IN a junket that evokes memories of such movies as and Eddie Murphy's what's been incorrectly billed as the first ever official delegation of Bermudian leaders has headed to Washington DC to meet with key decision Senators and Congressmen in the US Capital in an effort to dispel myths about our tax and regulatory system.

This trip appears to have been facilitated by Bermuda's US Consul General, Gregory Slayton. One of the few surviving dot.com millionaires, he was a major contributor to George W. Bush's '04 campaign.

The hoopla surrounding the visit is both overwrought and misleading. Just consider the fact John Swan spent almost as much time at the White House as the President during the 1989-93 administration of George H.W. Bush and was accorded the exceedingly rare privilege of hosting a dinner at the Executive Mansion for friends and supporters from Bermuda (former Reagan Congressional liason Max Friedersdorf was then US Consul General in Bermuda and he opened all manner of doors in Washington for the then United Bermuda Party Government as it was negotiating the US/Bermuda tax treaty ? the foundation of our current wealth).

This, we are told, is the largest official delegation of Bermudians ever to visit the Washington. We are also told that this is expected to be a chance for Bermuda to educate Washington's key decision makers by dispelling myths that have wrongly linked Bermuda to many acts of corporate malfeasance conducted, for the most part, by US citizens (among others) when attempting to avoid or evade their home country's financial and fiscal regulations.

Funnily enough there appears to be a dispute as to whether or not the United Bermuda Party representatives should have joined their Progressive Labour Party counterparts in Washington. Both Alex Scott and Wayne Furbert are stopping short of calling each other liars, but the challenge to take the polygraph test looms over these accusations in a political game of chicken. Furbert will take the test; Scott is avoiding the challenge ? but is Wayne bluffing? My gut tells me he isn't ? perhaps time will tell.

My guess, and I'd bet good money on this, is that Scott will decline Furbert's challenge for various reasons which will include protecting the integrity of "the Office of the Premier".

Ironically, volunteering to take the polygraph ? and passing ? would not only restore integrity to the office but also inject some desperately needed credibility. If the Premier has indeed told the truth, then why would he not want both to stand by his words and score a political victory over his accuser? If he backs out of this chance to vindicate himself, then it looks like he has not been straightforward with Wayne Furbert - and ergo - the rest of his loyal supporters who do not deserve to be misled (personally, I'd like to see all politicians hooked up to polygraphs every time they address the House of Assembly and the public).

This cynic expects nothing from our feckless leader based on his track history of avoidance, obfuscation and complete inability to be accountable to those Bermudians who he serves. However, I do support the position of PLP member Julian Hall, who believes there should be no expectation for members of any Opposition Party to be invited on diplomatic visits. Certainly members of the PLP were not invited to the Washington meetings attended by UBP Cabinet Ministers.

I guess the most amusing part of this visit is the claim that we are going to DC to "educate" the powers that be over there about Bermuda.

Let's get real. After some 50-odd years in the off-shore financial business, who honestly believes the US Government is looking for a Bermuda Government to educate them on the nature of our economy and dispel alleged myths and suppositions? That claim may well have been a ruse to get Alex & Co. to Washington to sit them down and give them a few home truths ? beginning with Cuba. As long as we have direct flights to Cuba and continue to pursue some sort of relationship with America's sworn enemy (and one of only five remaining totalitarian Communist regimes in the world) then Alex Scott will have a snowball's chance in hell of getting any relaxation of the US's immigration restrictions regarding Bermudians with criminal records.

You see, I don't think the US had any great concerns about the island when a primarily anti-Independence UBP held the reins here because of the ties with their number one ally - Great Britain. While the 1990s did see a call for Independence by a bipartisan group led by Sir John Swan this caused little consternation outside Bermuda for two reasons

1). Sir John gave us the most democratic method with which to vote on this important and irrevocable step, thereby ensuring that the people's wishes prevailed on the singular issue of sovereignty ? unlike now when we still have no idea what form this vote will take (although Independence hardliners in the PLP hope to lock any such vote into a General Election, effectively blackmailing their own anti-Independence core supporters). So understandably our nearest and largest ally is concerned.

2). Now we have a Government that has yet to see two full terms to completion yet which has already begun to seduce Cuba ? and we're doing more than just batting our innocent and na?ve eyelashes their way. This flirting with one of the US's top enemies is really against our interests and I have a feeling that our delegates are going to get a diplomatic telling off during their "education" session.

Why am I saying all of this?

Why I am pouring cold water on Alex Scott's claim that he is going to "educate" American policymakers about Bermuda's role in the world of international finance?

Because, frankly, unlike some members of our Government, I actually understand Bermuda's necessary role in the offshore financial services sector, especially that of our insurance industry.

And this is a role that began in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The reality is that any and all US public and private stakeholders have longsince been keyed into Bermuda's meteoric rise to its position as the leading offshore financial centre (and subsequent entry into the top five reinsurance markets in the world).

This is why I find it laughable that we are told our Bermudian delegation is off to Washington DC to do something akin to explaining the theory of relativity to Einstein!