Without wanting to pre-judge Tim Smith, it would appear he's got an awful lot of homework to study before he can adequately fill the shoes left by outgoing Sports Minister Pam Gordon.

Bermuda Autocycle Union president Ras Mykkal echoed the sentiments of many other sporting organisations when he was quoted in yesterday's Gazette as saying: "If it ain't broke, why fix it?'' Good question.

For while Government appears to be in utter turmoil, if there's one of its departments that has risen above the mayhem of recent months, it's the Sports Ministry. And that has much, if not everything, to do with the Minister herself.

For years, until the refreshing appearance of Pam Gordon, Government had seemingly used the Youth and Sports Ministry as a dumping ground. It was a low priority ministry, headed by MPs who sometimes appeared to know little, and care even less about recreation in Bermuda.

Now, all of a sudden, our Premier is calling it one of Government's two most important ministries. If that's the case why rid it of a Minister who has enjoyed outstanding success, who genuinely cares about the welfare of our athletes, who rarely misses a major sporting event involving Bermudians, and who frequently travels the world encouraging and offering support to our sporting ambassadors.

On the domestic front, Gordon has worked hard and diligently to address the concerns of our sportsmen and sportswomen. She might not always have achieved the results desired -- particularly when dealing with the likes of the BFA and BCBC -- but she's displayed a innate passion for sport, which has been lacking in so many previous Sports Ministers.

While as a civil servant, Director of Sport Brenton Roberts would never admit as much, one suspects he's deeply saddened by the latest turn of events. Can Tim Smith carry on the good work? Only time will tell.

But to "dump'' him in the Sports Ministry because of his recent House of Assembly "faux pas'' and elbow Pam Gordon into another portfolio when she admits she would have rather stayed put, simply makes no sense.

As a sportsman himself -- he's a talented road runner and former Bermuda 10 mile champion -- Dr.Saul is acutely aware of the high profile sports activities command on this Island.

A large number of Gazette readers will admit that after glancing across the front page, they immediately turn inside to get their daily diet of sport.

That's not so much a reflection of these pages, but a reflection of how seriously Bermudians follow sports.

Pam Gordon says her `heart' is still in Youth and Sport.

What a pity more of her colleagues don't have their heart in the same place.

The Ministry's loss is ultimately Bermuda's loss.

Before it's too late, Dr. Saul might like to poll a few of Bermuda's major sporting clubs and organisations and determine for himself whether his latest Cabinet shuffle makes tactical sense.

Many of us could tell him the answer right now.

SPORT FOR ALL -- Outgoing Sports Minister Pam Gordon pictured earlier this year at the popular youth baseball programme held on the former US Naval Base in St. David's.