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White Hill Field

Plans for a multi-purpose sports centre to take the pressure off the National Sports Centre were announced last week as the bulldozers moved in to demolish the dilapidated club house at Somerset Bridge.

With no definite plans for what the new centre will do, no cost estimates and no time scale unveiled some are skeptical about this project.

But El James has hinted money could come from football and cricket's annual grants to help pay for the upgrade.

No cost has yet been publicly attached to this project.

Track and Field masterplan

Before the economic crisis hit Sports Minister El James challenged Track and Field bosses to come up with a new plan to get the sport back on track for London 2012.

The BTFA came up with a strategic plan that included provision for a Technical Director and sport-specific national coaches.

But with cuts needed across the sports budget it remains to be seen whether James can now afford to grant everything on their wish list.

Olympic Swimming Pool

Plans for a 50m pool at the National Centre have been in the pipeline for as long as the Frog Lane facility has been around.

But the minister has made it his pet project and will announce at a press conference on Monday that construction is about to begin. He already estimated costs for the project to be between $16M and $20M.

The timing seems odd given the demand for budget cuts, but James is adamant that the pool can and will be built.

Drug Testing Upgrade

No questions about this one. Bermuda simply has to upgrade its drug testing infrastructure to meet stringent new international regulations.

The new World Anti Doping Association code comes into effect in January 2009 and that means Bermuda needs more testers, more tests and more full-time staff at the Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sports.

The BCDS will probably need at least an additional $500,000 to meet the international standards.

Elite Athletes Programme

A revamp of the funding for elite athletes was highlighted as another of the Sports Minister's priorities when he came into office.

The Bermuda Olympic Association administers the up to $200,000 fund and another $200,000 wouldn't be out of the question.[[In-content Ad]]

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