Premier Jennifer Smith could face tough questions from the world's press while she attends this year's Risk and Insurance Management Society conference in San Francisco.

Ms Smith, who will be traveling to the event with a large Bermuda contingent to promote the Island, will meet the press after a Bermuda International Business Association (BIBA) breakfast meeting to be held on May 3.

Journalists from some of the biggest papers in the United States, including the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, have been invited to the hour-long press call.

At the event Ms Smith will take any questions from the media and is expected to be asked tough questions by the American journalists about the `Bermuda Tax issue' which is now before Congress.

The New York Times has led the pack in covering stories about a so-called `tax loophole' which American insurers claim allows Bermuda-based insurance companies to get away without paying US income tax.

Many other follow-up stories have appeared in the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, as well as a host of trade publications, which have also been invited to attend the event.

Now there is a bill before Congress which seeks to change the law to make companies that do business in the States, but are based in Bermuda, pay tax on their American revenue.

According to a spokesperson from BIBA, Ms Smith will be leading a discussion at a round table discussion organised by BIBA at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

She will introduce Minister of Telecommunications and E-commerce, Renee Webb and the Minister of Finance Eugene Cox.

BIBA have invited leading business people to the early morning event to discuss e-commerce opportunities in Bermuda.

Those invited to the breakfast will have the chance to meet members of the Bermuda Government and leading business men and women face to face.

About 50 guests are expected to attend the breakfast, which is being held to coincide with RIMS.

Ms Webb will be the keynote speaker at the event and will principally talk about e-commerce and Bermuda.

This will be followed by a round table discussion with the guests.

At the end of the breakfast, the press will be invited in and Ms Smith will take questions from journalists.

The Premier will be in San Francisco attending the prestigious RIMS event to help promote Bermuda as a place for international business.

She and her colleagues are among a 50 or so strong Bermuda delegation who will be attending RIMS.

There will be a Bermuda booth in the exhibition centre containing literature and advice on setting up business in Bermuda.

Premier Jennifer Smith: Expected to be grilled on the `Bermuda tax issue' Movin' and a Shakin': This novelty salt and pepper shaker set has been sent as a promotion to RIMS delegates from around the world by DuPont Safety Resources as an invitation to a breakfast during the week long conference in San Francisco.

BUSINESS BUC