which plans to support environmental causes.

Earth Ltd. would raise funds by selling lottery tickets to international travellers with a top prize of more than $1 million.

Among those expected to benefit from ticket sales are the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Parliament has now been presented with a petition to pass a private bill which would incorporate Earth Ltd.

Behind the petition is exempted Bermuda company, Infinex International Ltd., whose lawyers are Richards, Francis and Francis.

Gordon Hill, an attorney from the firm, told The Royal Gazette the Swiss-based Earth Foundation had not yet been fully incorporated.

Once it was up and running, it would provide funds for ecological purposes, he explained.

"It will be a very high-profile foundation with lots of important people on the board, which has not been fully set up.'' He added: "Earth Ltd, the Bermuda company, will be the fund-raising arm of the Earth Foundation.

"The fund-raising won't be limited to lotteries, although the plan at this stage is to have a lottery or a series of lotteries which would raise money for the Earth Foundation.'' Mr. Hill said Earth Ltd. would probably have little local involvement.

"The primary market will be international tourists. For example, it may be that tickets will be sold on airplanes or ships between countries.

"They will be sold in any country in which the sale of lottery tickets is not prohibited.'' Mr. Hill said it was estimated there were about 50 million international travellers a year.

"The thought is that one ticket in ten will win something and the grand prize winner will win a significant amount of money in excess of a million dollars, although it depends on the number of tickets sold.'' Mr. Hill said one or two lottery draws were possible in 1997.

"The plan is to start selling shortly after the Earth Foundation exists.

FUNDRAISING FNR ENVIRONMENT ENV