Lawyers from distinguished London law firms were not on hand for a meeting with Minister of Telecommunications and E-Commerce Michael Scott on Monday as previously reported.

In fact just four people attended the much-publicised Monday event.

It turns out that a Press release on the Ministry's letterhead was issued to the media on Monday before the meeting actually took place.

Troncossi Public Relations, a private firm contracted by the ministry, said in that release that Mr. Scott met with a "diverse group of solicitors which included tax and incorporation lawyers from distinguished firms such as Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklater and Norton Rose among others". In fact, no lawyers from any of those firms attended.

A legal insider has informed this newspaper that the gathering was so small that there was just a lunch around a table instead of a formal address from the Minister. understands that there were just over half a dozen people on hand for this event including Minister Michael Scott, his two assistants and Liz Tee, head of Troncossi Public Relations.

The insider also noted that the guests who did attend the lunch organised to promote Bermuda as a "premiere e-business destination" are already very familiar with the Island and its offerings. The complete guest list was Warren Cabral of Appleby Spurling & Hunter London, Martin Lane of Conyers Dill & Pearman London, Scott Pearman of Ely Place Chambers London and "a guy called Tom" from Rawlinson & Hunter, a firm specialising in offshore trust administration which already has offices in Bermuda. The Troncossi press release said that Mr. Cabral also spoke at the event, but this too was incorrect. Mr. Cabral did not end up giving an address because so few people were in attendance.

The Ministry of Telecommunications and E-Commerce (MTEC) announced last week plans to reposition its ECommerce marketing efforts to focus on companies already based in Bermuda. In that Press statement, the Ministry said the repositioning ? it previously focused most of its marketing efforts overseas ? would allow it to focus on local business as well as the estimated 75 percent of Fortune 500 companies already domiciled here.

Last night Elizabeth Tee, managing director, Troncossi Public Relations, said: "Troncossi Public Relations today acknowledged in part that the release that was issued by them on Monday, November 15 was erroneous in that although all the firms referred to had in fact been invited and confirmed their attendance at the meeting, there were some firms who did not in fact attend the meeting as listed.

"Troncossi confirmed that the Minister of Telecommunications and E-commerce, the Hon. Michael Scott, JP, MP, did have a briefing meeting with a number of lawyers on Monday, November 15, 2004. The legal and tax firms that were represented included Appleby Spurling Hunter, Conyers Dill & Pearman, Ely Place Chambers and Rawlinson & Hunter."