Premier Ewart Brown has been strongly criticised in a leading UK-based insurance and reinsurance magazine for causing growing concern amongst the Island's $64 billion international reinsurance community and raising the spectre that companies might even abandon the Island if the chips are down.

Anti-expat rhetoric, a pro-independence stance and the "chaotic work-permit" situation are all listed as problems present under Dr. Brown's watch as leader of the Island.

The continuing saga of the Bermuda Housing Corporation investigation and the ensuing media gag, an issue which goes before the Privy Council on October 29, is also mentioned in Reinsurance Magazine's commentary on Dr. Brown.

The magazine ran an article entitled "Power List" in which it placed Dr. Brown as 14th most powerful figure in the reinsurance industry today.

Appearing in the August edition, and also on the magazine website, the article said: "Sixty-four billion dollars of capital and counting, that's the kind of line that Mr Brown is swinging when he talks reinsurance. In many ways the Premier is the ultimate big fish in a remarkably small pond.

"The pro-independence and anti-expat rhetoric is scary, the work-permit situation chaotic and the power of instant deportation over any non-Bermudian (including troublesome journalists) is genuinely frightening.

"However, the recent appeal to London's Privy council over media reporting of leaked police files in an infamous construction-related corruption case has reminded outsiders that as long as Bermuda isn't independent, the ultimate checks and balances still reside elsewhere.

"Off the record, the international reinsurance community based in Bermuda is not at all happy with the current state of affairs, but knows that if the chips were really down it could up sticks and relocate to alternative domiciles only too willing to accommodate. It would be hard, painful work, but if pushed a multiple dash for the exit would ultimately be a brutal exercise in real politics for Mr. Brown."

Dr. Brown, through his press secretary Glenn Jones, declined to comment on the article when contacted by The Royal Gazette.