Government will get its message out in a more forceful way when the Progressive Labour Party cranks up its public relations organisation, Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown said yesterday.

And he acknowledged that there was some frustration among PLP supporters that Government, approaching the end of its third year in office, has not yet transformed the Island.

When asked at a Hamilton Rotary meeting yesterday if he agreed Government was facing more criticism now, Dr. Brown said: "I agree it's happening, and it's not something that wasn't somewhat predictable.

"In the first year there is the carry-over of euphoria. The second year there is the excitement of planting seeds. The third year is a year of grief for any new government when whatever you have planted has not yet grown ... and we have made some mistakes.

"Our public relations machine is in the process of being improved. We can get what we are doing out in a more penetrating fashion. This is a difficult year because people are wondering why we have not turned things around. Sometimes we may think people have unreasonable expectations. Sometimes the complaints are justified."

PLP public relations officer Corey Butterfield was "relieved" of his post earlier this year after criticising Development, Opportunity and Government Services Minister Terry Lister over a complaint his employer Harold Darrell made to the Human Rights Commission.

The PLP has promised it will have a more active PR operation after its annual conference later this month.

Dr. Brown told the meeting at the Tuscany Restaurant that Bermudians need to get involved in the community more rather than sit in the sidelines and criticise.

He said the Island was afflicted with the BMI - Bermuda Misery Index - where people complain about the problems in tourism, traffic congestion, and thugs who prey on visitors.

But despite the rising BMI, which he described as a "sad and dangerous reality", Bermuda was still one of the most coveted places on earth.

"Since September 11, the mere mention of our name causes Americans to see the sharp and clear difference between living in the US today and living in Bermuda, just 90 minutes away," he said. "We should give thanks for being essentially out of harm's way at a time when America is under psychological and physical attack. Let's take the time to re-energise our effort to build the new Bermuda.

"Let's reduce the number of spectators in our project and increase the number of participants. Let's increase the amount of time we spend strengthening our community organisations and reduce the time we spend criticising them.

"This Government is no longer a `new government' but we are, in terms of political history, a young government. This Government is not a government of subtraction and division, but we see ourselves as a government of addition and multiplication.

"I invite you to share our visions and join our effort to keep Bermuda not just beautiful, but vibrant and exciting for all our people."

Bringing the Rotarians up to date with developments in the Ministry of Transport, Dr. Brown said the Island's first National Transportation Management Plan will be tabled in the House of Assembly before the end of this year.

He pointed out that delivery of the Island's new fast ferries has been delayed (because the company making them has been helping build more for New York following the terrorist attacks). He also said progress had been made towards taxis organising themselves for a central dispatch system, and Government was continuing to offer financial relief for airlines hit by cash losses in the wake of September 11.

Government was looking at ways of keeping people moving to the Island if any of the current airlines pull out, he added.

After the meeting, Dr. Brown told The Royal Gazette that Government was talking to charter airlines about flying to Bermuda and asking those serving the Island which had no load problems if they would consider increasing service.

The response had been good, but no one has committed to extra flights to the Island he said.