its own broadcast station.

"It is a little bit more than politically mischievous...I don't think Bermuda needs a Government broadcast station,'' United Bermuda Party Sen. Kim Swan said during the Senate's motion to adjourn yesterday.

Last week Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb suggested a Government station might provide a better medium than newspapers for Government to communicate with the public.

But Sen. Swan dismissed the idea: "Maybe the time has come for the Government of the day to bring about some dialogue with the printed press if they are having some problems with the printed press,'' he said.

"They have their backbenchers and their Ministers making their continued remarks about the media when they don't have a regulatory body in place.

"Maybe it's time that the Government take the lead and start up some dialogue.

"The type of remarks that I'm talking about do absolutely nothing to foster better relations.'' Sen. Swan also pointed out that other jurisdictions allowed for Opposition response after televised Government addresses.

But he questioned whether Government was committed to providing a balanced view when they made no mention of providing such an option on the Island.

And he stressed that Government needed to open talks with media representatives instead.

"It's incumbent on Government to take the bull by the horns and take the first step rather than throw salt on the wounds that may have been there from (their) years of Opposition,'' he said.