at a cost of $250,000 -- but Government will not have to pay a penny.

Foreign contractor Rekortan, which laid the present surface almost five years ago, will return to the Island -- probably in November -- to re-lay the outer lanes.

The work is expected to take six weeks and will not hinder the Bermuda soccer team's participation in the World Cup. Track athletes training is likely to be affected.

Director of Youth, Sport and Recreation Mr. Brenton Roberts said the track carried a five year warranty and this is expected to be extended for the new surfaces.

Mr. Eugen Mussack, Rekortan's director of operations with overseas contractors Rekortan, left the Island yesterday after telling officials the surface would have to be replaced.

The contractor took samples of the track off the Island in April for tests to determine why the track was "bubbling up''.

The tests revealed the effect was caused by the inferior quality of the factory manufactured product. In effect it was a `bad batch' of the rubber substance, which has also been used on the track at the Los Angeles Coliseum, site of the 1984 Olympic Games.

Mr. Roberts denied that the undersurface had caused the problem and also denied his department was responsible for the problem.

"Mr. Mussack has come to Bermuda and completely vindicated what we have said all along,'' he said. "People have been making speculation about the undersurface being concrete or asphalt, but they (Rekortan) have laid this material on either surface with no ill effects.

"They have indicated that this was their first major relay of the surface and it just so happens that it happened here in Bermuda. Our initial concerns when we started out was durability and quality and Rekortan stood head and shoulders over the rest.'' "They stand behind their product and are willing to come and replace what is wrong and put it right. This stands to their credibility that they have done this.''