a world centre in the computer-based global market, an Independent Senator said yesterday.

Senator Walwyn Hughes backed members of the Progressive Labour Party when he said it was up to business leaders on the Island to ensure it stayed ahead of the field.

The Government's role, he said, was not to play a major role, but to ensure regulations and support were in place to assist businesses in their attempts to stride ahead.

His comments followed a debate yesterday by the Senate on the E-commerce budget for the coming year, set ten days ago by the PLP at $340,000.

Members of the United Bermuda Party criticised the cash as being too little and said Government should be doing more to ensure the Island continues to attract new businesses.

But Sen. Hughes said: "Everyone wants the very best. But I think these things should be driven by the private sector. If we provide the proper legislation, which I think has been done, and get a good advisory committee going, with leaders in the field, they can drive it themselves.

PLP Senator Michael Scott argued Bermuda was already very well represented on the World Wide Web and said what the Budget put aside for E-commerce would be more than adequate.

He added: "Bermuda is becoming the jurisdiction of choice for large international E-commerce players. All these things help and it's in this manner that area is progressing.'' But UBP Senator Mark Pettingill said Bermuda was in danger of being left behind because not enough was being done to capture new business and potential wealth on the Island.

He said: "By mid 2002, there will be 340 million users on the Internet with a potential of $11 billion in business, which could go through this jurisdiction.

"The inaction that is going on is going to lose us this potential. It's a joke to allocate that much money with regard to what we need to do. There is no vision of what it takes to attract and retain key business.'' Senate Opposition leader Maxwell Burgess said Government needed to ensure the people of Bermuda were taken along with the Island's attempts to be a world leader.

He said education and promotional information were the keys to ensure Bermudians understood the importance of E-commerce on the Island.