Staff in a key Government department were "twiddling their thumbs'' because their Ministerial bosses were not giving them anything to do, it was claimed last night.

Former Government Information Services (GIS) officer Chris Lodge said the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) was acting under a veil of secrecy, leaving GIS staff operating under difficult circumstances.

He told a media forum organised by the Bermuda Sun that the lack of work was one of the reasons he resigned recently.

"One of the reasons I left GIS was because we were twiddling our thumbs doing nothing,'' he said.

"GIS is a conduit...consequently the Bermuda public is in a vacuum. We are not getting the information we require and we deserve.

"Previously the information was free-flowing. For the last 17 months we have heard virtually nothing and I am disgusted.'' Mr. Lodge was speaking as an invited panelist at the "community discussion'' on the role of the media in Bermuda.

His comments came as he lambasted the PLP for keeping secret a high profile Ministerial visit to London, where Cabinet members were discussing important issues with British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.

"There is no member of the Civil Service with them. I have a real problem with actions that are taking place right now, with the secrecy of the last 17 months.'' The forum, with panelists Bermuda Sun editor Tony McWilliam, columnists Larry Burchall and Stuart Hayward, Bermudian magazine editor Meredith Ebbin, former Minister Quinton Edness and Mr. Lodge, was attended by around 35 people at the Anglican Cathedral Church Hall.

With moderator Walton Brown, the audience heard of the difficulty of hiring and keeping Bermudian journalists, mistrust between the media and Government, anger over sensationalist writing and the prominence of certain stories over others.

Mr. Edness said Bermuda needed a "freedom of information'' Act, whereby certain information became available to the public after a length of time.

He said the present Government had its reasons for its mistrust of the media, adding that every effort should be made to communicate.

"The position the PLP takes is inherent with some of the problems we have in Bermuda. Is it because Government feels it doesn't get a fair shake from the media?'' Larry Burchall said the Bermuda news media "doesn't do a very good job'', adding that a mostly black population was brought news through a "mostly white media''.

He claimed that the media companies prime aim was to make a profit, adding that they didn't have to be objective or be an objective means of communication.

Highlighting yesterday's front page story in the Bermuda Sun, he said the fact that the same story was on an inside sports page in The Royal Gazette would stick in peoples' minds -- although he did not mention that Monday's daily paper did have a picture and story about Shaun Goater on its front page and extensive inside coverage.

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