Government offered to assist Somerset Bridge Recreation Club in paying off considerable debts two years ago.

It was revealed yesterday that Sports Minister Dale Butler formed a committee ? headed by former PLP MP Walter Roberts ? to help the Sandys parish club meet financial obligations after it fell upon hard times.

However, the committee?s involvement came to an abrupt halt after efforts to obtain the club?s financial records were repeatedly met with reluctance from Bridge officials who had provisionally agreed to collaborate.

?The committee eventually reported back to the Minister that their efforts to obtain information that would be relevant to the club?s rescue operation was not as forthcoming as it might have been,? stated Director of Youth and Sports Brenton Roberts.

?They (committee) felt very frustrated that the club was not sharing with them the important things they needed to know in order to right the ship. And most importantly I think it had to do with the financial assessment of the club by the committee the Minister put in place and this was in response to the club coming to us indicating they were experiencing some difficulties and asking could the Ministry help.?

A similar collaboration involving the Ministry and another local club which had encountered financial challenges proved to be highly successful, Roberts said.

?When they (Somerset Bridge) first approached us two years ago we were very sympathetic and so we put a structure in place to assist them as we had previously done with another club which was very successful and resulted in the club making a considerable profit,? Roberts added.

?We had put in place a similar structure to assist this Somerset Bridge but their efforts were not forthcoming with the committee who were frustrated. Without the financial information they could not plan anything.?

Now with Bridge?s future remaining uncertain, Roberts said: ?Maybe now the club will be prepared to release its financial information. But until that is done we can?t do anything unless there?s co-operation and collaboration between the two entities.

?The Minister put in a structure to assist Somerset Bridge Recreation Club to right its debts at that time. A writ has now been filed and I guess if they are found to be in default then serious consequences could take place.

?I don?t know what it?s going to take to rescue the operation at this point in time, and certainly the club have not been back to us. But at the end of the day we are all held accountable and all have to pay our debts.

?This is the only club that I know of that is in such serious arrears financially that action has been taken against them. This maybe historic even because I don?t ever recall a club being threatened or having action taken against them before the courts for failure to pay its debts.

?And while I am sympathetic to the club it can?t be said the department didn?t attempt a rescue mission for that particular club which, had they been co-operative then, might have been in a reverse position today.?

Bridge vice-president Marc Bean has taken full responsibility for his club?s past administrative shortcomings.

Bean was among three new executives elected to administrative positions at the club during an interim AGM held last June ? the first AGM in over a decade.

?We inherited a club in dire straits and one which had not had an AGM in over 15 years,? he told ?It was just the highest degree of mediocrity and mismanagement and so the taxes and debt that has accrued over that time period we have had to inherit.?

Bean said the club?s new treasurer, Trevor Bailey, was currently in the process of preparing a financial statement.

?When you talk about our past performance over the last 20 years, first of all in order to have accurate statements you must have accurate information and a lot of the financial activities in the club were not managed properly. And that could be through misappropriation of funds, a lack of internal control on the finances or just a total lack of administrative structure.

?I readily admit we haven?t had financial statements but we can produce one now as to where we are in terms of our assets and liabilities. We were unconstitutional for at least 15 to 20 years and so we were in dire straits for many years. We inherited a culture of mediocrity that took many years to manifest itself and so it?s going to take us more time to dig ourselves out of the hole.

?Therefore, I think it?s very important for us to accept the position we are in with the knowledge that we are looking to progress and change. And this is going to require co-operation and a partnership between the workmen?s clubs and Government which I think both are willing to embrace.

?Yes, we are in arrears. But we are also willing to work over the long-term to reduce the debt and then develop the club. That is now our intention.?