and has taken measures to better position new and improved pension products in the Bermuda market.

Sun Life and its investment management subsidiary manages $13 billion in pension assets, including nearly $75 million in Bermuda.

Vice president for pension marketing and sales, Barry R. Gagnon, has devoted more time to the Island to discuss with the company's local representatives some of the new innovations and technologies and varying options that can be provided.

Mr. Gagnon said, "Bermuda is not an insignificant block of business and we really feel it is a very good market for us.

"During the last six months we have been working on developing our educational capabilities when it comes to investments.

"When you look at the change in the pension market, with an entire array of investment funds available and now seeking pension assets, people have to learn how to use these investments.

"It is incumbent on the employers to ensure that the employees have enough education and ongoing support to make the right choices.

"So for the last six months, we have been developing educational programmes that will help people make the right decisions in the future.'' Mr. Gagnon said Sun Life of Canada, as a worldwide pension supplier, had been in Bermuda since 1881, when it began providing financial services here. It began providing local pension programmes in the 1970s.

He said, "We are looking at how we can compete in this marketplace. We can take our earned experience from worldwide operations and transfer that knowledge into Bermuda and other markets. We feel strongly that we can differentiate ourselves in this market.

"We are looking at all employers in Bermuda, with no limitation on size. But as a result of the presence we have in world markets, we can transfer the skill and benefits that we acquire from a lot of our very large clients around the world.

"We've developed those requirements in our systems and can transfer them to every client we have, wherever they may be. So small or large employers in Bermuda can benefit from our global expertise.

"We have large pension operations not just in Canada, but also in the US through a subsidiary there and in Britain.''