OPPOSITION Leader Dr. Grant Gibbons has renewed his call for the release of a review of Bermuda's taxation system which was commissioned by the former United Bermuda Party Government.

With the next session of Parliament set to begin after the Throne Speech next Friday, Dr. Gibbons said he hoped the review would finally be made available to the House for discussion.

Finance Minister Eugene Cox had promised four years ago that he would make the Government-funded report public, said Dr. Gibbons, but it had remained under wraps.

"I have persistently asked for the report to be released, especially since the Minister of Finance said he would release it in 1999/2000 Budget statement," said Dr. Gibbons.

The report was started in 1997 by Harry Gutman of US law firm King & Spalding and Eric Toder, who had formerly been with the US Treasury Department.

In his Budget statement of spring 1999, Mr. Cox said: "Mr. Speaker, in the (1998) election platform, the Government pledged to conduct a review of taxation in Bermuda before deciding to make any changes in the structure . . . I have met with the consultant who began the review of Bermuda's taxes and asked him to perform additional work in his study area to assist me in her review.

"In due course, his recommendations will be made public together with Government's response.

"The Government will fulfil its commitment to a tax review but the time available since the (1998) election has not been sufficient to complete such an exercise at this date."

Dr. Gibbons said a review of the way the Government raised revenue was long overdue because of the huge changes in the local economy.

"The point that everybody was making when we commissioned the report was that the structure of Bermuda's economy was changing," Dr. Gibbons said.

"It was changing then, but it has changed dramatically in the last five years. One of the most obvious changes is that the tourism segment has diminished.

"Now international business earns three to four times more for the economy than tourism. In the mid-'90s the two were roughly equal.

"So it's important to look carefully at how the Government raises its revenue and to see that it's being done in a fair way.

"Another issue is how revenue is generated and to make sure that we remain competitive. If we shift the burden of taxation, we don't want to find that we have undermined our competitiveness."

Dr. Gibbons said that the consultants had looked closely at how the burden of taxation was spread across the community and even though the study had been started six years ago, the document would still provide a valid base for an important discussion.

"As I understand it, the document was completed in 1999," Dr. Gibbons said. "The Government apparently did not like what was in it, so they sent it back to the consultants and aksed them to make modifications.

"Whatever it looks like it would be useful and I think it should be released."

Asked if he would favour a move towards income tax, Dr. Gibbons replied: "The United Bermuda Party is against income tax for Bermuda."

Premier Alex Scott has vowed to publish a whole slew of reports that have remained secret for several years, as part of his move towards a more open style of government than was practised by his predecesor, Jennifer Smith.

He has not yet specified whether the taxation review will be one of those to be released.

Other reports the Opposition has demanded to be released include an asbestos report which includes reference to work by contractor and former PLP MP Arthur Pitcher at a housing project on Southside.

A review of the civil service, a review of the Bermuda Regiment, as well as the Annex to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development) Report, which reportedly committed Bermuda to fulfilling certain requirements in regards to tax issues, are among others the Government has been pressed to publish.