agencies have joined together on the Internet to promote Bermuda as the world's premier international business centre.

The Insurance Advisory Committee's marketing arm, the Bermuda Stock Exchange, the Bermuda International Business Association and the Registrar of Companies yesterday announced a partnership to promote the Island in cyberspace.

All sites will be linked to a Bermuda, Inc. web site.

"These sites will provide potential clients with official information on how to use Bermuda for international business,'' they said.

The initiative will include a web-based directory of the Island's international businesses.

Initially, the move will promote Bermuda, but there is potential for local companies to conduct business online.

Exchange CEO William Woods said that the Bermuda, Inc. site should be online early next month.

He estimated that two to three months later, up to 1,700 Bermuda entities will be included.

"Historically, the Internet has been used quite extensively for promotional purposes.'' "At the Registrar of Companies, we hope to investigate the possibility of using the Internet for electronic commerce,'' Bermuda's Registrar of Companies Kymn Astwood said.

Once security issues are addressed, companies could file their statutory financial returns or applications on-line, he said.

For the BSX, anticipating its own fully electronic trading mechanism to be on-line in six to 12 months, the Internet offers another potential route for electronic trading, Mr. Woods said.

"Internet access is a crucial part of our electronic exchange,'' he said.

"I think the point-of-sale is shifting,'' said BIBA chairman Tom Davis. "The more we can make available the more competitive we can be.'' IAC marketing committee member and Bermuda Insurance Institute president Shiela Nicoll said Bermuda, Inc. brings electronic broking closer.

For Bermuda's international insurers, the clients are located overseas, she said.

BIBA will promote Bermuda, Inc. in connection with its overseas marketing programme.

The group refused to comment on how much the project would cost, but said each of the organisations would cover its own costs.