Government is working on a new aviation strategy for Bermuda in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States.

"There is an aviation strategy and I'll be making a statement to Parliament during the current session,'' Transport Minister Ewart Brown revealed yesterday.

`'However, it has been affected by September 11 so we are dealing with maintaining the service we have. Our strategy is designed to maximise airlift to Bermuda."

Dr. Brown said that a new aviation strategy is in the works, and it would be based on different assumptions than the existing one.

He told The Royal Gazette that the current strategy developed jointly with the Tourism Ministry was based purely on tourism.

But that can no longer be justified because Bermuda's travelling sector is split equally between Bermuda residents, tourists and international business travellers, he said.

"So the strategy has to take into account all three of these groups."

Dr. Brown's comments came in the wake of a call for an aviation strategy by Neville Conyers, chairman of Bermuda Aviation Services (BAS).

"If there was ever a time for Bermuda to address its aviation strategy and the support required to keep air services to the Island intact, it is now," Mr. Conyers said in a recent statement.

"It is a critical component of our economy that not only provides and supports a significant percentage of jobs in the hospitality industry, but it is the catalyst for a significant number of indirect employments such as restaurants, taxis and retail stores."

BAS is predicting a 50 percent decline in yearly profits as a direct result of the September 11 attacks.

But the impact was cushioned somewhat by the fact that the company has already diversified into new aviation businesses.

Company president and CEO Gene Bean said : "We have to determine how much support we need to give to the carriers in order to attain what we need."