A New York entertainment company is looking to sue several local businesses after a row erupted over technicians at Saturday's Power 95 Summer Jam.

The $350,000 show, brought in by Power 95 and New York-based Track Entertainment, came under fire on Monday when accusations were made that lighting and sound technicians worked on the show without work permits.

It was also said the work permits for the technicians were granted on Friday after show promoters claimed to be working in conjunction with Spanish Town International.

VSB reported on Monday that sound for the show was done by Spanish Town International, but owner Johnathon Trott said none of his employees were involved in the show and had only heard about the accusations on the VSB evening broadcast.

"VSB said that Spanish Town was doing the sound for the show. I don't know who said that, but it's not true. We did not do the sound,'' Mr. Trott said.

Great Sound Rental owner Barry Fitzsimmons said he received a call from the Immigration Department on Friday afternoon and was told the technicians would not be granted work permits.

He later heard that the decision was reversed as promoters claimed to be working with local entertainment company Spanish Town International.

Mr. Fitzsimmons said: "We heard from Immigration that the promoters claimed to be working with Spanish Town International.

"None of the Spanish Town people had anything to do with the show, so it was an obvious mis-truth.'' Track Entertainment president Lee Heiman vigorously denied the claim that show promoters said they were working with Spanish Town International.

"I am astonished with the treatment we have received after what we have done for the Country,'' Mr. Heiman said.

Track Entertainment has handled the lighting, sound and stage set up for the Bermuda Jazz Festival in past years.

Mr. Heiman told The Royal Gazette that his company was in the process of speaking with Bermudian lawyers about taking some sort of legal action to protect his reputation.

"I am in contact with lawyers in Bermuda and discussing what, if any, legal action can be taken,'' Mr. Heiman said.

He added that he fully intended to sue and wanted monetary and verbal retribution for the allegations made against his company.

"We employed 40 to 50 people for the show and, of that, we only brought in eight people -- my wife, two assistants and lighting and sound technicians,'' Mr. Heiman said.

He added that a combined quote was received from Great Sound Rentals, Spanish Town International and Stage Door, but was refused as the cost was too high.

He also said he had wanted to work with Spanish Town International, but after three weeks of unanswered phone calls, other arrangements were made.

"The Great Sound quote was so high it was embarrassing and Spanish Town never paid us the professional courtesy to return our phone calls,'' he said.

Row erupts over Summer Jam "We did this show for all the right reasons and this is the way we are being treated.'' A spokesman for the Immigration Department confirmed that work permits for the show were issued "at the last minute'' after ZBM assured officials that Bermudian engineers would be working with the overseas technicians.

He added that work permits had originally been denied because officials were not satisfied that the production company hired by ZBM had taken enough steps to use Bermudians for lighting and sound work.

The spokesman said: "At the eleventh hour on Friday, ZBM decided to put together a crew of ten Bermudian engineers from their company to work with the overseas technicians and confirmed this in writing to us.'' He added that the production company had rented equipment from a firm which stipulated their own workers had to operate it to cut down the risk of damage.

The spokesman said three local companies came together to provide the services -- but that it failed "through mis-communication or other factors.'' But he added local services -- including stage constructors, parking and clean-up crews -- were hired for the event.

And he said: "It is always a balancing act for the Immigration Department to make sure that Bermudian individuals and companies are not losing business opportunities to foreign businesses and individuals.

"There are bound to be disappointments and complaints when foreigners are given work permits in circumstances that Bermudians feel are not appropriate.''