Bermuda's media came in for yet another heavy bashing from Government MPs yesterday.

Backbencher Ashfield DeVent called on MPs to put pressure on Mid-Ocean News editor Tim Hodgson over recent articles, while Walter Lister alleged The Royal Gazette was biased towards the United Bermuda Party.

And one of the broadcast media was attacked for doing a story on a Cuban who spoke at Bermuda College, although the reporter did not attend the lecture.

Mr. Lister claimed there was no change of policy over Cuba - despite Government seeking a memorandum of understanding with the Communist country over cultural affairs without informing MPs - and said it was all just a "spin" from the media and Opposition.

Referring to the Mid-Ocean News as a "rag", Mr. DeVent said a story in yesterday's newspaper based on secret MI5 papers was "nonsense". The story, which did not have a byline, said British intelligence suspected the Black Beret Cadre was funded by Cuba.

"It is not going to work because many Black Berets were in respectable positions. We've had enough of the bogeyman, let's finish it," said Mr. DeVent.

"The story was not attributed to anywhere. It is nonsense and it must stop. The country can't move ahead when our newspapers, our sources, are so poor.

"I'm expecting people on both sides (of the House), let's begin to put some pressure on the editor of this rag.

"Week after week there are stories which are unsubstantiated, and as long as we continue to accept this type of journalism in this country, we won't move ahead as quickly as we should, because this is terrible, particularly in a small country where we don't have that much choice. This is not what we want in a forward-thinking, forward-moving country."

He said people were fed up with UBP using "bogeymen" to frighten the electorate, and that that type of thinking was defeated at the last election. Mr. Lister said the Cuban controversy "is not an issue, it is spin put in by the media and the Opposition".

In England there is a variety of newspapers which supported and opposed the Government, but he claimed The Royal Gazette did not support the PLP.

"We haven't heard of any change of policy (over Cuba). All these things the press and the UBP have put out, it is all news to us," said Mr. Lister.

"The policy we came in with as a government is still our policy. If there was a change in policy, the Minister would come to this House and make an announcement, and for the press to make this spin is unfair to their readership."

The Mid-Ocean News recently revealed that Government is trying to sign a memorandum of understanding with Cuba over cultural ties. Both Government House and the British Foreign Office have confirmed this. The Foreign Office has approved Bermuda's moves, but reminded the Island about human rights abuses in Cuba.

It is not known if this will be affected by the decision of the European Union on Thursday to impose diplomatic sanctions on Cuba, including scaling back cultural links.

Mr. Lister criticised one of the television companies over their coverage of a Cuban speaking at Bermuda College.

"The press in most countries tries to be fair.

"I'm not saying all the press don't try to be fair, but when someone makes a mistake, the press should be man enough to say they've made a mistake," he said.