Premier Alex Scott declared "mission accomplished" yesterday after completing a whirlwind tour of Washington and New York aimed at blunting criticism of Bermuda as a financial centre.

And Mr. Scott assured influential business leaders in New York yesterday that if Bermuda goes independent, it will not jeopardise the Island's thriving offshore sector.

Speaking at the end of a Bermuda International Business Association business briefing, Mr. Scott told The Royal Gazette in an exclusive interview: "From the feedback we have got from BIBA executives and the individuals we have spoken to, I think it is mission accomplished.

"We went to Capitol Hill to put our case and considering the time frame, it was 24 hours but we have got Bermuda's case across and our friends have recommitted themselves."

And Mr. Scott said he and Finance Minister Paula Cox, who were in Washington on Wednesday, also met with Sen. Max Baucus, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, and were able to put Bermuda's case to him.

"In the case of Sen. Max Baucus, he put the toughest questions and we left him feeling he had an appreciation for what we do and how we do it and that the criticism emanating from (Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry) is just presidential rhetoric as opposed to facts."

Sen. Kerry has been criticising US corporations which move their domiciles to Bermuda to reduce their tax burden. He has promised to bring legislation that would end the practice.

Earlier yesterday, speaking at the opening BIBA seminar at the St. Regis Hotel, off New York's Fifth Avenue, Mr. Scott moved to reassure the 90 business and media leaders present that Independence would not change Bermuda as an international business centre. "One of the benefits of our success as an island is that we are politically and economically stable," he said. "That stability has allowed us the opportunity to consider Independence from the United Kingdom. It is the natural evolution of any country to pursue Independence if its people are ready and able.

"We have begun that discussion in Bermuda and I can tell you this - it will be a civil discussion and any decision we will make will be based on the facts as well as the views of our people. I can also assure the business community here today that Bermuda has faced change before, but business has continued to function as usual.

"This will continue to be the case regardless of the outcome of the Independence discussions in Bermuda."

Bermuda Monetary Authority chairwoman Cheryl-Ann Lister also told a seminar on hedge funds that Bermuda's regulatory system would not change if the Island went independent.

Turning to the attacks from Sen. Kerry, Mr. Scott said: "Bermuda has a long history of supporting the United States. We value our friendship and close business relationship. Bermuda has done nothing wrong as it relates to US companies doing business here. The issues being discussed in the US relate primarily to the US tax code and global competitiveness.

"Bermuda's tax code works for our Island. We have a consumption based tax system that has not changed in more than 100 years. It raises revenue to support our needs and we think it is appropriate. It was not designed to attract business to Bermuda.

"We also have a regulatory system that is highly effective. We have a legal system based on UK common law and that provides for appeal to the UK Privy Council. We are not a centre of outsourcing and we are not taking US jobs. We all know that in the heat of political debate the issues are sometimes oversimplified. The facts, though, speak for themselves."

The island had a rigorous regulatory system, strong legal protections and was politically stable. "We have a business community that is highly competitive on the global stage and that helps others compete as well. We are proud of what we have accomplished in the international business world and believe in our own sovereignty.

"Unlike some jurisdictions that focus on quantity, trying to attract tens of thousands of companies, banks and funds, Bermuda focuses on quality. We are a place that attracts the best and the brightest."

Among the companies and agencies attending attending the seminars were Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, Swiss Re Capital, Bank of New York, Fiduciary Trust, General Motors Asset Management, Dow Jones, Credit Lyonnais, JP Morgan Securities, XL Capital Assurance, Butterfield Fund Management and HSBC.

The Premier and Finance Minister Cox spent Wednesday lobbying 30 congressmen and women in Washington and met the British Ambassador to the US Sir David Manning on Tuesday afternoon.

They met key Washington policy makers including Sen. Baucus, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee and Congressman Charles Rangel, the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee. Mr. Scott later told The Royal Gazette that Government intends to follow up on the Washington lobbying, which he described as a success. He said he believed Sen Kerry's attacks on Bermuda did not seem to be winning much support on Capitol Hill.

Yesterday, the Premier and Ms Cox also met members of the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times and BusinessWeek. In her keynote lunch speech to the business leaders in New York yesterday Ms Cox said: "The fact that as a Government we considered it important for us to to participate in this first BIBA Bermuda briefing in 2004 speaks volumes and evidences the strong and enduring relationship that the Government has with its industry partners.

"I said at my inaugural meeting with BIBA (in January) that I would very much like to see us deepen the partnership even more and work actively together on matters pertaining to economic diplomacy and to do more joint ventures in telling the Bermuda story."

Bermuda's success was a result of careful planning, strict adherence to international best practice, flexibility, a well trained workforce, and partnership between Government and the private sector, she said.

Deborah Middleton, chief executive of BIBA, said yesterday: "From the feedback I have had from the panellists, the seminars were really interactive with a lot of interest in what's going on in Bermuda, these types of forums are the best way of building new relationships and cementing old ones and keeping our partners up to date with trends in the Bermuda market.

"Most definitely it was a worthwhile exercise.''

"When asked if she thought the presentations would dampen criticism of Bermuda from some US politicians, she said: That is our hope. But in general, those people who already know Bermuda know that we are reputable jurisdiction, but for those who do not know Bermuda, we hope that they have come away with an image of us as a premier financial centre."