Parliament.

The House and Grounds Committee is looking to move the press bench from next to the Opposition and the exit area to a new space in the public gallery.

And the media will also be barred from the coffee room where MPs enjoy food and swap gossip.

House and Grounds Committee Chairman Walter Lister said: "I am not prepared to say anything more than what we are trying to do is to give more comfortable space and we are hoping to arrange a press room.

"We want to improve the situation, that's the whole idea.'' But Mr. Lister admitted: "There's nothing wrong with where we're at at the moment.'' He denied the move was an act to spite the press.

He said: "You should wait to see what the improvements are before coming up with far fetched ideas.'' But Opposition MP Gary Pitman, who also sits on the House and Grounds Committee, said: "It sounds political to me, it's an attempt to move the press away from the opposition. "I personally feel it's a shame. They have been there all along and by taking away benches from the visitors' gallery there is less space for people to sit -- this is harming democracy.

"In the House you really feel the debate more and you hear it better.

"It's important to get the thrust of the debate and I think this is going to deplete some of that.'' Government backbencher Delaey Robinson said it was wrong for the press to be "behind the bar'' which is the rope which separates the public from the elected representatives.

"The coffee room is where MPs should feel free to let go and speak their mind without fear of anybody overhearing them and it being reported.'' He said in other countries such as Britain the press were separated from the parliamentarians.

"In Bermuda we have the press in the inner sanctum.'' But he denied it was a move to get at the press or was being done because the PLP suspected the press of conferring with the Opposition.

He said: "No, goodness knows you can confer with the Opposition or the Government as much as you like.

"I don't think this reduces contact between parliamentarians and the press.

"I don't think it's an effort to make the press more uncomfortable or less efficient. If anything we want them more efficient and more comfortable. We don't want to reduce access to politicians. It's a two-way street.

"We want to enjoy a good relationship with the press, we don't want a lousy relationship because we can't talk to colleagues without the press being right on top of you.'' John Gilbert, who was the House of Assembly clerk between 1976 and 1989, described the move as very strange.

He said: "The press were always in that position when I was there and I understand they were there long before that.

"It's unfortunate because it takes away spaces open to the public.

"The visitors' gallery only has 34 spaces and sometimes it is full. I think this is most peculiar.'' Mr. Gilbert pointed out that the current location was handy for reporters to get in and out.

"If you are stuck in a corner of the visitor's gallery it makes it more difficult.

"It does seem like overkill to put it mildly, it will dislocate the chamber itself.'' NEWSPAPER NJ