UK Minister for Overseas Territories Meg Munn yesterday spoke of the importance of a free media.

Earlier this week, Government announced it was axing its newspaper subscriptions to The Royal Gazette, and cutting print advertising — a move which has been described by critics, including some Progressive Labour Party supporters, as part of a plan to destabilise this newspaper for political reasons.

Ms Munn said it would be inappropriate for her to comment on whether it could be the beginning of a drive to muzzle the freedom of the press by draining this newspaper's finances.

But asked for her thoughts about freedom of speech in general terms, she said: "I think freedom of speech and democracy are what we would aspire to all over the world. We aspire to a free but responsible press.

"In the UK, some sections of the media aren't always kind to politicians, but free media is important."

Ms Munn was also asked about public access to information legislation — which this newspaper's A Right To Know: Giving People Power campaign is calling for in 2008.

She said freedom of information could be "an important aspect of transparency", but added: "We have obviously gone down the road of having freedom of information in the UK, but it doesn't necessarily mean everything is subject to freedom of information."

She warned every government needs to be able to discuss some policy issues behind closed doors without being exposed to freedom of information laws.

A discussion paper on PATI launched by former Premier Alex Scott deals with such issues.

Ms Munn, on her first visit to Bermuda in her role, also spoke at a press conference about good governance and Independence.

She told the media gathering at Government House for a tree-planting ceremony: "Good governance is crucial, in my view, in every government — my own government and the overseas territories.

"All government works better with openness and transparency," she said.

"My view is very much that we want people to make decisions close to the people."

On Independence, she said: "It isn't really for me to say whether Bermuda should be independent. We value our links with Bermuda. The issue of independence is a matter for the people of Bermuda."

Asked whether a referendum would be the best way to make a decision over Independence, she said: "We would want a clear indication that that was the will of the people. A referendum is the simplest way of doing that."