Young athletes need to be shielded from drugs in order to compete internationally for Bermuda in the long run.

Speaking at his fifth town hall meeting, would be Premier Terry Lister spoke about culture and sport at St. Anne's Church Hall in Southampton last night.

MPs Dennis Lister, Wayne Perinchief, Randy Horton and former MP Phil Perinchief were in attendance along with a crowd of about 50 people.

Mr. Lister said Bermuda's youngsters can "hold their own" at international competitions but the fire seems to die when they hit the senior level.

"We should be making a superb effort to make sure that someone who is highly rated at 14 and when they turn 18, they're not out there kicking stones", he said.

Mr. Lister said: "The elephant in the room with sports is drugs.

"What we have to do is be able to identify these really talented young athletes and have sone adult take responsibility for these young girls and boys.

"It's unrealistic to say we're going to save everyone from drugs today."

Speaking on the prevalent use of marijuana at football games, Mr. Lister said he noticed it when he moved back to the Island in 1980.

"It wasn't the BFA. It wasn't the Police. It was all of us. That drug culture is common place in Bermuda. Let's not say we're going to stamp out all of the drugs. Let's say we're going to save our athletes."

As for how to improve sport, Mr. Lister said a national sporting arena could help to build national pride.

He also suggested a Government database for sport.

"This database will contain information about the athletes, the clubs, and the sporting bodies. The information about the athlete will include her Bermuda and world ranking as well as the names of her coaches.

"The club information should include a compressive list of qualified coaches as well as a comprehensive list of camps and programs run each year.

"The use of the database will assist in identifying athletes to be sponsored as well as showing the areas of weakness that need to be eliminated."

He also spoke on the idea of sports tourism.

"Many professional teams have pre season training at offshore locations as well as end of season trips as a reward.

"I'm sure many of us can remember back to Clyde Best playing at the National Stadium in a West Ham versus Manchester United match.

"What a treat for us, what a holiday for the great players of those two fine teams.

"These training or exhibition exercises need training facilities, dedicated transport arrangements, group housing, catering. Bermuda can meet these needs and should encourage sports tourism entrepreneurs to bid on any tendered projects.

"These endeavours should be joint efforts between the Sports and Tourism Ministries as the goals should include bringing tourists and giving Bermuda athletes an opportunity to impress overseas teams."

Another idea would be ensuring that Government-funded sporting bodies complied with drug testing before given any funding. Mr. Lister also said he would support the development preparation of athletes for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

Mr. Lister also spoke about culture and how Bermudians need a bigger sense of it.

"Bermudians are facing problems of a magnitude never before seen in our island. Spiralling crime, national debt, the economy, tourism to name but a few.

"These stormy times make it all the more vital for us to maintain connections with each other within and across generations.

"It is vital that we have a sense of self, of identity that will help us weather these crises. It is vital that we look at ourselves and see one people — Bermudians."

He said if elected as Premier, he would provide more financial support for the Bermuda Arts Council and ensure that Bermudian musicians get more recognition.

"Culture is dynamic, it is not static. It moves, lives, breathes, yes and in some instances, hides. But it never dies. It has been said that you can't kill culture. It may not always be recognisable to us, but it's there."