Sports Minister Dale Butler has called for greater ?leadership and vision? at Bermuda?s 25 sporting clubs, the obvious decline of which over the last two decades is considered by many to be the main hindrance to the development of the Island?s national sports.

At a luncheon with most of the Island?s sports media this week, Butler also admitted that he was ?concerned? with the amount of money allocated to sport in the national budget, revealing that he is constantly forced to turn away sport?s administrators with ?excellent ideas? because of a lack of financing.

But through a number of initiatives, such as the formation of a National Sports Foundation and of a Workingmen?s Club Commission, the latter to be established ?no later than the end of February,? the minister said he was determined ?to do something about it.?

?I had anticipated by the time I returned to the Island in 1976 that workmans clubs would by now have spas and gyms and be proper community centres,? he said, conceding also that he was disturbed by the fact that must clubs rely on the sale of alcohol during sports events simply to survive.

?All of my predecessors have tried various ways to deal with this issue and I commend (former) Minister (Randy) Horton and Minister Lister for their efforts in this regard. We have been hoping for some time that we could meet regularly with clubs and they would get on board, open their books to us, so that they can develop and progress.

?Again, leadership and having a vision is important ? clubs making sure the right people are in place to motivate everybody into action. I?m not sure this has really happened.?

Butler urged all clubs to play their part in the commission, stressing that those who remained idle would not get a share of the ?gravy.?

?Those that do participate will get gravy and a little chicken on their rice,? he said. ?It is as simple as that. Even if it is just one club which says ?yes, here are our books, here are our short and long term ambitions and needs?, we will work with that club.?

To illustrate his point, Butler highlighted the relationship established between Horton?s sports ministry and PHC, who in return for their ?openness, organisation and co-operation? were rewarded with a grant of $75,000 per annum over a four-year period with which to renovate their facilities.

On the subject of funding, meanwhile, Butler admitted that the likelihood of securing any additional money from Government coffers was ?unlikely? and in the circumstances his ministry has been forced to adopt an ?imaginative? approach.

?Given Fabian, given the Island?s housing needs and a variety of other social issues such as senior citizens pensions and homes, there is not going to be much left over when none of us want to see our tax base increase,? he said. ?It is difficult job determining just how much money to give the different sporting associations, especially given the last budget where we received no new money. It will be difficult for those groups that have come up with additional programmes to get additional funding ? that is the reality of the situation.

?I might have to go back to (The Department of) finance,? he continued,? to see if the Government coffers can be stretched a little bit more ? especially with the World Cup qualifiers coming up as well as the Americas Cup in cricket and the Bermuda Open Squash.?

He admitted that once again Bermudian sport would be relying on the ?ever-willing? corporate community to ?step up to the plate? and he believes that this is where the work of a National Sports Foundation, which will co-ordinate corporate lobbying across all sports, will come into it?s own.

?Corporate Bermuda is very keen on helping once you have presented to them what your goals are,? he said.

?But they want to see things in black and white and they want to know that the organisation that they are helping is on solid ground ? and that is where the National Sports Foundation will be looking to work.

?Corporate Bermuda does and will continue to play an important part in what we do ? and so they should, because they do benefit significantly from being in Bermuda in numerous ways.?