Government has put the brakes on motorcycle racing in Bermuda and cast serious doubts over the provision of a purpose built venue for sport, the Royal Gazette can reveal.

In a stinging letter from Minister of Youth, Sport and Recreation, Dennis Lister, to Bermuda Motorcycle Racing Club president, David Jones - obtained by The Gazette from an unconnected source - Government condemns a decision to move last week's racing from an authorised site at Clearwater Beach to the club's former venue at Southside, St David's, without permission.

That would appear to have been the last straw for the Minister, whose two page missive alleges the club has "consistently" failed to comply with terms and conditions laid down leading to a "loss of confidence in its leadership".

President Jones did not want to comment personally ahead of a face-to-face meeting with Government, planned for today.

However, club vice-president Grant Goudge, who is also president of the Bermuda Association of Motorcyclists, the governing body for motorcycling and motocross on the Island, did issue a brief statement saying the BMRC had been at fault and both he and Jones would step down from the club's executive if requested.

In the letter, sent on October 25, Lister said the BMRC had violated both the terms and spirit of a joint meeting and subsequent agreement of the conditions of racing at Clearwater which was held on September 12, 2001.

"Your club and the (Bermuda) Karting Club agreed to to these conditions. The unilateral decision and action of your club has seriously breached these conditions and has raised grave concerns as to whether the Government can continue to work with your organisation to effect the provision of a permanent racing facility for all motor sports at Southside, St David's," Lister stated.

Goverment met to discuss the issue on Thursday and concluded that the club's actions violated the agreement and also placed the riders "at considerable risk" as Southside was a construction site.

"It is also of grave concern that your club's racing insurance policy, paid by Government by way of a grant to your organisation, may also be compromised by the decision of your club," Lister wrote.

"Further, Government has formed the view that your club's frequent breaches of our mutual understandings over the short history of your sport undermines its confidence in the leadership of your organisation and the risk exposure such unilateral decisions places upon your members.

"Therefore, the Government has today suspended the use of the interim racing facility at Clearwater Beach to the Bermuda Motorcycle Racing Club until such time as it is satisfied that the said club is able and willing to comply with such directives and agreements effecting the use of this facility."

While not wishing to go into detail, Goudge admitted the club had made a mistake. But he said the decision had been taken because the number of riders in one particular class was so large it was deemed a safety risk to race at the smaller Clearwater site.

He said: "The club admits they were totally in the wrong to use the facility without permission.

"Membership, if requested by the Ministry of Youth and Sport, will ask the individuals responsible for making that decision to step down."

Goudge said, though regrettable, if it was for the good of the sport in the long term that would be a decision he would accept.

Although the Government move effectively stops the new season in its tracks, it is the threat of a halt to talks regarding a purpose-built arena that will cause the club most concern.

After being shunted between Southside and Clearwater last year, the BMRC had high hopes of having a place they could call home sometime in the future.

Such a track would enable the club to accommodate its booming membership in safety and also allow them to invite overseas riders and stage high profile events.

It would seem that all that is now up in the air.

Neither Minister Lister, nor Brenton Roberts, Director of Youth and Sport, returned calls left with their office yesterday.