While programmers are in hot demand globally to fix the "Millennium Bug'' or Y2K problem, a Bermuda firm is marketing a UK product that will fix it, inexpensively.

Developed in the UK by Continua Systems, the Year 2000 TimeBomb Disposal Kit, is being distributed in Bermuda and the Caribbean by Y2KFIX.

The business is owned by Darrell Fubler and Robert Smith. Mr. Smith runs Microage Computer Services.

Mr. Fubler said that Cable & Wireless Jamaica just purchased 400 copies of the pre-packaged computer discs.

The service being provided in Bermuda provides for a simple test to determine if a system has a Y2K problem.

He said, "We're marketing this product to those who use computers for residential or commercial use. Products include one that will fix whatever number of computers you have networked together.

"For single computers, it takes literally about two minutes to run the test, and then it tells you if there are any problems. If there is a Y2K problem, we will simply sell you a disc for about $70 that will systematically remove the problem.

"For 70 bucks, you can't go wrong. If the computer is already Year 2000 compliant, it will cost you nothing.'' An independent company that evaluated the product last May, Solace Consultancy Services Ltd. of East Sussex in the UK commented on hardware test results with this description: "An extremely thorough, informative and well presented package which reports accurately at all required levels.

"The tests produce the most honest results witnessed to date in any Millennium testing package, allowing the user complete confidence in defining the Year 2000 compliance status of each PC.'' Solace concluded that the actual fix "worked in all test situations and proved to be stable.'' The TimeBomb is aimed at the small office/home user market, while TimeBomb Pro was designed to cover every business level from home user to hospital and power plant.

The hardware diagnostics produces a text report detailing individual passes, failures and warnings; summarises passes, failures and warnings at date setting level, system level, BIOS level and CMOS level.

It advises of conditions that need to be met for failures to occur and suggests which fix is appropriate for each failure.