The Shadow Sports Minister sung a popular reggae tune after her counterpart proved his Government allocated more money to sports in one year than the previous Government did in four.

The Opposition's choice of song? `It Wasn't Me.' Patricia Pamplin-Gordon , United Bermuda Party (UBP) Shadow Sports Minister, threw up her arms after Progressive Labour Party (PLP) Sports Minister Dennis Lister pulled out figures substantiating his claim the previous Government spent approximately $275,000 in a combined four years while PLP spent $300,000 in one.

Mrs. Pamplin-Gordon called several PLP projects "laudable'' but refused to concede her position that they were failing athletes.

She levelled allegations that Government was concentrating on "brick and mortar'' issues -- such as the National Stadium facility -- rather than paying attention to the athletic programmes.

"We spent $6 million dollars on a hole in the wall and that was a (racing) track. And now it's $19 million and all it is, is a stand!'' She said when the UBP spent $6 million on the National Stadium project, while people needed houses, they were criticised for focusing on the "brick and mortar''.

"We have to be sure that we fund our athletes accordingly. The funding is still inadequate, it was inadequate -- it will always be inadequate.

"I had to sit down and wonder what we felt a sense of pride in (while watching the Under-17 tournament). I think it was most important to recognise that those players wouldn't have reached that level of excellence without a level of funding.

"I don't believe any other countries' athletes are genetically superior to our own. It's got to be we're not putting in the right programmes.

"We depend on the benevolence of the business community and that may be okay but there's going to come a time when some of the benevolence won't be there anymore.

"They will have a wonderful facility, brick and mortar, but if it will not regard the people who are using that facility -- then we have failed.

"We are not showing them the level of commitment. It needs fixing and it needs fixing now.'' She claimed that Government's sports budget has shown little increase to keep up with the factors like inflation of fuel prices.

"The sporting organisation will not be able to offer the same services as last year. Who suffers in the end has got to be the athletes.'' Ministry of Youth, Sport & Recreation 1998/99 estimates Ministry responsibility: To promote and support leisure and sporting activities in Bermuda.

Budget estimate: $6,582,000 (last year $5,877,000) Revenue: Youth, Sport & Recreation $860,000 Budget allocations Youth, Sport & Recreation $6,582,000 Capital Expenditure Acquisitions $0 Development $6,050,000