exclusive.

And, you could say, only those who perform with the greatest credit can keep their membership cards.

Fully paid-up Bermuda members include Mr. John Werner Kluge, Mrs. Marion MacMillan, Mr. Edward Crosby Johnson 111, Mr. Curt Engelhorn, Mr. Silvio Berlusconi, Mr. Ross Perot and the Bacardi, Irving and Moores families.

The nine have been included in the latest Forbes list of the world's billionaires.

There are now about 388 individuals, or families, worth at least $1 billion, according to Forbes. And together, they are valued at a cool $893 billion.

Well ahead in the money stakes this year is Microsoft Corporation chairman Mr.

Bill Gates, whose net worth is reckoned to be $12.9 billion, while another American, stock tycoon Mr. Warren Edward Buffett, comes in a poor second, so to speak. His assets swell to a mere $10.7 billion.

Meanwhile, Metromedia giant Mr. Kluge, whose luxury yacht Virginian is often spotted in Bermuda waters, is the richest man with local ties. The American's fortune is valued at $5.9 billion -- 10th in the list of Forbes' category of billionaire `families and individuals'.

Mrs. MacMillan of Cargill Inc., who recently defeated Canadian millionaire and Bermuda resident Mr. Michael DeGroote in a court battle over Perot's Island, is ranked 16th, with an estimated worth of $5.1 billion.

And one place behind her is top executive of Bermuda's Fidelity Investments Mr. Johnson 111, who has a home in Somerset.

For the next Bermuda `Billionaires' Club' member, Mr. Engelhorn and his family, you have to look all the way down to number 48.

Germany's Mr. Engelhorn, who lives at Five Star Island and heads the huge pharmaceutical concern, Corange Ltd., has assets amounting to $3.6 billion.

The dollar ratings of the other local club members are: $2 billion-plus -- Former US presidential candidate, Mr. Ross Perot, and Italian media magnate Silvio Berlusconi, both of whom own homes in Tucker's Town, and Canada's Irving family, which also lives here; and $1 billion-plus -- the Bacardi family and the Moores, who run a huge retailing concern.

MR. ROSS PEROT -- The former US presidential candidate is worth over $2 billion.