Hospital patients, who have been without television service since August, may have to wait at least a few more months because of a brewing legal battle.

Local media company Hardell is suing the Bermuda Hospitals Board for what could amount to millions of dollars.

The company alleges that its contract to provide an in-house television service was abruptly ended without good reason after over $500,000 had been spent on equipment and installation charges.

This week, however, hospital CEO, Stephanie Reid, denied that the parties had a contract and said that the Board had been waiting for Hardell to provide the service for some time and no progress had been made.

"Hardell does have a contract and Mrs. Reid knows that," said general manager Corey Butterfield. "To say that we don't have a contract is a nonsense."

Based on correspondence between the two parties obtained by this newspaper, the Hospitals Board takes the view that Hardell was dragging its feet in providing the service and that the contract was still being negotiated.

Late last month they ordered Hardell off the premises after complaining that they had been filming at the hospital without permission.

The company responded by saying that they were on the premises for two minutes being interviewed by Bermuda Broadcasting Company and that Mrs. Reid had originally encouraged them to use the media.

Mr. Butterfield explained that they were asked to speed up delivery of the system when DeFontes Television abruptly took their equipment out of the hospital in August last year upon learning they had lost the contract to supply television services.

According to Mr. Butterfield, the hospital was not able to do some electrical work essential to the installation of their equipment.

"So to blame us for a delay which was caused by their renovation of the Cooper Ward and their failure to put electrical lines in place is unfair."

Mr. Butterfield said that patients would have the choice of 20 channels, including pay-per-view, from their bedsides in time for Cup Match, had they not been kicked off the job last month.

He stressed that a disagreement with CableVision which was originally slated to provide 20 channels to Hardell would not have prevented them from delivering the service on time because they had an alternative supplier.

The agreement to supply the state of the art service was expected to last 8 years, according to Mr. Butterfield.

For $13 a day, with a ten percent commission going to the hospital, patients would have had access to 20 channels including a free healthcare channel.

Hardell, which has been involved in a long running dispute with former Human Affairs Minister Terry Lister, suspects that they are the victim of political discrimination.

Mr. Butterfield lost his job as the Progressive Labour Party's public relations officer in the midst of that well publicised dispute.

Hospital authorities could not be contacted by press-time last night.

"It's my sincere hope that someone steps in and resolve it before we go to court," said Mr. Butterfield. "Because there are only two losers, the Bermuda taxpayer and the patients."