be rewarded with increased Government grants, sports minister John Barritt has hinted.

And cricket could be top of the list for future investment following the re-introduction of youth leagues this summer, he revealed.

"I would like to see an increase. I would like to see it particularly in sports that have very good active, promising programmes for our youth because that is where I think we have to be focusing...it's the wiser end of the investment,'' said Mr Barritt.

He was responding to questions raised by the recent release of the sports grant allocation table. That showed soccer as the top sport for participation followed by golf, sailing, tennis, softball and cricket.

The breakdown of the table revealed the Bermuda Football Association as the main beneficiary of Government cash, receiving a total of $150,000 for soccer.

Cricket was second with $118,500 despite being ranked a lowly sixth behind golf, sailing, tennis and softball. The latter didn't request a grant.

But Barritt said participation was only one factor in the equation.

"We also have to look at the needs,'' he said. "That gets you looking at the cost of equipment and what the needs are of a sport in any particular year.

"There's no question that cricket is also a popular spectator sport in the country. This was proved as recently as last Sunday when I went down to Lord's to see the TBI Champion of Champions final. There was a good crowd despite the fact that it was the end of the season for cricket.'' He added: "We don't need to suggest that participation is the be all and end all because if we did that some sports wouldn't get anything.'' He pointed to bowling as an example and the silver medals that Bermuda won at the Commonwealth Games through Antoine Jones and Conrad Lister.

"I am sure that the bowlers will say, `look, you see this is what we can do on the world stage,' and they have every right to be proud of their accomplishment -- as should all of Bermuda.'' Golf was a sport that the minister reckoned could be placed in a special category because while getting a grant of $36,160, it was also promoted by Government as a tourism-oriented sport.

"Look at the three public courses and the condition that they are in, and I mean that in a positive way,'' he said.

But he added: "I want to take a closer look at cricket in particular, and I will say why. The Bermuda Cricket Board of Control started their youth programme up again this year thanks to the sponsorship of companies such as Shell, BFM and Barritt's.

"I have had the occasion to watch a couple of matches and I was impressed with what it offers these young people. It means that if more money is required to get more young people into cricket, that is definitely money well spent.'' However, the minister cautioned that there was no excessive amount available for Government to make major increases even where warranted because a lot was being spent on the National Sports Centre.

"That's going to be a big commitment for the next three years and beyond.

That's where we are putting some of our eggs, but yes, I would like to see an increase in some grants.

"I have already said that about the elite assistance fund. That is something that we have to take a look at because some of our athletes are reaching a level where they need to compete on the world stage, as Brian Wellman has shown,'' he said.

In those cases, he said: "You have to be at it full time. It's not a question of being something you just do on a weekend, it's a life-style decision, it becomes a vocation and we have to look at the funding, what we have put aside for it and the basis upon which we make those funds available. For example, whether it can be extended to other things to include coaches and fitness training.'' GRANT ALLOCATION TABLE, TOP 10 Soccer $150,000 (ranked 1) Cricket $118,500 (6) Sailing $100,000 (3) Swimming $45,000 (15) Track and field 42,000 (9) Golf $36,160 (2) Gymnastics $27,000 (14) Tennis $26,400 (4) Squash $25,000 (11) Equestrian $16,700 All others receive $12,000 or less SPORTS SP