This newspaper has not always agreed with the travel habits of Government Ministers, to put it mildly, but it is probably good news that Finance Minister Eugene Cox is attending the World Economic Forum in New York City.

In recent days, Bermuda has come up with disturbing regularity in the international media as Bermuda-based companies like Global Crossing, Tyco International and Bermuda-based joint ventures funded by Irish drugs company Elan have come under scrutiny.

It may be that the increased reporting on these companies and other international companies based in Bermuda will decline in time.

But it should be clear, especially in the wake of reports that collapsed commodities trading company Enron had avoided paying US taxes through a web of some 500 offshore partnerships, including eight in Bermuda, that all offshore domiciles, including Bermuda, are likely to come under increased scrutiny by overseas regulators.

That is somewhat galling, since the Island has already fought hard to establish its reputation as a clean and responsible domicile before the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) and its Financial Action Task Force.

That effort, rightly, required Bermuda to tighten its anti-money laundering laws and perhaps as a result, the Island has successfully detected and stopped a number of money laundering efforts.

But it is possible that the Enron incident will see further efforts to "harmonise" taxes around the world, and the Island needs to make its case that it opposes tax evasion.

That should be the message that Mr. Cox and the businessmen accompanying him make at the World Economic Forum. Bermuda is a clean and reputable jurisdiction which provides an innovative and efficient market for world businesses. But it should make it clear that it also protects employees and shareholders of the companies based here and has no interest in shady operators.