highly trained e-commerce and Internet workers.

And Telecommunications and E-Commerce Minister Renee Webb needed the support of her Cabinet colleagues to encourage these professionals to come to the Island, he and Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon both stressed.

"Human capital will be more important than financial capital,'' Dr. Gibbons said during the debate on the Ministry of Telecommunications and E-Commerce budget on Friday.

Human capital was set to become as mobile as financial capital, he said.

"A lot of money flows to areas where it will get the best return. We will see an increase in the mobility or demand for human capital, people,'' he said.

"Finding, developing and keeping talent will be the main challenge for companies.'' Mr. Gibbons noted that Internet and e-commerce companies in the US had begun lobbying their government to allow highly-trained non-Americans in to work in these fields.

"If the US is facing shortages, you know we will have the same issue in Bermuda,'' he said.

Mr. Gibbons recognised the need for Bermudianisation but pointed out: "You will not find enough of these people in Bermuda.'' Therefore it was essential that Government sort out its position on work permits because recent reports of concerns with Government's immigration policies would have been heard globally and could dissuade people from coming to the Island.

"Bad news travels fast,'' agreed Ms Gordon, who also holds the Shadow Telecommunications and E-Commerce portfolio.

She warned: "If businesses feel that Bermuda is creating an unfriendly environment, they have many other jurisdictions they can choose from.'' "There must be one clear message from Government, not what has happened over the past few weeks,'' she said.

It was no good having one Minister saying foreign workers negatively affected the environment while another tried to invite them in.