WHO is it who sits on the Sports Awards panel?

Are they all deaf, dumb and blind?

Do they ever actually attend any sporting events?

Judging from last night?s presentations at the Fairmont Hamilton, it?s difficult to imagine they do.

No disrespect to John Barry Nusum and Kiera Aitken who thoroughly deserved their respective Male and Female Athlete of the Year Awards and others who were recognised, but how on earth could the panel have overlooked national cricket captain Clay Smith?

He didn?t even receive an Achievement Award for heaven?s sake!

The Minister?s award was scant consolation for a man who has done much, and threatens to do much more, for Bermuda.

If the Minister can recognise his worth, then why couldn?t the panel?

Didn?t anybody on that panel happen to notice that during last summer?s Cup Match, Clay became the first and only player to score three centuries in the Classic, rescuing his St. George?s side from almost certain defeat?

Did they also fail to notice that during the international matches against Canada and the USA in the Americas tournament and the Inter Continental Cup, Clay smashed five half-centuries, scoring far more runs than any of his team-mates?

Seemingly not!

In a huge year for local cricket, when Bermuda will attempt to qualify for the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, it would have been nice if the man who will lead that charge had received some sort of recognition for his efforts in getting the team this far.

Instead he got a slap in the face.

NO doubt most local sports bodies will have welcomed the news this week that Bermuda could host the Small Island Games in six years? time.

A two-man Games delegation who visited the Island over the weekend left with a firm impression that local facilities were already more than suitable for staging a festival of this type.

Once the Centre Core at the National Sports Centre is completed ? hopefully by the time the 2011 Games roll around ? Bermuda would probably boast the best facilities of any of the islands who compete in this biennial spectacular.

Island Games Association chairman Bo Frykentsam and treasurer Eric Legg certainly seemed to be thinking that way as they gave Bermuda their seal of approval before flying out on Tuesday night.

Now, if Bermuda is serious about hosting the 2011 edition, a formal bid will be have to be submitted before the end of the year with a final decision expected in July, 2006.

The key word here, though, is ?serious?.

While local Games Association chairman Jon Beard and several of Bermuda?s sports ? basketball, volleyball, cycling, triathlon, hockey, swimming, shooting, tennis, golf etc. ? would all likely embrace the bid with enormous enthusiasm, one wonders what kind of support would be offered by some of the bigger organisations.

Bermuda Track and Field Association, for instance, have made it patently clear that their priorities lie elsewhere ? they didn?t send a team to the last Games in Guernsey and have all but ruled out participation at this year?s event in the Shetland Isles.

Bermuda Football Association, likewise, haven?t demonstrated any great interest in taking part, although a women?s team is expected to head to Scotland with more than 100 other athletes this July.

There seems to be a feeling among some sports administrators, particularly those in the BTFA, that the Island Games don?t quite offer the level of competition to which our top athletes are accustomed.

Those who have taken part in the past, both from this and other countries might beg to differ.

Naturally success at the Pan-Am, Commonwealth and Olympic Games is always the ultimate goal. But realistically an island Bermuda?s size is rarely going to make an impact at any of these international extravaganzas.

And if we are, our sportsmen and sportswomen must first prove their ability at stepping stones along the way.

That?s where the Island Games can play a pivotal role in athletes? development.

In Guernsey two years ago, several of those who represented Bermuda came away with medals, including 15 golds, but it?s unlikely any of them will tell you it was a cakewalk. And almost all will reflect on some memorable moments.

Most agreed competition was much tougher than they had anticipated, and they expect much of the same in the Shetlands this year.

Besides the competition, the camaraderie and atmosphere created by a gathering of athletes all from small islands gives the Games a unique feel.

While Bermuda can strive for success at the Pan-Ams, Commonwealth and Olympic, we can never hope to host such events.

With the Small Island Games we can do both.

And with the National Sports Centre complete, we could probably set a standard that every other island in the world would strive to match.

Hopefully, if and when an official bid is tendered for the 2011 version, all of our governing bodies will come on board together.

On and off the field, it?s a win-win situation. There is no downside.