Getting answers to what seem like straightforward questions is not as easy as you might think – especially with no Freedom of Information Act.

Here are a few examples of questions put by The Royal Gazette to Government, Ministers or Premier Ewart Brown which have not been answered:

¦ How much did the legal wrangle over the new Berkeley Institute cost taxpayers? Government told this newspaper it was prevented from disclosing the figure by a confidentiality clause in the arbitration proceedings.

¦ Why does an administration assistant at the National Training Board who was suspended remain on full pay more than a year after an inquiry into financial irregularities was launched? The Ministry of Labour has failed to respond to repeated questions about this since the start of 2007.

¦ How many tourists have come to Bermuda for faith-based tourism events in 2007-08? How many events have there been? What was Weekend Fit For A King (which Andre Curtis claims took place in September as part of faith-based tourism)? No response despite repeated requests to Department of Tourism, the Premier's Press Secretary and Mr. Curtis.

¦ Are we to assume Mr. Curtis' claim – that the figure so far is roughly 1,500 – is a grossly misleading exaggeration and that no event called Weekend Fit For A King has taken place in 2007-08? No response despite repeated requests.

¦ How many public school students entered senior year one in 2003, so we can work out an accurate graduation rate for 2007? We were told by the Ministry of Education that the information was not available.

¦ How many low-cost units were eventually built at Texas Road, St. David's, for Bermuda Housing Corporation? Who built them? What was the total amount paid out for the building of the Southside homes? We were told this week that Housing Minister David Burch would not be commenting.

Reports on issues affecting the public we have asked to see but never been given include:

¦ Johns Hopkins Medicine International review of healthcare in Bermuda, which Health Minister Michael Scott has said in private notes needs to be written for the public to avoid embarrassing Government.

¦ S. Harris & Co.'s report on mould at CedarBridge Academy and other public schools.

¦ Annual reports for BHC for 2003 and 2004, which a Government spokeswoman said were tabled in the House of Assembly.

¦ A.L. Lab Group Canada's report into the safety of land at Kindley Air Force Base, where numerous barrels of Agent Orange were allegedly dumped and burned during the 1960s.