SPORTS chiefs have reacted with disappointment and dismay to another Budget day snub for finishing the National Sports Centre as Bermuda bids to host the 2013 Island Games, writes Matthew Taylor.

Despite Premier Ewart Brown saying last year the project could be finished by 2011 if he remains in power that long ¿ there was not a single dollar of funding set aside for the showpiece venue when the nation's spending plans were revealed last week.

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 it, commitment higher up was less solid and any new initiatives regarding the NSC were unlikely until after the election.

Unfinished elements include 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.

Bermuda Island Games general secretary Jon Gazzard said: "That's very frustrating for us. We are going for the 2013 bid, we have had meetings with Government and the last meeting had led us to believe the national stadium would not be completed and the only thing would be done is the pool.

"But it changes on a yearly basis. Obviously the price goes up. It's difficult for us in trying to get a bid to host the event when one year we are going to have it and the next year we are not going to have it. It sort of fluctuates. There is no real dedication to it."

Asked about the Premier's pre-election stance Gazzard said: "That's the frustrating part of it. He can say it on the news but when I sit down and have a meeting with (Sports) Minister (El) James as well as with tourism in front of IGA representatives they pretty much said they didn't see it happening anytime soon. That is frustrating to have the Premier say one thing and the Minister who should be backing him saying something completely different. He figured the pool would be done in the coming years but he didn't feel the sports centre itself would be completed."

Sports Minister James declined to comment yesterday.

Gazzard said Bermuda still had sufficient facilities even without an Olympic-size pool to host the Island Games as rules stipulate a 25-metre pool was needed, as was already in place at Saltus. But he said the swimming pool was the major component because a 50-metre pool would allow for a warm-up section and a competition area.

"If the pool was in place I think the bid would have no problem going through facility-wise. But for the whole thing to be done would be great, just to have a big gymnasium for basketball and volleyball and lots of spectators would be great."

He said the current stadium coupled with gymnastics at CedarBridge and the Arboretum for mountain biking could form a core area which could host an amazing festival of sport.

Sports teacher and Bermuda Football Association club development committee chairman Jon Beard said of the Budget : "Obviously I am disappointed but I know from talking with members of the Government there is the intention or at least hope they will get the stadium up in time hopefully for the Games.

"Whether it starts this year or when I don't know and I know there has been promises made before.

"Whether it will be the sort of structure that previous plans had talked about ¿ it was fairly extravagant or be a pared-down version which will be formidable, and obviously all we have is a hole in the ground at the moment ¿ I don't know. If we can get a pool up there, some decent changing rooms and perhaps a good gym we would be in good shape."

With the disappointing performances of Bermuda's football and cricket teams despite massive cash injections into those sports, many have been questioning whether Government has its priorities right.

But Beard said people needed to look at the bigger picture. He said: "If everyone just looks at the national teams and says there is money being wasted there is some sort of argument then but from the football point of view a lot of money is going to be spent developing at the youth level which is really the only answer. Obviously we are struggling at the national stage and it won't be better until its better for the ones coming up, that's where the money should be used ¿ in youngsters."

He said the BFA youth teams were up and running and could now afford to use the NSC while the training pitch over the road was in the pipeline.

Opposition sports spokesman Jon Brunson said there was an over concentration on the two national sports of cricket and football while little attention was paid to areas where Bermuda had excelled such as sailing.

"There just hasn't been any cogent strategy about how they are going to develop sport in Bermuda. The national stadium and their failure to allocate funds speaks to that failed vision and commitment."

He said sport was badly neglected at the school level. "With all the big money investments you see a real missed opportunity for all the other sports.

"You see a real void in the recreational component, there's very little developmental work and then there is people at the elite level like our ICC World Cup, who in my opinion, if you asked if they gave 110 percent to their efforts that we have seen recently, if we spoke honestly about it, they haven't."

Brunson said Bermuda did not have the parish by parish infrastructure for recreational sport that the island deserves. His party had advocated inter-parish games to encourage participation at all levels.

He said there had been a study into Bermuda's sports clubs years ago which still hadn't been tabled in the House. "But we have seen money thrown at selected sports clubs." It remains to be seen what had been done with the money said Brunson.

"What you see are things that are politically expedient. Football is Bermuda 's largest spectator sport, if done properly it could have a huge outreach.

"But that is not what you see. Cricket is close behind but you don't see as many people benefiting from the investment as one would expect."