Former Premier Alex Scott has called on Government to review its economic boycott of The Royal Gazette as he questioned whether this paper was being singled out because of its support of freedom of information laws.

In March Cabinet decided to end advertising and subscription deals with this newspaper, claiming it was a cost-saving measure and it was not "cost-effective or penetrative enough to rely heavily on print advertising in an electronically advanced community".

However, Government continues to place adverts with other print media and has not explained why it is also boycotting this newspaper's website and explain the methodology used to reach its decision.

Last year Government spent $800,000 on advertising in this paper.

Mr. Scott said: "There should not be a correlation between whether one agrees with the editorial policy of the newspaper and the utilisation of the paper for public announcements when the Government is involved.

"If it was done because Government was looking at belt tightening policies then one would expect that you could see evidence, not only in the case of The Gazette but other media or in other areas."

But Mr. Scott said it would raise questions to anyone if the belt-tightening exercise happened only with The Royal Gazette after there had been a protracted period of disagreement over its editorial policy.

"That would raise questions in the eyes of the general public and put a question of just how transparent the Government was prepared to be.

"The bottom line is this – is Government exercising cost savings and restraint in other areas?"

If so the approach was across the board then it was fair enough, said Mr. Scott.

"But if The Gazette appears to be singled out, there is a case being made that can be substantiated that there is a correlation between the Gazette's campaign for PATI (Public Access to Information) and the Government has reacted in this way then that would be regrettable."

The PATI initiative originated under Mr. Scott and Government has said recently that it still supports the initiative. But no time frame has been given over implementation.

And on the day of this newspaper's Wear Yellow Day in support of the campaign to get PATI on the law books senior PLP figures went on the radio to publically lambaste the effort.

Mr. Scott said: "There's no rationale for denigrating it, to my way of thinking it's motherhood and apple pie. An open society should have a free flow of information from its Government to the public it serves."

He said he had championed the PATI initiative to open up Government files and records.

The ban has also seen Government subscriptions to this paper being stopped.

Mr. Scott said: "I have heard through various members of the civil service that it has made it awkward for them to operate in getting the word out."

Stressing he didn't know the true motive behind Government's move Mr. Scott said: "Government has to be careful how 'it belt tightens' because not everybody, seniors and the like, has access to the Internet.

"The tradition is to get the morning paper and if the morning paper decided it's not cost effective to cover Government functions, to use column inches to put Government members in the paper on the front page and the like then where would we be?

"One has to be very careful and judicious because we wouldn't want to have a reactionary move from the Gazette where they no longer cover Government activities because we created a CITV. (We created CITV) to compliment and enhance the flow of information to the public.

"This would just invite the media in general, not just the Gazette, but others to say 'well, when we get Government dollars we cover Government activities and when we don't get Government dollars we don't cover activities', and I know there would be an outcry from the Government and the public if that sort of circumstance took place. That would be regrettable.

"That's not the type of Bermuda we would want and that's not the type of transparency I know Government is committed to, so hopefully in very short order Government will be able to review this policy and maybe find ways they can at least to hit a happy medium, maybe meet with the Gazette folks and arrive at a quid pro quo," said Mr. Scott, who added that he didn't believe the Gazette would retaliate by boycotting Government.

The Royal Gazette editor Bill Zuill said: "Mr. Scott is right to be concerned that one small minded act, and I don't believe I am putting words in his mouth, could beget another, but I will also say that that is not our intention.

"We could have done exactly what Mr. Scott fears, or the opposite, which would have been to only report news that was favourable to Government in the hope of getting the advertisements and subscriptions back.

"Neither approach would have benefited the readers whom we serve.

"Instead, we have given even more attention to being certain that we provide news that helps our readers to make informed decisions about their lives.

"That includes putting Government members on the front page when the information they're providing justifies it, and not simply because they are Government members. This is what we do in any event, but this move by Government has made us even more conscious of its importance.

"Having said that, we believe now more than ever that The Royal Gazette is the most effective means by which the Government can provide information to the general public and we are in the process of completing research information that demonstrates that.

"When it is complete, we will be presenting it to the relevant Government officials.

"Again, I welcome Mr. Scott's support in this matter, along with the support of Mr. Reginald Burrows and Mr. Ashfield DeVent, and I hope more Government officials and supporters of the Progressive Labour Party will speak out against this unfair and clearly discriminatory policy."

The Royal Gazette employs more than 100 people – around 85 percent of which are Bermudian.

Government's decision to axe spending with The Royal Gazette drew criticism from Progressive Labour Party elder statesman Reginald Burrows who said the decision would hurt Bermudians including fellow party supporters and that the paper had become more balanced in recent years.

And PLP MP Ashfield DeVent has also voiced concerns, saying Government was employing the boogey-man tactic by attacking The Royal Gazette.

The decision has also attracted international criticism from the Miami-based Inter American Press Association which urged Government not to use official advertising as a "weapon of reprisal" against The Royal Gazette while the Association of Caribbean Media Workers also said such bans were often used by Government's to get press outlets to tow the line.

The UK Press Gazette, the main magazine and website for the media in the UK, also carried a story on the issue.