RECORDS, we know, are made to be broken.

In Bermuda where the random and often inaccurate method in which records are kept, it's sometimes difficult for athletes to know exactly what they're aiming for.

That's why this week's announcement by Sports Minister El James that his Ministry were in the process of establishing a comprehensive National Sports Records database encompassing all sports is so important.

He revealed the decision at a press conference on Wednesday during which time he honoured all those youngsters who established new marks at the recent Carifta track and field and Carifta swimming championships.

With the greatest respect to both of those sports and to the young athletes who, quite rightly, were singled out, can we really be sure that the recent performances in the Caribbean represented new records?

Such has been the haphazard manner in which records have been kept, it's difficult to know whether they were accurate.

As far as this newspaper is concerned, the media and therefore the majority of the public have never had access to a full list of verified records for either age-group or senior competitors in either track and field or swimming.

Nor do we know when the governing bodies actually began documenting what they considered best performances.

That's not to suggest that a list of official records doesn't exist.

This suspicion probably applies to just about every sport on the Island.

Our two national sports, governed by Bermuda Football Association and Bermuda Cricket Board, might be the worst offfenders.

While they make a point of sending out a revised schedule almost on a weekly basis, they struggle to maintain league tables, let alone compile other statistics, such as leading goalscorers, highest run-getters, highest wicket-takers and so on.

In sports such as track and field and swimming, a distinction has to be made between hand-timing and electric timing.

With so many of the athletes competing at colleges overseas, are we keeping track of their accomplishments?

Hopefully, the new database will eliminate some of these problems, and officials responsible for updating it, will ensure that when records are submitted for inclusion, they have been ratified in the correct manner.

Minister James should be commended for this new, albeit long overdue, initiative.

Now it's his responsibility to make sure that the system works.

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GOOD news on the golf front this week.

Multi-million dollar renovations to Port Royal are apparently running smoothly, plans are in the pipeline for another championship course to accompany a five-star hotel at Morgan's Point, and Premier Brown is no doubt enjoying himself at the Masters where negotiations with US PGA officials could ensure that the prestigious Grand Slam will be held in Bermuda up until at least 2010.

The long-term plan, we're told, is to transform the Island into a world class golf destination.

But hang on, isn't that what the Tourism Department have been telling their customers, without too much success, for the last 50 years.

Even if Port Royal is restored to its former glory, and a new course capable of hosting Tour tournaments is built at Morgan's Point, will we still be capable of competing with the likes of Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, Arizona, Florida, even Scotland and Ireland as a viable golf destination?

The success of their resorts hasn't been built on just the quality of their courses, but by affordage packages and immaculate service.

That's an area we might want to concentrate on before advertisting ourselves as a world class golf resort.

- ADRIAN ROBSON