hold a world party on Front Street to celebrate the year 2000.

And events organiser Jane West has also dismissed reports by VSB that plans to celebrate the new Millennium in style are in complete disarray as "unfair''.

Two years ago Bermuda was one of just 32 countries invited to take part in a global telethon that would raise millions of dollars for each of the participants.

But, in order to take part in the world party, $3 million was needed to hold Bermuda's own party on Front Street, footage of which would be beamed across the globe.

Mrs. West eventually dropped the idea after failing to win over backers for the big event. But she is now urging the new Government, and in particular Tourism Minister David Allen, to come up with the cash.

"Bermuda's going to be missing out,'' Mrs. West said last night. "I think it's the only country in the world that could have a party which the whole country could attend. It's a marketing bonanza because people would come down -- Bermuda's a great place for a party.

"But it's been very frustrating because nobody has been willing to make a commitment -- the party would be a $3 million proposition. But if we took part in this world wide celebration we would start off the new millennium with a $25 million fund raised through the telethon.

"If Jennifer Smith is looking to assign someone to look at this she had better hurry -- the clock's ticking and it's going to take a year to organise.'' Referring to last night's VSB television reports that the celebration plans were in disarray, Mrs. West said: "That's unfair because they were never really in array.

"It just means now that there will probably be something going on at Dockyard and something else in St. George's when we should be having one big party in a central location and Front Street is our most recognisable spot.'' Mrs. West insisted that it was still possible for the Front Street party to go ahead.

"It can still be done,'' she said.

"But I don't think Jane West should be leading the charge. This sort of thing needs money -- without money you have nothing. I really hope that the new Government will step in.'' Meanwhile the head of a committee given a $1 million government grant to organise Millennium celebrations says that a number of ideas are being worked out and details will be announced shortly.

"Everything is going well,'' Millennium Committee chairman Jay Bluck said.

"But our aim was to provide something of long term benefit to the Island.

We're not going to be spending $1 million on fireworks.''