Some indication of how Government wish to deal with the long-running saga of the National Sport Centre?s controversial cricket square could become clear within ?four to six weeks? according to Dale Butler.

And the Sports Minister has also rejected suggestions that nothing of any great substance has been done in the two years since the pitches began to deteriorate or that a significant portion of their $11 million investment was being squandered by having to continually send the national team abroad to play.

Bermuda is the only country in the World Cup next year which does not possess a ground capable of hosting international cricket, with International Cricket Council pitch expert Andy Atkinson once describing the soil quality of the NSC square as not even fit ?for growing carrots?.

The extended delay in sorting out the mess centres around the fact that no local soil has been deemed of a good enough quality to cope with the rigours of top-class cricket ? while the importation of foreign soil is banned in Bermuda because of various environmental concerns.

The Environment Ministry are reportedly compiling a study of how other countries with similar restrictions have dealt with the issue ? although when contacted two weeks ago, NSC Trustees chairman Gerard Bean said he had ?no idea? that such a report was being completed.

And the Ministry itself has refused to comment on their work.

Butler, however, insists there is a report in the making and it will be submitted to Cabinet within the next two months.

?We have to make sure we consider all the options,? he said, making no apologies for the time the process has taken.

?It would be irresponsible of us not to do so and unfortunately that takes time. The Ministry of the Environment is actively working on this I can assure you. They are talking to other countries, especially in the Caribbean, to see how they have got round similar problems, but it seems that every time we speak to one country, they advise us to talk to somebody else as well.

?Everybody in the community, especially the farmers, have got to be absolutely sure that we have left no stone unturned in researching this.

?If we rushed it and some unforeseen circumstance came up later, we would be criticised for that as well ? so we feel that the best option is to take our time and make sure we get it right.

?Some people might think it?s a travesty that Bermuda cannot play any home games or that we?re wasting money having to send the team overseas the whole time.

?But we knew when the decision was made to invest the $11 million that this would most likely be the case ? so we are not squandering the money because it was handed over precisely for that purpose.

?All of us want a venue where Bermuda can play cricket, but as the Government we have to look at the broad picture to try and come up with a solution which is in the best interests of everybody. And I?m afraid this is not going to happen overnight.?