Businesses could face the prospect of being "micro-managed by someone else" in light of an apparent proposal made by Government recently on sustainable development, a prominent business leader said yesterday.

Chamber of Commerce President Charles Gosling, said he felt Government was touting sustainable development as an excuse for excluding additional offshore businesses from coming into Bermuda.

In a speech to Hamilton Rotarians on Tuesday, he said he believed the inclusion of this possibility in the recent White Paper on Long Term Residents meant it was being considered, despite recent assurances from Finance Minister Eugene Cox that it was not.

Mr. Gosling said: "Sustainable development is a subject Government is not sure if it wishes to embrace or not. A former minister felt that this concept was the only way Bermuda could move, I can't honestly say progress, into the future.

"However, sustainable development is being touted for excluding certain residents from owning a car or for excluding additional off-shore businesses from coming into Bermuda.

"While this is seen in a recent Government White Paper, the Minister of Finance is claiming no one is giving it consideration today.

"Obviously, it is being considered and while the Chamber has not yet moved on this issue as yet, I would again think it important to encourage discussion and participation otherwise there is the potential your business may be micro-managed by someone else in the future."

A recent Reuters story, quoting a "little noticed" clause in the Long Term Residents White Paper, said Bermuda may consider restricting the ability of international businesses to come to the Island.

The White Paper clause is to be found in the Appendix section under the heading "Measures to Inhibit the Creation of Long Term Residents in the Future."

It said: "There may have to be a decision taken at a more formal level which recognises that those physical presence companies wishing to establish a base in Bermuda must be for niche businesses like e-commerce which do not require additional infrastructure and which place less pressure on Bermuda's existing infrastructure."

However, Mr. Cox said the quote was "taken out of context" and moved to clarify that no one in Government had articulated such a policy.

He told The Royal Gazette: "We certainly have no intention at this point in time to say we are turning away businesses because they are not the right size."

Mr. Cox said economic planning and sustainable development had to take place to address the Island's need for sustainable development.

"But let's face it - we have only been in power and these are things that you can't just go and change immediately. First of all you've got to keep the present business going. Can you imagine what would have happened if we did anything that would have stopped the business flowing?"