providers for every international company they handle is "unfair'' and aimed at the Island's two largest law firms, a top lawyer said yesterday.

Conyers, Dill & Pearman senior partner the Hon. Charles Collis, who for many years was Government Senate Leader, believes planned discussions between lawyers and Finance Ministry officials will lead to some changes.

"There are going to be discussions,'' Mr Collis said. "The Minister has said he is only trying to find some formula. That is what he is saying in the House (of Assembly). There will be discussions as to how that formula should be implemented. We don't know any more than that at the moment.'' Mr. Collis was unable to say how much the new levy would affect business at his law firm.

"The great concern publicly is that it is targeting substantially a very narrow group of the community and the principle of it is probably wrong,'' he said. "In essence it is targeting the two major law firms and that is the principle wrong and is something which is, I think, inappropriate.

"However, there have got to be discussions and these will take place. I'm sure the Minister is just looking for some way of effectively raising some additional money, but in a fair and reasonable manner.'' A week ago, the Minister, the Hon. David Saul, said: "It is evident from industry data that fee income has been rising faster than returns in any other form of economic activity. As a consequence a substantial benefit from the international business presence on the Island is being enjoyed by a comparatively limited number of entities.'' The Minister also said information from Dr. Brian Archer's report on the impact of international business on the economy and elsewhere indicated a 51 percent increase in fees paid by international companies over the last five years, rising from $50 million to $80 million.

He added: "We just felt that it is only fair and reasonable that these firms who are providing corporate services to international companies outside of Bermuda, should share with the whole of Bermuda some of the benefits that they gain.'' But Mr. Collis said that others, outside of the group that the corporate services tax targets, have also made a great deal of money from international business.

"There is a much broader group of people who have made a success out of the business. One's not saying that we haven't, but there are others in the community who have also made a success out of it.

"Why should one group be targeted and not the other. There are some philosophical principles involved in individual targeting that really have to be addressed and I think haven't been.

"I think the whole industry is expecting further discussions to work out some details and some proposals that will make the implication of this tax fair.''