Government yesterday slammed the door firmly shut on cable company Hardell's chances of joining Bermuda's TV revolution.

World on Wireless is to launch a state-of-the-art 114 channel digital service in February, but Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb is adamant that no other companies will share the opportunity to break CableVision's current monopoly.

Hardell director Corey Butterfield claimed this week that the company had been promised a cable broadcast licence back in 1996 by then Acting Telecommunications Minister Grant Gibbons.

Documents seen by The Royal Gazette show that the licence was granted by the UBP administration, subject to certain conditions being fulfilled, although Ms Webb denies that this means Hardell can now lay claim to having a licence.

“At hearings last year there were three companies that applied for licences and Hardell was not one of them,” she told The Royal Gazette.

“Hardell has not applied for a licence under this Government and we have no record of them holding one - they need to re-submit an application.

“Following the hearings, one licence was issued, to WOW, and we will not be issuing any more licences to anyone. There is space on the broadcast spectrum but we do not want to saturate the market so at the moment no-one else will be getting a licence.

“We want to see how things pan out with WOW next year before we make any other decisions.”

WOW was formally issued its licence in January, the same day Hardell applied for an injunction to try to halt the licence issuing process.

The company, led by president Gavin Wilson, is hoping to bring in the new service in February, thus breaking CableVision's monopoly.

And Ms Webb welcomed this new competition.

“It is a good thing for the community to have choice,” she added.

“And we welcome the introduction of the new technology as it helps to push the industry forward.”

But Hardell Cable director Corey Butterfield accused Ms Webb of risking contempt of court with her comments and has shown The Royal Gazette further documents which he believes show that a licence had been granted to his company.

In a letter sent by Minister Webb to Mr. Butterfield in 2000, she states: “This is in response to your letter... concerning the proposed Regulations for the operation of your licence.”

It goes on to state: “Also, in order to be in a position to issue your licence, please provide me with your revised business plan.”

Mr. Butterfield told The Royal Gazette last night: “How can she say that we have not applied for a licence under her Government when she has written letters like this to us?

“It is ludicrous. And for her to say that because we applied under the previous Government it doesn't count is nonsense. The PLP have as much of an obligation to honour decisions made under the UBP as Alex Scott does to honour those made under Jennifer Smith.

“And it is extremely regrettable that the Minister has decided to place herself in jeopardy for contempt of court. Her comments are provocative.”

He added that Hardell had been given permission by the Supreme Court to take out a lawsuit against the Minster to try to force her to re-instate its licence.