reveal progress in the $70 million overhaul of its facilities.

And it unveiled its plans to install a communications system within months -- to cost upwards of $100,000 -- to keep all workers informed of company changes and events.

But in stark contrast to that open attitude Bermuda Telephone Company yesterday again shut its doors to media enquiries concerning top-level workers who have complained about drastically low staff morale.

No one from the company would respond to The Royal Gazette's calls about those workers and union calls for the company to treat its staff with more respect and ease concerns over the future. Back at Belco chief executive officer Garry Madeiros said it was in the company's interest to keep workers well-informed.

He said the company had invested in the Target Vision system which management would use to keep all 400 members of its staff in touch with Belco's plans, the company line and anything else workers would find useful.

Belco spokeswoman Robin McPhee said the system would allow all staff to be "customer focused'' by limiting their concerns over internal issues.

"It's all part of the progressive, pro-active, open management style that Mr.

Madeiros brought to Belco five years ago. At Belco we look at keeping employees informed as a good thing.

"That knowledge is important to the company's future and helps it run smoothly. If we go to the trouble of telling staff things like this ourselves then they won't have that bad feeling from finding out through the media or just through rumours going about the Island.'' Mr. Madeiros said Belco was also working on the expansion of their electricity generation capacity as well as the upgrade and refurbishment of transmission and distribution equipment.

He said as part of that project Belco was granted permission to close a section of Cemetery Road for the rest of this year to protect motoring and pedestrian traffic from any related safety hazards.

And he would like to have Cemetery Road permanently closed for the same reasons, but he said that issue would be something for Bermuda to consider at a later date as further increases in power were needed. Bermuda Industrial Union president Derrick Burgess said any attempt to foster a positive, open relationship with staff was to be commended and he criticised BTC's arrogant attitude toward workers and residents.

He said staff morale at BTC was at "rock bottom'' because the company refused to give any information to its workers about their future.

"I can't imagine how it could get any worse.'' he said. "BTC management must start talking to the employees about the future.

"We have been trying to find out since 1996 but the company is never prepared to give any information. After all, it is the workers who make up the company and they don't know whether they're going to have a job today or tomorrow.

They've trained over the years to give Bermuda a first class telephone operation.

"But how does the company reward them for that tremendous, marvellous job? By keeping them in the dark about their own future.''