at Southampton was postponed yesterday to the consternation of members of the Bermuda Karting Association. President of the Karting Association, Mr. Ronnie Wallington, said the cause of the postponement was lack of communication between the Base commander and the Navy commander in charge of public works.

Yesterday The Royal Gazette reported that a sound check would take place. The information was based on an interview with The Bermuda Auto Cycle Union President Ras Mykkal.

Mr. Wallington said that Base Commander Capt. Tim Bryan apparently knew nothing about the planned sound test. After only learning about it through a newspaper article on the same day it was scheduled to occur, he refused to let it go ahead, Mr. Wallington said.

"If that is true then I am glad he found out that way rather than our being there,'' said Mr. Mykkal.

The test were supposed to determine noise levels in and around the neighbouring area.

Mr. Wallington said that members of various other groups including the Bermuda Motocross Association and the Karting Association were meeting with Government in hopes of getting the rights to use the land once the US Navy hands it over.

" The Royal Gazette and the Bermuda Broadcasting Company were invited to view the test,'' He said.

A Government spokesmen said that Director of Youth and Sport, Mr. Anthony Roberts, was also invited to view the test but he declined.

Mr. John Madeiros, whose son Shane Robinson Madeiros wrote a letter to The Royal Gazette asking for help in getting back the track used by the Karting Association, was extremely upset about the situation.

"These kids are very disappointed -- they were roaring to go down and do some racing and now this happens,'' he said.

Government has had various proposals for the property including a plan to turn the area into a golf course.

To date Management and Technology Minister, the Hon. Grant Gibbons, has denied any decision has been made with regard to the Base.

In the meantime, Mr. Wallington said he hoped to reschedule the test for the near future.

Departments which must be accessible to the public -- like Social Services and Planning -- must remain in Hamilton and cannot be moved to St. David's.

Accessibility "would present a challenge to us'', if a move was made to St.

David's, Dr. Robinson said. "A lot of our communications are through school meetings with principals.'' While meetings with East End principals would be made easier, talks with West End principals would become more difficult.

Management and Technology Minister the Hon. Grant Gibbons said the Education Ministry was "certainly interested in seriously exploring the possibility of moving a good portion of their operation'' to the Base.

"It's a bit premature to say they will go, or where they will go to,'' Dr.

Gibbons said.

The Minister said he wanted to get "the broader plan agreed to internally'' first.