, where a building has been earmarked.

There will be an increase in grants to sport field and club operators. While revenue from the Parks department dropped this year, Mr. Lister attributed it to the loss of Paget Island for camping while an administrative and recreation building was replaced.

Last year more than 8,000 people camped at Government facilities.

He announced the opening of a new after school programme at the Sandys Secondary Middle School, half of its funding coming from Government.

Mr. Lister said a recent survey into the Island's sporting activities pointed to 57 percent of the population taking part in competitive sport.

Forty percent were recreational athletes, while the rest were elite athletes, exemplified by the recipients of the Athletes of the Year Awards, Paula Lewin, Antoine Jones and Conrad Lister.

The National Tennis Stadium on Canal Road will be upgraded this year with a resurfacing of the clay courts and the addition of another court and shift of a practice wall.

This would encourage international competitions at the facility, he said.

Mr. Lister promised more than $750,000 for sports development, $200,000 of which will go to clubs.

He said clubs needed help not only in the upkeep of their physical plant, but also assistance with management and bookkeeping. The Ministry will also consider facilities for housing visiting athletic teams and administrative offices for local sport bodies at the National Sport Centre.

But Shadow Minister John Barritt said the Budget speech rested on the work of his government.

Mr. Barritt called for a bidding process for contracts to produce concerts in government parks and beaches and suggested concessions at beaches and along the railway trail much like the ones at Tobacco Bay, St. George's and Snorkel Beach, Sandys.

Mr. Barritt called for a way of encouraging sporting bodies to adopt alcohol and drug free policies.

He remarked at the "phenomenal'' number of youth in alternative sports like gymnastics, golf, basketball and baseball showed parent's concern about the connection between drugs and sporting clubs.

Youth, Sport, Parks & Recreation 1999/00 estimates To promote and support leisure activities through youth work, recreation and sport; to provide paid and volunteer workers and leaders for the implementation of the programme and to support through grants community organisations concerned with sporting and leisure activities.

Budget estimate: $11,524,000 (last year $10,393,000) Revenue: $1,203,000 Budget allocations Admin & Sports... $1,979,000 Stadia........... $ 607,000 Community Centres $ 976,000 Camping.......... $ 847,000 Summer activities $ 605,000 After school care $1,114,000 Parks............ $5,396,000 Dennis Lister