The One Bermuda Alliance has taken issue with the Government’s claim that the new Aquatics Centre would be “completed on time and on budget” by next spring.Anthony Francis, the OBA’s Devonshire North Central candidate in the upcoming election, said yesterday that the estimated $20 million facility represented a cost overrun of more than 33 percent from its initial $15 million estimate.But Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney accused the Opposition of obstructing and “attacking the PLP whenever we invest in our people”.“The announcement yesterday by Government Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney that the much-awaited Aquatics Centre being built on the concourse of the National Sports Centre should finally be ready to host events next spring is welcome news,” Francis said in a statement.“However, the Government’s promise that the project would be completed ’on time and on budget’ has not been met. Government’s original $15 million budget for the pool was revised upward to $16.2 million and the project now appears to be coming in at a cost of $20 million.”Added Francis: “So, far from being delivered “on time and on budget”, Government has presided over an additional capital project cost overrun this time to the tune of $5 million and the opening has been delayed. It is our understanding that the pool will be filled with water in January, and then will undergo testing with a view to being operational in April. We hope that the testing does not uncover any problems.“The Aquatic Centre must be ready to host the aquatic events at next July’s Island Games hosted by Bermuda. The awaited completion of the Aquatic Centre, however, does raise additional questions that we call on the Minister to answer. We believe the people of Bermuda deserve to know what both the projections for cost and for revenue are for running this facility.“The Minister has indicated that this will be a community pool and that it ‘is not intended that it become exclusively the domain of elite athletes’, which highlights the requirement for constant upkeep. We are concerned that the facility’s monthly operating costs will far exceed the monthly revenue it generates, and we are asking the Minister to tell us what plans there are to pay for that shortfall and who those plans involve.”Blakeney, the PLP candidate for Devonshire North Central, Constituency 13, questioned the timing of the OBA’s statement. “Given their track record, we are not surprised that their candidate would criticise the Aquatic Centre now,” said the Minister.“In the not too distant future, after the real benefits of this facility are realised, the OBA will then say that not only was this a good investment, but that they had always supported its construction."This investment in Bermuda is going to pay off. It's going to pay off in sports tourism. It's going to pay off for the development of our young athletes and it will pay off for the people of Bermuda.“Here are the facts: The construction of the Aquatics Centre facility is NOT a Government construction project. The National Sports Centre is managed by a Board of Trustees who are appointed by the Minister, drawn from a broad spectrum of the community, including International Business, Banking, former athletes and professionals. The Government allocates specific grants to the Board to develop the Aquatics Centre, and the Board takes it from there.”Francis further questioned what the monthly operating costs, including electricity, staff and maintenance, will be and called on the Minister to say who will manage the facility.“We understand that a chief executive officer has been hired from overseas on a two-year contract that is to begin in January,” said Francis who said the OBA is aware of several qualified Bermudians. “The public should be informed about the cost of hiring this individual, including salary and any costs of relocation.”Blakeney responded: “The Board has retained the services of an internationally renowned aquatic facilities expert, to assist with the formation of development and implementation of systems, aquatic programmes and policies specifically designed to international standards for the safe and efficient management of this world class facility.”Government have not named that expert but Canadian sports consultant Bernie Asbell has declared himself as CEO of the facility as of this month.He has been assisting with the project since work began.Asbell has helped develop similar-style centres in North America, the Caribbean and Australia.Blakeney has stressed there were no overruns on the Aquatics Centre project and that the delay in the opening was the result of a belated requirement from Belco for a new electrical substation to ensure that once the pool in functioning that there is adequate and reliable supply of electricity for the entire Prospect area.“Were it not for that, the pool would be filled and functioning now,” the Minister assured.