An American company aiming to introduce competition to the cable television market with a "state of the art wireless cable system" says its proposals have been ignored by successive Telecommunications Ministers.

Current Telecom Minister Renee Webb told The Royal Gazette that she was "not averse" to competition in the cable television market and the company was yet to apply for a licence from her administration.

In an "open letter to the people of Bermuda" Comex Worldwide Corporation, a minority partner with Coral Cable Networks - a Bermuda company formed in 1996 - says it is "totally baffled" at Bermuda's difficulty in "getting quality television at a price you are willing to pay."

"For five years and under the reign of three Ministers of Communications, we have been trying to bring you better television at a fraction of what you're now paying, with no results," says the company.

It claims that despite having been recommended for a licence by the Telecommunications Commission in February 1997, "four years later, we are still waiting for a licence and the people of Bermuda are suffering from a lack of competition." Contacted in his Virginia office, Jack Rickel, CEO of Comex told The Royal Gazette his company's clients read like a "who's who of the world" and includes organisations and companies in about 20 countries around the globe.

"We know what we're doing, we're not amateurs. We just know what we're doing," Mr. Rickel said. "We're also confident we can bring better television to Bermuda." He said the Telecommunications Minister had received a letter two weeks ago requesting a meeting. "She has not said yes and she has not said no."

He also said that the proposal had been put before two former Telecoms Ministers, but it "disappeared".

Mr. Rickel's local partners include architect Stephen West.

Ms Webb expressed surprise at the tone of Comex's open letter. "Until we got a letter two weeks ago indicating they were interested in sitting down and discussing a possible application, we hadn't heard from them at all," said the Minister.

She said that shortly after the PLP came into Government there was a meeting briefing her on Coral Cable Network's efforts to secure a licence. "By that time Hardell had already been given a licence and we respected that," said Ms Webb.

"They have never applied to get a license under this administration." She added that it was wrong to assume the Minister has to accept a recommendation by the Telecommunications Commission.

Bermuda Cablevision, the Island's only cable television company offering services to households, has been embroiled in controversy and complaints about service in recent months.

Hardell Cable TV Ltd also has a licence, but has so far not entered the household market.

Asked whether she could envision five cable television companies on the Island, the Minister said: "The market can only take so many, but it depends on the type of technology and other considerations."

Asked for a definitive policy statement, she said "Our policy is we would look at the possibility of having competition to Cablevision. . . we are not averse to having another cable carrier. How that turns out remains to be seen. But we are not averse to it."

Hardell spokesperson Corey Butterfield told The Royal Gazette that competing with Cablevision to provide household service was still on the cards. "We are very much committed to providing superior cable service to the people of Bermuda," he said.