Sport Minister Dale Butler has taken issue with his Opposition counterpart?s assertion that the motorsport track at Southside is ?unsafe?.

Reacting to shadow minister for his portfolio Jon Brunson?s comments in yesterday?s regarding the lack of proper protective barriers at the venue, Butler told Parliament that, in the original drawings of the race track, ?which were drawn in conjunction with all of the (motorsport) clubs?, no barriers were requested.

He said the barriers now being lobbied for by Brunson and the Bermuda Karting Club ?have come about as a result of the new design of the track, following the election of new officers of that club, after the project was underway?.

Furthermore, he contended that ?designing a motorsport facility is not rocket science nor are there hard and fast rules that would prevent the alteration of the track at any time?.

?The hazard identified by the club can be mitigated by these special safety barriers . . . It can also be addressed by adjusting the lane markings which are painted on the tarmacadam surface, just as is done at other facilities, or indeed, on our roads in Bermuda.

?The current administration?s solution is to acquire additional safety barriers at a cost for which there are no funds,? said Butler in a ministerial statement.

?We would have no objection to their (BKC) acquiring the barriers themselves, however, they have expressed that they would want some use (of) concessions.?

Butler noted that the ministry had asked what BKC?s ?expectations? were, but ?to date we have not heard?.

He also challenged Brunson?s claim that the single lanes of tyres, currently being used as buffers at Southside, were inadequate.

?If tyres are unsafe, why have the clubs used these same tyres at Morgan?s Point where they have raced for many years. We were told that the issue at Morgan?s Point was the inconsistency of the track surface which was concrete. No mention of any tyre issues have arisen until now. I find this very curious.?

Butler queried the foundation of Brunson?s argument and highlighted the fact that ?insurers of the track have issued certificates attesting to the safety of the track before we permitted practice or racing on it?.

?We also have a certificate of insurance by the Government insurers attesting to the safety of our track,? he added, calling on Brunson to substantiate his claim that the track is ?unsafe?.

Regarding BKC?s insistence that they will not commence racing until the plastic, protective barriers are in place, the minister revealed that while the club had not sought a licence from his ministry to race at Southside its members had been practising there since last December.