Annual FSC Association Conference.

Battle lines were drawn for the "FSC fight'' this week at this year's event in the US Virgin Islands.

Bermuda's delegation of five touted the Island's top-quality management for those US exporting and manufacturing companies setting up a foreign sales corporation (FSC).

But the Barbadian Minister of State, Sen. Phillip Goddard said his Government is aiming for FSC business growth of 400 percent next year.

And the organisers of the conference have expressed some concern about Bermuda's reputation for being expensive.

The Bermuda International Business Association is set to assist the Bermuda FSC Association in preparing their bid to host the 1996 event.

BIBA marketing manager, Mrs. Wendy Davis-Johnson, said: " We have been told that the FSC/DISC (Domestic International Sales Corporation) Association will take a serious look at Bermuda's bid.'' She said: "We will be working with the sales and marketing departments of the Island's resort properties to come up with a proposal that is competitive.'' Leading the charge for Bermuda in USVI was Parliamentary Secretary for Finance, Sen. Lynda Milligan-Whyte, who spoke to the 150 attendees at the conference's plenary session and promoted the Island as a top business jurisdiction.

At the Bermuda reception on Monday night, the Government Senator said Bermuda's FSC Association was eager to be chosen as the site of the FSC associations's annual conference in 1996.

But the next day at a luncheon hosted by Barbados, Sen. Goddard, said: "As part of the Barbados Government's programme to increase international business, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been reorganised to include telecommunications, the shipping and aircraft registers and a special department devoted to international business.''