Gordon to discuss controversial proposals by the UK Government on new laws to govern the offshore industry.

It is expected around 30 representatives of the offshore sector will gather at Cabinet Office tomorrow to discuss the UK proposals.

Ms Gordon said: "I intend to invite them to consider how these proposals might affect them and to advise me in writing and in detail of their concerns.'' And she added that the UK had agreed to send a top Civil Service expert in finance from the Foreign Office to meet Bermuda's international business community in March.

Ms Gordon added: "Bermuda will not make any amendments to the Proceeds of Crime Act until we can reach a consensus with both Britain and our international business partners.'' The news came after Ms Gordon revealed that Britain appeared to have backed down on adding "dual criminality'' to the recent Proceeds of Crime Act, designed to beat dirty money and other white collar crime.

Ms Gordon said: "This would make it a crime in Bermuda for someone to commit a tax offence against British law and would place upon us what we see as an intolerable burden in the conduct of regulating international business.

"Quite apart from the ethical considerations of dual criminality, this is a Country which makes it laws, wherever possible, after consultation with its people.'' But Ms Gordon said that conferences in London and the Bahamas forum, called by UK Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, had given Government the chance to makes its case.

And she said: "I believe Britain now accepts the position we have taken.'' Ms Gordon said -- as with hanging and judicial flogging -- no changes would be made without consultation with the people involved -- in this case, the international sector.

She warned that the worst case syndrome was that the international sector -- although not killed off -- would be badly hurt by "ill-conceived legislation.'' And she stressed that Bermuda had no intention of being drawn into the mire of handling international crime proceeds.

She said: "With care and a sense of responsibility, this Government believes it is possible for a country like Bermuda to be a world financial centre free of the stain of money-laundering and other such ugly practices.'' Ms Gordon added that her blast from the Bahamas over UK protocol which meant that Britain represented Bermuda on the international stage had also paid dividends.

She said: "I believe I was able to get Mr. Cook to accept that this is not a healthy state of affairs. With the best will in the world, Britain cannot represent Bermuda's point of view with the passion and commitment that Bermudians can.'' And she added that a special meeting of Overseas Territories will be held just before the meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government later this year and that delegates will now be allowed sit in on the meeting between the UK and its former colonies.

Ms Gordon said: "I have every hope that this will become standard operating procedure in the future.'' And she took a swipe at those she said had refused to put aside "narrow, local political concerns'' for the good of the Country.

Ms Gordon said: "It's a threat to our future when some Bermudians admit that they consider the workings of business and international diplomacy to be `murky'.'' But she added that her United Bermuda Party understood business "knows these workings very well.'' CONFERENCE CON