Poor Bermuda CableVision.

It seems like the company simply cannot get a break. Just when it seemed to have gotten over the firestorm of criticism over the introduction of cable TV boxes, it found itself under fire over blacking out World Cup soccer matches at the last minute.

It comes under fire whenever service is cut due to bad weather and so on and seems to run into industrial relations difficulties on a regular basis.

Then there are its continuing legal difficulties over whether it is entitled to show all the channels it offers at all.

All of that tends to overshadow the good things the company does - and it does do good things.

It has introduced training schemes for Bermudian employees. It is upgrading its infrastructure. And it has increased the number of channels on offer to local consumers.

Against that are the service problems that so vex Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb.

She is right to be annoyed and her Ministry should be the public's watchdog to ensure that service is consistent and reliable.

CableVision has not always helped its own cause. The World Cup blackout was a public relations disaster for the company, as was its recent threat to pull the plug over its one-year licence.

These may have seemed to be good, albeit negotiating tactics with Government or its competitors like the Bermuda Broadcasting Company. But ultimately, the consumer suffered and that's bad.

Having said that, Ms Webb's own hardball tactic of only issuing a one-year licence is bad news too. No business that has either invested millions of dollars in its infrastructure, or is planning to, will be comfortable with the spectre of not having its licence renewed in 12 months time.

That's a good way to drive good businesses out, or to encourage them not to invest in their companies (or in service) at all. They might as well as suck all of the profits out of the business now, since they may not be around in a year.

But, as Winston Churchill said, "talking jaw-jaw is always better than war-war" and CableVision and Ms Webb would do well to put their cudgels down.

They need to sit down and put all the issues on table. Then they can decide how far apart they are, establish some benchmarks on the quality of service Bermuda should have, and write a licence agreement that they both can live with.

If the licencee (CableVision) lives up to its commitments, it will keep its licence. If it does not, it loses it. It should be that simple, but it only will be if Government and CableVision are prepared to make it so.