Stadium in the upper house on Friday.

Sen. Neletha Butterfield (PLP) raising the issue of the still-unfinished Devonshire sports stadium, asked: "When will this long-overdue programme be completed? The youth should be one of our priorities.'' During debate on the Ministry of Youth and Sport's budget, she suggested that completing the stadium be put in Government's "top seven'' list of things to do. Increasingly, Bermuda's athletes were showing they had earned a first-class stadium to hone and show-off their talents, she noted.

But Sen. Larry Scott (UBP) said a lot of other projects had been accomplished for the youth in the past year including the introduction of several innovative programmes.

Teen Talk, Fast Forward, sailing programmes and sports facilities were some of the many items the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Recreation provided last year, he said.

And with its current allocation of $4.6 million, the Ministry will continue to see that there are events that the Island's youth can participate in, he said.

Sen. Scott also touched on other work achieved in the Ministry including its sponsorship of cricketers Dean Minors and Clay Smith in England, its summer day camps, after school programmes for children and cash awards for local world-class athletes.

The newly announced Elite Fund cash prizes to athletes who win medals came in for criticism from the other side though.

Sen. Butterfield urged Minister the Hon. Pamela Gordon to rethink the incentive payouts.

Athletes winning the cash bonuses could lose their amateur status, she said.

Athletes competing for cash coulkd lose their sense of team spirit, she added.

Senate President the Hon. Albert Jackson agreed the youth should be the country's number one priority.

He said it was vital Government keep abreast of new trends influencing youngsters and factors that contribute to "the erosion of their integrity'' such as the patterns of violence shown in the media.

He said while Government funding for the youth and its attention on them was adequate, "The challenge was to stay one step ahead of the game'' and anticipate what may need to be updated.

Government's recycling programme, bus shelters and the slow progress of work to place sidewalks near the Heron Bay primary school, came under close scrutiny during the Works and Engineering Ministry debate in the Upper House.

Sen. Gary Pitman (UBP) spoke of the Ministry's "energised'' year where major capital projects were completed.

He pointed to the now functional Westgate correctional facility, the Tynes Bay incinerator and the cruise terminal at Ordnance Island as well as refurbishments to the Ocean View clubhouse.

Other projects included a sprucing up for the Sessions House and renovations to 20 schools.

Sen. Pitman said much of the work was carried out using a diversity of contractors which allowed Government to get value for the money spent.

Opposition spokesman Sen. Terry Lister said any parent who had a child at Heron Bay school should be worried at the slow pace of work there.

It was started in September 1993 and was still not finished.

The Opposition spokesman also pointed to the $150,000 set aside to build three bustops.

"That's amazing,'' he said. "Bus shelters are ripe for privatisation. You could do six shelters with that money.'' But Sen. Pitman, referring to the work being done near the Heron Bay school, said there was a three month lapse because Belco was required to move a pole before work could go on.

Regarding the bus shelters, he said there was more work to be done in addition to building the structure such as the sidewalk and layby.