The Progressive Labour Party has promised to further bolster the Island's telecommunications sector should it be re-elected and to thwart the Isle of Man's claim on Bermuda's lucrative satellite allotment.

Since the early 1990s, Bermuda has been embroiled in a legal battle with the Isle of Man over the use of satellite slots originally given to the Island in the early 1980s by the United Nations.

During yesterday's platform speech, Premier Ewart Brown said: "Many years ago every country was given a satellite slot. We have run into a few legal challenges with respect to the Isle of Man.

"They've been attempting to impinge on our slot. We have had the Attorney General hard at work in conjunction with legal assistance in the UK, trying to ensure Bermuda preserves its satellite slot."

Once Bermuda places a satellite in the contested slot, which is very close to the Isle of Man's, it can be used to beam signals to North America and other locations, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

Bermuda officials have previously said use of each of its two slots could bring in annual revenues in the region of $850 million, although the net income would be much lower.

And that development of this business had lucrative business potential, and could be a complement to the Island's financial services industry

Additionally, the party's manifesto says its policies to promote beneficial competition within telecommunications has reduced the cost of services to consumers.

And the PLP said it would introduce a programme that would provide seniors with free rebuilt computers.