NO surprises this week that the National Sports Centre trustees have come under fire from an environmental group for the way they intend to construct an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Government and the trustees have done little to complete the Centre ever since the first brick was laid in the last century.

And in many ways it has become a white elephant, purely because neither of the Island's national sports, let alone other sports, can afford to either train or play there.

But the trustees' handling of the proposed new pool just about takes the biscuit.

They have refused to take advice from the sports' governing body, Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) who, one would think, know an awful lot more about the building of pools than anybody else on the Island, given that their officials and swimmers have travelled all over the world, including taking trips to the Olympic, Commonwealth and Pan-Am Games where they will have observed which pools work best and would be suitable for Bermuda.

Apparently the trustees know better and are recommending that Government pay more for a less efficient facility and would cost more to run.

There was an even bizarre suggestion some time ago that a water slide be built for recreational use!

And now, rather than build a separate diving pool they want to incorporate that within the main pool. Where else in the world would that happen if the country wanted to provide a facility that meets international standards.

It makes one think whether they have taken a scrap of notice of how other nations, small or large, tackle this kind of project.

Now, quite rightly, Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce (BEST) have challenged the trustees for not heeding the advice of BASA who had recommended that a stainless steel pool be installed rather than tile and concrete, the type of which is now virtually outdated.

Reportedly BASA told the trustees there were design flaws in the proposed project.

The governing body made that recommendation because the 'Myrtha' pool they want is the standard set by the Olympics and is more energy efficient.

But the trustees want a pool that will cost more to maintain – another drain on taxpayers' money.

The trustees were given $15 million to start the project . . . and now they want to spend a lot more.

Isn't that typical of the way this country is run? Take advice from foreign consultants, who cost a fortune to hire and often don't have a clue about what they're supposed to be recommending, and completely ignore the local experts.

What the trustees seem to be proposing isn't much better than the current facility at Saltus where the majority of local meets are held.

The new pool BASA want would cost the country $4.58 million compared to the $7.5 million needed to build the less efficient concrete pool the trustees want.

Now the facts have been made public, will the trustees heed BASA and BEST's advice?

Take a wild guess!

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A NEW cricket season begins this weekend with all too familiar problems.

Pitches unprepared and a schedule that has already had to be changed following the imminent withdrawal of the Under-19 team who in turn had replaced Police who had been disbanded in the off season.

Already a First Division match at Bailey's Bay tomorrow between Cleveland and Somerset Bridge has been postponed because the pitch isn't ready.

Yet Sea Breeze Oval is one of the few grounds where football wasn't played in the winter.

So why on earth is their pitch not prepared and ready for the start of the season?

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FORMER Female Athlete of the Year Flora Duffy was all but written off after a string of disappointing triathlon results a couple of years' ago.

But as she showed last weekend she never considered throwing in the towel.

A fourth place finish in the criterium at the NCAA national cycling championships was testament to her determination and desire to realise the potential she first showed with a top ten performance in triathlon at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne where she was the youngest competitor in the field.

What followed was a string of impressive finishes on the world stage before her form suddenly spiralled in the wrong direction, culminating with a disappointing showing at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

Since then Duffy had all but disappeared off the radar . . . until last weekend.

At the University of Colorado in Boulder she's made huge strides to revive her sporting career. Her enthusiasm has returned and complemented by a rigorous training regime, she has given herself a chance to realise her sporting dreams . . . to the point that she can choose between cycling or triathlon.

It's the same choice that Tyler Butterfield faced before he moved from triathlon to cycling and eventually back to triathlon where he's now considered one of the best in the world.

If Duffy can emulate his success, it will be no more than she deserves – a reward for the perseverance that has put her career back on track.

– ADRIAN ROBSON