Opposition MP Trevor Moniz blasted the Green Paper on E Business as obsolete and a waste of time on Friday night in the House of Assembly.

The discussion document seeks ways to encourage businesses and organisations to exploit the latest technology and to attract internet firms and departments.

It also discussed data and child protection, computer crime and improving IT education in schools.

Mr. Moniz complained the document had been written last year and questioned why Government was not following up with a White Paper suggesting legislation.

Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb said she welcomed Parliament's input but Mr. Moniz said Government had pre-empted that by already lining up legislation.

A law to protect children from online pornography has been outlined in the Throne Speech and Ms Webb said Government was considering new measures to control websites targeting minors.

Government is also planning to tackle unwanted emails while copyright laws are soon to be introduced by the Labour Minister said Ms. Webb.

Mr. Moniz said the green paper had "no analysis or economic research in order to back up the conclusions.

"If I was the Minister of Finance I would see no reason for putting new money into this area.

"It would have to be much better researched to justify pouring millions of dollars into this area."

He queried why Government had delayed the project because of September 11. He said: "I don't really understand why this event had such a profound effect on Bermuda.

"We need something more concrete to debate than what the minister has chosen to give us."He said cell phone prices were still too high with little movement downwards.

"Government ought to be more closely managing that process."

He said cheap deals on buying phones counted little if call costs were so high.

Again he chided government for not giving statistics in the Green paper about cell phone usage and costs.

Mr. Moniz warned about the dangers of bundling services together because it could lead to big players wiping out smaller competitors.

In outlining the green paper Ms Webb said Bermuda wanted to attract Fortune 500 companies, specialist internet firms, auction and procurement hubs and traditional industries wanting back-up IT facilities.

She said Bermuda had several hosting sites capable of keeping data and e-business applications secure and available.

"During the ravages of Fabian hosting centres stayed on line for their international customers.

"The Green Paper suggests, among other things, that to maintain our high reputation for hosting it might be opportune of the centres to become accredited in some form."

The minister said a new body known as the information Age Forum had been suggested to allow outside input on e-business and telecommunications.

She said the internet had mainstream acceptance with 71 percent of households hooked up while access was spreading to the less wealthy.

Shadow Minister of Housing Wayne Furbert said the reason why they probably lost the 1998 election was because people did not understand what e-business was all about.

He said that many e-businesses failed because people thought you start an e-business and make a million dollars over night.

He said: "E-business owners had to get back to basics with a sound business plan."

Mr. Furbert speaking on the e-business Green Paper: The Second Wave, which was tabled in the House of Assembly yesterday said: "It's basically too wordy.

"Can we leave here this evening with three points that will push this country forward.

"What is the place where our niche market be will and how will we attract e-business?"

Mr. Furbert asked how many e-businesses were already set up on the Island and said: "There is no real data to support any of these facts.

"It (the green paper) doesn't say how we can attract large amounts of e-business to Bermuda."

Opposition Labour spokesman Maxwell Burgess reminded the House of the fact the the United Bermuda Party (UBP) had laid the foundation for e-commerce in the Bermuda economy before they were ousted in the 1998 General Election.

"We were going to bring in the next wave of e-business," said Mr. Burgess.

"I don't think that you have a clear vision for what you want to achieve, it (the green paper) seems to be a good academic exercise."

He also spoke about competition in the service provider area and said there was a need to break up any monopoly as it would be better for businesses in the long haul.

"In 1996-97 we, on this side of the House, gave Hardell (a local cable provider) a licence to be involved in the wireless business, but that has not been realised because of the non-receipt of their licence," said Mr. Burgess.

Mr. Burgess also said that there was a need for more citizens to be computer literate and suggested that as a gift to returning students, they should not be required to pay duty on their laptops, but instead be 'wired up' to the Internet for a limited time for free.

Mr. Burgess also compared e-business to tourism in its lack of direction.

"It had no real direction," he said.

Progressive Labour Party MP Glenn Blakeney hit out at Mr. Burgess' comments on Hardell.

"A company named by him (Mr. Burgess) owed the about $400,000 in back taxes," he said.

Mr. Burgess stood up and raised a point of order and denied that Hardell owed any taxes, citing that the honourable member Mr. Blakeney was misleading the House and the public with his comments.

Back on the subject of e-business, Mr. Blakeney said: We are going to engage in inviting companies to be partners.

"We have a clear vision for e-commerce to go forward."

Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister John Barritt said when selling real estate it was all about location, location, location.

"When dealing with e-commerce companies it's all about price, price price," said Mr. Barritt.

"I don't think that you can instantly make it happen.

"If the infrastructure is (available) at a reasonably attractive cost, e-commerce will follow."

He said when you speak to the average person about e-business, it is like mumbo jumbo he thought they would ask, "What is it going to do for me?"

Mr. Barritt added: "If Bermuda's going to stay in the game of international business, you have to come to grips with price. Value for money.

"(In this Green Paper) We are employing yesterday's policies to deal with tomorrows challenges."

"The paper was already out of date in some senses."

He then called the paper a "wish list" and said: "There needs to be some vision, right now we are blinded by all the rhetoric and talking, what we need is action."

Opposition Leader Dr. Grant Gibbons said in the business of e-commerce is speed, speed, speed.

He said: "The problem with this discussion is that it is way overdue.

"It's going through the motions and not really addressing the issues."

Dr. Gibbons reminded the House that the UBP had bought up the same issues over five years ago, and questioned the PLP as to why it had taken them so long to bring it to the fore.

Of the Green Paper he said: "It's tentative."

He said it did not specify or outline exactly what the Government was trying to attract to the Island's shores.

He also echoed that there was no data on the subject and said: "It reminds me of the cruise and fly scheme, which was introduced by the late Minister of Tourism David Allen. It failed because there was no market research done.

"The cruise and fly was a disaster.

"There is no substance, just talk and hype."

Opposition member Patrice Gordon Pamplin said: "It (the Green Paper) galloped into the 21st century without a purpose."

Government MP Walter Lister said that the Green Paper was valid, and cited that 71 percent of Bermudians already have Internet access in their homes.

"The next generation will have greater access," said Mr. Lister.

Shadow Education Minister Neville Darrell said he thought the entire issue was about momentum.

He said: "It was an outstanding document, if we were not in the business of building an e-commerce business."