The hosts of a meeting of top executives have called for the formation of a national task force to help companies deal with the Year 2000 computer problem.

MM&I Technology Group and Cable & Wireless have called for a "multi-industry, multi-disciplinary Year 2000 action force to collate and communicate information relating to Bermuda's overall state of progress and readiness'' in dealing with the Year 2000 problem.

The organisation would be similar to the Action 2000 group set up by the UK's Department of Trade and Industry to advise companies about tackling the Year 2000 problem.

The "Millennium Bug'' or the Year 2000 problem refers to a glitch in the programmes running computers and software causing an inability to recognise years after 1999.

The meeting on Friday at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute attracted 37 executives. Representatives from American International Group, Fidelity, Hemisphere, Argus Insurance, BF&M Ltd., Bank of Bermuda, the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, the Bermuda Monetary Authority, Belco, Bermuda Telephone Co. Ltd. were among those in attendance.

"The summit specifically dealt with the business management aspects of the Year 2000 problem, not the technical,'' MM&I assistant vice president John Tartaglia said. "The objectives of this summit were to provide an analysis of the possible consequences to Bermuda's business infrastructure should we fail to properly address the Year 2000 problem.

The keynote address was given by Dr. John Baits, director of Cable & Wireless group development.

Executives filled out anonymous surveys to assess how ready Bermuda businesses were in dealing with the computer bug.

Mr. Tartaglia said every organisation should be doing a business impact analysis, assessing their dependence on outside firms, conducting contingency planning and figuring out their internal/external communications.

He called on every business to be compliant by September 1, 1999 so testing could be done on all systems before January 1, 2000.

The call for a Bermuda advisory body comes on the heels of a similar appeal from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA).

The Royal Gazette reported last week on BMA General Manager Malcolm Williams appeal to businesses to take action on dealing with the Year 2000 problem.

"There has to be some coordinated effort to ensure Bermuda is on the road to compliance,'' BMA General Manager Malcolm Williams said in an interview. "My concern is that there is as yet no person or body who has been appointed as a commander in chief to oversee compliance.'' He said the initiative could come from Government or from a number of associations such as the Chamber of Commerce or the Bermuda International Business Association.

The BMA is taking the precaution of ordering more cash to be ready in case the bank system fails and ATMs are unable to distribute money.

"I don't want to appear to be an alarmist,'' Mr. Williams said. "I am just being ultra cautious because of the nature of my job and the nature of the authority. We have to cover worse case scenarios.'' LOOKING AHEAD -- (l-r) John Tartaglia of MM&I Technology Group, and Dr. John Baits and Colin Little of Cable & Wireless closed a meeting of some of Bermuda's top executives to discuss the year 2000 computer problem.

BUSINESS BUC