Former Health Minister Nelson Bascome has dropped a legal action against the Island's media organisations in order to concentrate on criminal charges he faces of theft and corruption.

He had filed a writ for libel and slander against all three of the Island's newspapers and two broadcasting companies over revelations from a leaked Police file on the Bermuda Housing Corporation scandal.

However, notice was given this week that the action has been dropped.

Commenting last night, Mr. Bascome said: "Basically I am right now putting all of my energy into the criminal matters that I have been charged with." He said he would defend himself against these "with all of my energy," adding, "there is plenty of time after I have finished with my charges to pursue all of the libels and comment that the media have put out there against me." He declined to give examples of these allegations.

Mr. Bascome, the MP for Pembroke East Central, will go on trial at Supreme Court on a date yet to be fixed over allegations of corruption in a position of public office.

The charge alleges he secured public housing for business associate Robert Smith during his spell as Minister with responsibility for housing between November 1998 and December 1999.

It also claims that during his period as Health and Family Services Minister, he corruptly obtained a business opportunity and provided the home for Mr. Smith, who was the inventor of a water filtration system. Mr. Bascome has pleaded not guilty.

In addition, he faces trial at Magistrates' Court in September on two charges of theft, in which he is accused of stealing more than $75,000 through business dealings. He also denies these allegations.

Premier Ewart Brown had launched a legal action against the Island's media on the same day as Mr. Bascomein June, also in connection with reports on the leaked BHC dossier.

He too dropped this last week. The leaked dossier said to run to thousands of pages reportedly revealed that Dr. Brown, former Premier Jennifer Smith, former Minister Renée Webb and construction boss Zane DeSilva were among those investigated by Police looking into allegations of corruption at the BHC. It also reportedly makes allegations about Mr. Bascome.

Police Commissioner George Jackson and Attorney General Philip Perinchief launched action to gag the Island's media outlets from further reports from the files after ZBM and the Mid-Ocean News published extracts on May 23 and June 1 respectively.

However, both Chief Justice Richard Ground and the Court of Appeal refused to do so, and the matter will be reviewed by the Privy Council, the highest court of appeal for Bermuda, in October.

Commenting at the time Dr. Brown and Mr. Bascome launched their libel actions, this newspaper's lawyer Saul Froomkin QC said they could find the BHC dossier revealed in full during such a trial, if the court ruled it necessary to prove the case for either side.