Bermuda has won the bid to host the prestigious World Information Technology Services Alliance's Global Public Policy Conference in 2009, according to a statement by the Chamber of Commerce's business technology division in partnership with the Ministry of the Environment, Telecommunications and E-Commerce.

WITSA is a consortium of more than 70 IT industry associations from economies around the world, with its members representing more than 90 percent of the world IT market.

The business technology division decided this would be an appropriate initiative to coincide with Bermuda's 400th anniversary and to showcase the Island's success of using IT to enhance global business and it partnered with the Department of E-Commerce to develop and participate in the bid process which took place in Cairo, Egypt in early November, with the result that the Bermuda delegation was successful and the WITSA Steering Committee selected them to host the 2009 event.

The GPPC 2009 will be held at the Fairmont Southampton and approximately 500 delegates are expected to attend from countries across the world to participate in discussions and listen to presentations from world authorities in the IT sector.

Minister of the Environment, Telecommunications and E-Commerce, Neletha Butterfield, said: "I am thrilled that the WITSA Steering Committee has chosen Bermuda to host their Global Public Policy Conference in 2009. This is a great example of the Government working with the private sector to promote Bermuda as a premier event destination and to highlight our world class ICT sector.

"I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the Department of E-Commerce and the Business Technology Division of the Chamber - we could not have been successful without their efforts."

Philip Barnett, president of the Chamber of Commerce said: "We are delighted that Bermuda has been selected for the 2009 event. Having the WITSA GPPC conference hosted in Bermuda allows our Chamber members to participate and network with IT and government officials from many countries. It also gives them the ability to showcase the IT capabilities to the world and promote the island as a very viable business domicile.

"This is a true partnership with the Ministry of the Environment, Telecommunications and E-Commerce as the support and expertise they provided were instrumental in Bermuda winning the bid."