which could revolutionise airport clearance.

Computer giants IBM will begin trials of its FastGate system -- which uses a handprint and a smartcard the size of a credit card to clear travellers through immigration -- at the Bermuda International Airport.

It will be open to a small control group at first before being offered to the Bermuda public at the end of the summer.

Last night Quinton Edness, the Minister in charge of immigration, hailed the choice of Bermuda as a major coup for the Island.

He said: "Bermuda considers itself to be very lucky to have been chosen as the first country in the world to try FastGate.

"This is a system that has the potential to revolutionise how travellers move across international borders in the future.'' FastGate launch set The Minister said the choice of Bermuda was the result of 12 months of talks with IBM and he thanked everyone involved in the project, including the travel industry, for their co-operation.

"We had been looking into the possibility of using a system with this kind of technology. IBM heard we were looking and proposed a partnership which we have now forged.

"I believe one of the reasons they picked Bermuda is because we are a small sophisticated country with the ability to make decisions quickly,'' added the Minister.

FastGate uses biometrics, such as fingerprints, hand geometry or voice prints, along with items such as name, address, date of birth and passport number.

The biometrics are recorded onto a card which is inserted into an ATM style machine which scans the details. If they match a central database, the person is cleared.

While the traveller is waiting for verification, they are asked to answer certain immigration questions, such as if they have anything to declare, by using a touch-screen computer.

Once the check is completed the person will be given a receipt to present to immigration control -- where officers can still insist on searching the passenger.

IBM says the whole process takes as little as 15 seconds and could revolutionise immigration control and speed up passenger movement through airports.

Currently it is estimated that about 400 million people cross borders through the 50 busiest airports in the world and it is thought the number could increase to 500 million by the turn of the century.

It is anticipated that IBM will test the FastGate service with a small control group of about 300 frequent fliers to and from Bermuda.

All travel agents in Bermuda have been asked to promote the system and it is expected the group will increase to about 2,000 people, all volunteers, later in the summer.

Towards the end of the summer the Bermuda public will have a chance to enrol in FastGate.

Initially, IBM will install two kiosks at the Airport, but will increase the number to three or four as numbers using the system increase.

IBM spokesman Geoff Mortner said he first contacted Government about testing the equipment after he heard Bermuda was interested in using high-tech equipment at the Airport.

"The people we have been working with at the Bermuda Government were focused on having an automated passenger system,'' he said. "We have built an automated clearance system for Bermuda and our commitment to the Island is for many years.

"We want to build a system that will be usable in other airports so the quality in Bermuda will be very high.''