Premier Ewart Brown has said the National Sports Centre could be finished by 2011 — if he remains in power that long.

In a question and answer feature on sports website IslandStats.com the Premier was asked when the much-delayed project would finally be completed.

He said: "I am sticking my neck out on limb but I would say, if I am still Premier by 2011, I would expect the National Sports Centre to be finished."

In August, National Sports Centre Trustees chairman Gerald Bean admitted the project had been marking time for ages and while the trustees were still keen to complete the project, commitment higher up was less solid and any new initiatives regarding the NSC were unlikely until after the election.

While football and athletics fans enjoy a nice stadium and cricket and rugby share the North field, little has been said for years about when the middle section of the Frog Lane complex will be finished for other sports.

The plans for the centre core involves an international standards pool, a triple gym which can double as a convention centre, dressing rooms for football and cricket teams, a dorm for 50 people and dining and lounge facilities.

In the IslandStats interview the Premier also said he thought the British national anthem should not be played before sporting events.

He said: "Colonies, don't usually display national pride, independent countries do. National pride works in nations, until we get there we are not going to see the full expression of the Bermudian.

"We don't have a Bermudian national anthem, we have a British national anthem, and therefore our people are not particularly stimulated by the British national anthem. My personal view is that we should avoid playing the anthem until we have obtained nationhood."