for his portfolio in the fourth part in an occasional series highlighting the eight separate areas of the document. Monday: Home Affairs Grass is set to be planted on two massive playing fields at the new National Sports Centre next month, Youth and Sport Minister John Barritt said yesterday. And Mr. Barritt said the new fields would provide the public with an idea of the scale of the work undertaken by Government. According to Government's 1993 Election Blueprint, the centre should be up and running by late 2001 or early 2002. Mr.

Barritt added that the planned new National Stadium is the crowning glory of the Youth and Sport Ministry -- despite controversy over problems with the track and delays in construction. He said: "It's probably the most significant and ongoing project we have. "It's a major undertaking -- I think we're going to see the development there of a world-class facility which is going, in many respects, to rival CedarBridge Academy in terms of investment and commitment, not just for young people but the community in general.'' Mr.

Barritt added that the original plans for the centre had been revised to take account of extra land which became available. He said: "People are now starting to get some idea of the magnitude of the project, having seen the buildings being razed and the work going on on what we call the northern fields.'' Mr. Barritt admitted: "One of the things about the National Sports Centre we have been criticised about is not moving fast enough. "But one of the difficulties about doing something major like that is doing it at the same time as something like CedarBridge. "We set goals and priorities and CedarBridge, a commitment to education, was a priority -- but we're now going full steam ahead on the National Stadium.'' And he insisted: "We have gone a lot further than we promised going into the 1993 General Election in terms of the scope of what we're going to do up there.'' According to the Blueprint, of 14 objectives set out in the Blueprint, ten are either implemented or recurring, two are complete and two are ongoing. Mr. Barritt said among his personal highlights of the brief were the drugs-free sports policy introduced recently. He added more money had been given to the Bermuda Regiment's Cadet Corps this year, to encourage self-discipline and order among teenagers. And he said the role of the Cadet Corps could be expanded further to take in troublesome teens on a compulsory basis as an alternative to jail. And he said the young had also been encouraged to play their part in society through a drive to set up youth councils and summits. Mr. Barritt added: "Those who are on the right path -- and there are hundreds of them -- don't necessarily make the news or get the recognition they deserve. But the Youth Council is doing that right now. "They have already come back with some proposals and we are pursuing them.'' The young have also been called to the colours in the fight against drugs through the National Drug Strategy and the Youth to Youth programme. And the number of students placed in Government departments on summer schemes -- which gives them work experience and extra cash to help fund their studies -- has increased from 202 in 1993 to 290 this year, although that was a small proportion of the record 1,115 who registered for the scheme.

Mr. Barrritt added those who had failed to get ahead at school were also getting a new deal with a low-key literacy and maths programme run by retired teachers which started last year at the Angle Street Centre in Pembroke.

Door-to-door inquiries in the area identified a pilot class of ten who needed to improve their skills. Mr. Barritt said: "It has targeted older teenagers who have limited skills and who already hang around the centre.'' PHOTO John Barritt