Government has no long-term policy for Women's Issues, claimed the Senate Opposition Leader.

"I thought this would have allowed the Government the chance to clearly spell out their policy on Women's Issues,'' Sen. Milton Scott argued. "I thought I would have heard a clear plan...this is not the case.'' The comments came as Senators brought Women's Issues to the forefront during yesterday's budget debate on the Government department.

Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Sen. Yvette Swan told Senators that Women's Issues accounted for nine percent of the Ministry of Community and Cultural Affairs' $4.7 million budget.

The department, which Sen. Swan called one of the most important in her Ministry, will receive $122,000 for the upcoming year.

Until this year, Women's Issues and Legislative Affairs were combined to form their own Ministry.

Sen. Swan said the two were divided with Women's Issues going to Cultural Affairs and Legislative Affairs joining Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety.

Opposition Spokesperson for Women's Issues, Sen. Neletha Butterfield asked the Government when the change went into effect since there was no announcement or statement on the move.

"It had it's own Ministry and now it is with Cultural Affairs, what's really going on? What direction is it heading in?'' Sen. Swan said the division took place in the middle of last year.

And she said that the department's advertising budget was increasing by $2,000 to $30,000 to allow the department to educate the public on Women's Issues.

Sen. Swan also said that the grant to the Women's Advisory Council will increase by $5,000 to $25,000 for the year.

The department plans to be "quite busy'' this year dealing with the 109 recommendations of the Task Force on Women's Issues, promised Sen. Swan.

"The Department has set up priorities,'' she explained. "Now that those priorities have been established they can now work on implementing them.'' Plans are also in place to request that the Convention Against All Forms of Discrimination Against Women be applied to Bermuda.

"It champions equal rights for men and women,'' she said.

Sen. Swan said that during the last 12 months a "round-table group'' had been established to come up with the best ways to educate the public on domestic violence.

Included in this round-table panel are the Police Commissioner, the Solicitor General, the Senior Magistrate and Sen. Swan.

She also pointed out that the last year had seen the passing of the Anti-Stalking and Domestic Violence laws.

Sen. Butterfield asked how much of the department's funds would go towards implementing the Task Force on Women's Issues' recommendations.

"If you are going to look at 190 recommendations you need funds,'' she said.

Sen. Butterfield added: "This money will not help in terms of research and development...there is not enough money here.'' She questioned why the travel budget -- at $2,000 -- was so low and why there had been a $1,000 decrease in funds for communication.

"I would have loved to hear more on the objectives and goals of the department,'' she added.

The Opposition Senate Leader echoed his colleague's remarks and called the $122,000 budget "grossly inadequate'', showing that Government was not really serious about the issue.

Noting that Women's Issues were people's issues which affected everyone, he said that men were often left out of the debate and any attempts to bring women to the forefront.

"There are quite a few enlightened men,'' he added. "It is important that men become involved in Women's Issues.''