levels experienced by other countries.

Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon asked how long it would take before deregulation bore fruit for residents in terms of lower calls abroad.

And she warned that in introducing competition to the industry, Government also had to ensure the country did not get left behind in the new worlds of e-commerce and technology.

Speaking during the Budget debate, the former Premier commented on the cheap continental calls in America, sometimes as low as ten cents a minute, and asked when Bermuda could expect to see some more reductions.

She said consumers were interested in how the deregulation would affect them and to what extent.

"That is the reality, 25 cents a minute, is that what we can expect in the next year or two? These are the things they are interested in,'' she said.

Ms Gordon was speaking after Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb had outlined the aims and direction of her department.

Ms Webb said she hoped the wrangles over competition would not hinder the advance of e-commerce and other new technology.

Later, the Minister said there were many issues surrounding the reduction of phone rates, not least Internet calls and callback services.

And she revealed that she was to meet industry bosses at a summit this week, and would be discussing the matter then. In relation to her department, she stressed the heavy workload and the need for extra staff to cope with the rapid expansion of that section of the industry.

Meetings with the major players and consumers would provide objectives and direction for the future. But Ms Gordon warned of creating too many boards and councils, which could consume too much time, while Bermuda should be catching the new e-commerce wave.

She remarked upon the Southside technology park and asked what role it was going to play.

Her thoughts were echoed by other Shadow Ministers, who stressed that the country should not be left behind in the mushrooming world of electronic commerce. And in respect to the deregulation of the industry, that shouldn't hold back that growth.

Ms Gordon said she hoped BIU president Derrick Burgess' comments -- that a monopoly may be good for Bermuda -- were made on his own behalf and that of his members, and not Government.

UBP MP John Barritt said there were some tough decisions ahead to ensure that Bermuda was on the cutting edge of e-commerce.

"There is so much mumbo-jumbo, about this cutting edge cliche, Internet. How is that vision going to be translated into action?'' he said.

Shadow Finance Minister Grant Gibbons said the issue was so important that it should be included in a policy statement from the department.

"We need to see a vision of where we are going,'' he said. "These things are moving a lot faster, these windows of opportunity open and close a lot faster,'' he said.

The Government's cellular phone data bank needed to be updated, along with the computer system at the department, which was struggling with a backlog of information.

The building the department had been housed in did not help, but now staff were working to ensure all active cellphones were listed and paid their licence fees. Collaboration between the Ministry and service providers would also help keep track of users.

Ministry of Technology 1999/00 estimates Ministry responsibility: To provide support to the Government of Bermuda by promoting effective communications between the Government and the people of Bermuda; by assisting the Telecommunications Authority in the orderly development of Telecommunciations in Bermuda.

Budget estimate: $715,000 (last year $688,000) Revenue: $6,500,000 Budget allocations Telecommunications $6,500,000 Pamela Gordon