establish Bermuda-Inc.com, an official web site on Internet coming soon to provide information about Bermuda's international business community to interested browsers.

But the broad scale promotion of Bermuda through cyberspace, expected last month, has been delayed until the middle and possibly the end of October, as proponents work to get telephone lines installed.

The potent on-line venture will represent a cooperative effort among leading business entities, including AT&T, Cable & Wireless, the BSX, the Bermuda International Business Association (BIBA) and the international business community.

Government's Insurance Advisory Committee (IAC), the BSX, BIBA and the Registrar of Companies have already agreed to an on-line partnership to promote international business for Bermuda.

Bermuda Stock Exchange CEO William Woods sees the efforts as essential in an offshore jurisdiction that is without a central marketing body.

"One of the slightly unusual things here is the lack of a body, like a development board or financial services commission, which most other offshore jurisdictions have, which is responsible for promoting the Island as an international business centre,'' said Mr. Woods.

"We have no international business agency, other than BIBA which is interesting, because its members are the local companies, not the international companies.

"Then there is the International Companies Division of the Chamber of Commerce and the IAC for the insurance market.

"So it can be seen as a kind of disjointed effort. That's why it was important to get Bermuda Inc. up there on the web, so people looking to Bermuda can find out information they need to set up a company.''