The Island?s sports and workmen?s clubs are about to come under Government scrutiny.

Sports Minister Dale Butler yesterday announced the establishment of a Clubs Committee, chaired by community activist Rolf Commissiong, to investigate the decline of and problems facing these once-influential organisations which ?have played a significant role in Bermuda?s development?.

This action, he said, was being taken as a first step to rehabilitating these crucial cogs of local society.

?They have been the principle vehicles for the delivery of sport and recreation programmes. We believe that their role and continued success is vital to the survival and sustainability of our sport programmes and to the social stability of our country.

?Unfortunately, we are seeing a rising trend of clubs that are finding it difficult to meet their financial obligations. Contributing to this dilemma are the declining membership and bar sales, leadership challenges and facilities that are showing the effects of wear and ageing,? explained Butler at the Cabinet Office.

?Government has previously announced its intention to ensure clubs continue to provide a service to the community. Before Government can begin to assist these clubs, we need to first know their specific challenges. We believe a review and report with recommendations on the state of clubs in Bermuda will provide us with this information.?

The committee consists of various community-minded individuals, many with club ties. They are: Rolf Commissiong (chairman), Richard Calderon (deputy chairman), Carlton (Pepe) Dill, Earl Hart, Leroy (Nibs) Lewis, Charles Marshall (honorary Bermuda Football Association president), Marshall Minors, Veronica Edwards and Kim Jackson.

The group, which has already held its first meeting, are to make their recommendations by the end of next February and Butler asked all Bermudians to give this venture their full support.

In a brief speech, Commissiong applauded Government?s effort to get clubs back into the main stream of Bermudian life.

?We want to help clubs help themselves,? he said, outlining the areas which the committee was asked to examine.

These are: the strengths of each club; their challenges; financial situations and the clubs? recommendations. The committee will also visit several club grounds and facilities which could number as many as 20 locations.

The community activist noted that, surveying many of the Island?s clubs, one would ?think time stood still since circa 1970?.

Commissiong stressed the committee did not want this to be ?adversarial? but rather an all-inclusive process with input from the entire society.

?I am hopeful that our report will also recommend ways to improve the management of club operations, improve their physical plants and property maintenance, develop additional revenue streams to support and sustain club operations and to suggest ways that our clubs could partner with Government to ensure the viability of their future operations,? he said.

Butler assured that successful clubs would also be scrutinised and the committee would also set aside time for the Bermudians who have suggestions and ideas on the topic since Government wanted this probe to be ?as comprehensive as possible?.