Government and the Opposition were in agreement on Friday that Bermuda has excellent telecommunications.

Management and Technology Minister the Hon. Grant Gibbons and Progressive Labour Party Shadow Mr. Walter Lister also agreed that in order to keep things that way, the Country should tread carefully in allowing competition in the sector.

Dr. Gibbons opened the debate by outlining some of the studies conducted by Management Services in the past year. A short study of Legal Aid had led to its transfer to the judiciary from Social Services. Now, a more involved study was looking at other ways that Legal Aid could be enhanced.

A study of Probation Services was looking at better ways to get a handle on case loads.

And a "very comprehensive'' study of the Bermuda Fire Service was looking at issues that had been outstanding for years, like the Code of Discipline and restructuring of the non-commissioned officers ranks.

The report, which in many ways represented "a consensus,'' had been shared with management and firefighters, as well as the Ministry of Delegated Affairs. Recommendations would soon be coming forward.

Dr. Gibbons said another Management Services study would lead to prosecutions in Magistrates' Court being transferred to the Attorney General's Chambers from the Police.

Not only would this create opportunities for young Bermudians, but "eliminate what many saw as a difficult position for Police, acting as judge and jury, and, if you like, executioner as well,'' Dr. Gibbons said.

A software system called the Criminal Justice Information System was being developed, to link the Transport Control Department, the AG's Chambers, the courts, Police, and Probation Services, and "make the over-all system much more efficient.'' The computer system would give Police a much quicker idea of whether a vehicle was properly licensed and make the same information much more accessible to the AG's Chambers and the courts. There would also be software to help with social inquiry reports and track case loads.

The recommendations of a Family Court study had been implemented, and the new court opened on February 14. An extra Magistrate and social worker had been added. The delay for a case to get to court had been cut to two months from six months, and the collection rate for maintenance orders had improved to 60 percent.

As Bermuda prepares to take over its Airport from the US Navy, Management Services had also been heavily involved in setting up the new Department of Air Operations and the revamped Department of Civil Aviation, Dr. Gibbons said.

A study of the Tax Commissioner's office led to the transfer of land tax and three people to the Tax Commissioner from the Accountant General to improve efficiency.

And a study in the schools had resulted in recommendations to include clerical support, both in human and technological terms.

Management Services had also been looking at "pledges of service,'' Dr.

Gibbons said. "Hopefully within the next few months we'll be coming forward with pledges of service in a dozen different areas to help the public understand the different types of service available from Government and Government's commitment to provide better standards of service...certainly guaranteed minimums.'' Another study was looking at what Government departments might benefit from a move from Hamilton to the Base lands returning to Bermuda.

Mr. Lister said it was regrettable that Government had not accepted the Opposition's offer to sit on all the committees involved in planning the takeover of the Bases.

And it was too bad there was so little time to debate the Budget. The Airport alone deserved at least two hours, he said.

Mr. Lister believed the Aircraft Registry "could become a small money earner.'' As for Police prosecutors being replaced by lawyers in the AG's Chambers, "the Progressive Labour Party has been concerned for some time that Police would investigate and also prosecute,'' as it was "a direct conflict of interest,'' Mr. Lister said.

"It seems like some of the points that we've raised are beginning to bear fruit.'' While Dr. Gibbons had noted his department was 64 percent Bermudian, there was no reason why it could not be 100 percent Bermudian, Mr. Lister said.

Instead of bringing in overseas advisers when needed, Government tended to fill the actual posts with foreigners, he said.

Mr. Lister recently told a visitor in the gallery that "it is not the normal practice in Bermuda'' for local people to get the first crack at public service jobs.

Government Whip Mr. John Barritt said Police prosecutions would be turned over to AG lawyers "in the next financial year.'' Not only would the change provide opportunities for Bermudian lawyers, it would free Police officers to do "policing.'' Despite the perceived conflict, "those who have served, I think it's fair to say under the circumstances have done a fair, reasonable, and even-handed job,'' Mr. Barritt said. "They have moved justice along.'' On the collection rate for maintenance orders, Mr. Barritt said the amount outstanding has been in the millions of dollars and it is children who have suffered.

The new computer links with the TCD could help Government develop a collection system "that bites,'' he said. When people who were in maintenance arrears showed up to pay their vehicle registration, the vehicle could be seized and sold to settle the debt, he said.

Shadow Transport Minister Mr. Dennis Lister said he supported what Mr. Barritt was saying. "I have had numerous distress calls from mothers who are seeking to get reimbursement and have maintenance paid,'' he said. While the children suffer, "the fathers in some cases are out there living as free as a bird.'' Moving to telecommunications, Dr. Gibbons said Bermuda had some of the most advanced facilities in the world, certainly for a country its size.

For one thing, Bermuda was one of the first country's to have 100 percent digital telecommunications, with its inherently better quality.

There were two elements to the infrastructure -- the international transmission facilities, provided by Cable & Wireless, and the switching, shared by Cable & Wireless and Telco.

On the transmission facilities, Bermuda had one spur connecting it with the cable running east and west across the Atlantic Ocean from America to Europe, and another running north and south to connect Bermuda with the Caribbean via Tortola. It in turn, was connected with Florida, providing another link to the United States.

All the cables were fibre optic ones, with huge capacity, but Bermuda also had two satellite earth stations highly visible in Devonshire.

Both fibre optic cables had capacity for about 6,000 conversations. Not all of those circuits were available to Bermuda, since some were used for transmissions that were passing through, but Bermuda still had a lot of excess capacity and direct connections with 29 countries in Europe, America, and the Caribbean.

A "very active'' telecommunications committee chaired by Dr. Walwyn Hughes was looking at establishing an economic zone on the St. David's Base for telecommunications and software development. Dr. Gibbons said the committee was looking at "some interesting possibilities'' and he hoped for a report within the next month.

Internet service was currently available from Internet Bermuda Ltd. (BSL), and from Cable & Wireless. A third application was received recently from BermudaNet.

Although Bermuda had about 60,000 residents, Dr. Gibbons said it made as many telephone calls as a city of 300,000.

At the Base, the US Navy was leaving behind not only a "self-contained'' telephone system, but a cable system capable of transmitting television and other forms of data.

Dr. Gibbons said Bermuda's telecommunications legislation, passed in 1986, was "quite aggressive'' in providing for the possibility of competition in both domestic and long-distance telephone service. It had been copied by Barbados and Gibraltar, among other countries.

Last year, Government received applications from 11 companies interested imn providing telecommunications services, and only Internet services had been approved so far.

The latest recommendation from the Telecommunications Commission on the other applications called for Telco and TeleBermuda to join Cable & Wireless in provding long distance service.

The "watershed'' decision had not yet been made, Dr. Gibbons said. Once competition is allowed, "there is no going back.

"We have to consider very carefully whether the recommendation to provide competition will in fact result in lower prices, responsiveness to the customer, and the steady innovation we are looking for, or whether it will result in a difficult market situation where we end up with three weak carriers.'' The commission itself said that if its recommendation was approved, a regulatory structure should be created to control the situation. Their message was: "Leap, but look before, during, and after,'' Dr. Gibbons said.

Bermuda also had two satellite slots, largely secured by the late UBP MP the Hon. John Stubbs. One was about 700 miles east of Brazil, and the other was off the Galapagos Islands. One would provide a footprint over the United MPs keen to keep Bermuda in touch with the world From Page 4 much of the United States. Government was looking at how they might be used.

Dr. Gibbons then described the responsibilities of the Broadcasting Commission.

Among the $7.4 million in revenues the telecommunications department was expected to collect this year were licence fees of 20 percent of net profit or six percent of gross revenue from Cable & Wireless, and three percent of gross revenue from Telco and Cablevision.

Mr. Lister said Bermuda's telecommunications contributed much to the Island's two main businesses -- tourism and international business.

Visitors were easily able to make reservations from overseas, and once they got to Bermuda they could telephone home and tell relatives they arrived safely.

Business people could keep in touch with the home office by fax, teleconferencing, and many other methods.

Companies like Telco and Cable & Wireless had contributed a lot to the Country and employed many people while practising Bermudianisation, Mr. Lister said.

"They're model companies,'' and "the quality of service we receive is second to none.'' But could Telco, which had only 45,000 customers, be now expected to compete in long distance service with an international company like Cable & Wireless? "This point needs to be looked at very closely,'' Mr. Lister said. "You almost have a David and Goliath approach to this thing.'' He shared the concerns of the Minister that "once you open the floodgates (to competition), there is no turning back.'' Mr. Lister was concerned about the cost of long-distance service and said Bermuda had to try to find a way to bring down rates.

For such a small jurisdiction, Bermuda could pat itself on the back because it would soon have its own area code.

On the subject of the Broadcast Commissioners, Mr. Lister was concerned about equal time.

"When the President of the United States gives a State of the Union address, equal time is given to his opposite number in the Republicans,'' Mr. Lister said. But "when the Throne Speech is given by the Premier and the Budget Speech is given by the Minister of Finance,'' the Opposition was not afforded the same opportunity.

"A point of clarification,'' said Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan . "Who is the President's opposite in the United States?'' "I don't think I should dignify that,'' Mr. Lister said. "Equal time is given to an opposite opinion.'' "No, it's not,'' said Sir John.

"Yes, it is,'' said Mr. Lister. "Let's get a little democracy around here.'' Turning to television, Mr. Lister said it was "a great learning tool of the 20th century.'' But he was saddened by recent news of cuts in funding to public broadcasting in the US, and concerned about the amount of violence on television.

He enjoyed the BBC service that was available to Bermudians around the clock, but wondered why CANA radio was only available for 15 minutes a week. Bermuda not only had many people with roots in the UK, but many with roots in the Caribbean. Fifteen minutes of CANA was "not enough.'' Bermuda's two satellite slots were "a great step forward,'' Mr. Lister said.

He hoped they could be used for economic gain or education.

Dr. Gibbons said the Opposition was granted equal time in Bermudian broadcasting, but only after a statement by the Premier.

Ministry of Management and Technology, 1995/96 estimates Ministry responsibility: "To provide support to the Government of Bermuda by: a) promoting effectiveness and efficiency in the public service by exercising control over organisation and resource allocation and by improving management practices; and b) assisting the telecommunications authority in the orderly development of telecommunications in Bermuda.'' Budget estimate: $1,099,000 (last year: $1,050,000)) Budget Allocation Management Services $765,000 Telecommunications $334,000 Revenue: $7,400,000