The motorcycle racing season remains in limbo as the governing body and the Sports Ministry continue to try and reach an arrangement over Morgan?s Point.

The season, scheduled to continue until late October, was halted earlier this month after Government told Bermuda Motorycle Racing Club president David Jones it was unsafe to continue racing at the former Southampton Naval Annex

Jones, in turn, described the decision as a ?slap in the face? and accused the Ministry of failing to support his sport, which has now attracted 300 paid-up members ? he was also furious that upward of $5,000 spent on resurfacing corners on the track had now been wasted.

Jones maintains that a verbal agreement was in place to continue racing throughout the summer and into autumn and that Government changed their mind mid-season ? something the Sports Ministry deny.

One of the main stumbling blocks to resuming racing remained the question of insurance and liability, although Jones is convinced that they have a policy ? a $1,000,000 liabiliy policy that covers the club, the Ministry and the Bermuda Land Development Company ? which would allow them to race.

?It is very frustrating,? said Jones.

?All we want to do is get this sorted out so we can get racing again, We have a lot of people getting interested in the sport and we just want to get on with it.

?I am happy we have done what is being asked of us. We have spent a lot of time and money on the facilities at Morgan?s Point and until we get something sorted out for Clearwater, this is our only chance to do what we love.?

But Ministry of Sport Permanent Secretary Dr. Derrick Binns said there were some questions still to be answered on the insurance and liability issue although claimed he was working hard to reach a solution.

?There are things that still need to be sorted out and we have communicated those to the club,? he told

?We are doing what we can to help and we are keen for them to race if we are satisfied that all the safety requirements have been met.

?We are also working hard on the Clearwater site ? I even spoke with someone from the Ministry earlier this week about it.?

He added that he would be ?very disappointed? if the Motor Sport Park at Clearwater was not open for racing by May 2005 ? the start of the next racing season.

Sports Minister Dale Butler added: ?We do everything we can to help sports on the Island but we cannot break the law. If something was to happen up there, people would say ?but the Government said it was okay for them to race?.

?Of course we are committed to helping sports? governing bodies but we have to keep safety and the front of our minds at all times. The department is working hard to come to a solution to this problem.?

The Bermuda Motorycle Racing Club are holding an urgent meeting at BIU on Wednesday, August 4 at 7 p.m. to discuss the situation.