The Progressive Labour Party is committed to a “new transparency” to ensure the media and Bermudian public have access to information, the party's new public relations officer said yesterday.

And Scott Simmons admitted in the past the PLP created problems for itself with the press by not providing information.

The former police officer said many good things carried out under former Premier Jennifer Smith were not reported - not because the media chose to ignore them, but because the information was not made available.

“The Premier Alex Scott has made it crystal clear that what he wants is more transparency,” Mr. Simmons told The Royal Gazette yesterday. “His opinion is that we need to have better communication with the media through Government and the party.

“We feel the relationship with the media has been good but it can be improved. The media would appreciate more transparency and more opportunity to get the message out and to find out what is going on a day-to-day basis.

“There is a new transparency throughout the party and information must come out and I want to ensure that you, the media, and the people of Bermuda get this information.

“There were some wonderful things done in the past that never made it out, not because the media found out about it and didn't want to tell the people, but because it wasn't made available. I am not afraid to say in some cases misunderstandings were part and parcel of our own problem and our own making.

“You have heard it from the Premier in his speech to delegates and in the Throne Speech that the people have mandated us to do a job, and it is part of his personality (to be transparent).

“I am insisting that information is carried out too and that the people should know consistently what we are doing, and the people of Bermuda should be kept abreast of what we are doing - and not just at our convenience.

“It is troubling to us to see that the media can't get a Minister because they are not there or are out of town. The media should be able to get information. We may beg to differ on issues, but agree the information should be there.

“Maybe we need to hold more press conferences and perhaps have more of a single voice in which to communicate.”

Mr. Simmons ran unsuccessfully for the PLP at the last election against the United Bermuda Party's Trevor Moniz in Smith's West, losing by 109 votes. Mr. Simmons admitted before the election that he had a criminal conviction for fraud, but he said yesterday he did not think it undermined his credibility in his new post as PLP public relations officer.

“The general public have a redemptive spirit,” he said yesterday. “There comes a point in time when you have to make a decision that will benefit the country and if you want to serve, you have to put that behind you.