said yesterday some heads of companies seem to be missing the point of the meeting.

About 25 heads of companies and essential services have said they'll attend the meeting on June 5 to determine how far along Bermuda businesses is in dealing with the Year 2000 computer problem.

However the rest of the companies want to send people in charge of their information technology (IT) departments. Organisers representing sponsors Cable & Wireless, and MM&I Technology Group say the companies don't seem to understand the need to send the person in charge.

"The Year 2000 is not an IT problem,'' MM&I vice president Ian Mann said yesterday. "It's a business problem. The focus of the summit is to foster open communication amongst top companies and essential services at the highest level.'' The "Millennium Bug'' or the Year 2000 problem refers to a glitch in the programs running computers and software causing an inability to recognise years after 1999.

The Millennium Summit will bring together those in key industries to see how far along Bermuda is to becoming millennium compliant. The meeting will be held at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.

BUSINESS BUC