Labour and Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox has welcomed a senior international business representative's invitation to initiate talks with her.

Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce's International Companies Division David Ezekiel, in an exclusive interview with The Royal Gazette this week, said Bermuda's business community had welcomed the new Progressive Labour Party Government with open arms.

Bermudians should not feel that international business worked against their interest, Mr. Ezekiel said.

And he noted that he wrote to both Ms Cox and Finance Minister Eugene Cox, her father, to invite them to meetings with international business leaders.

"It is our intention to work as diligently and closely with the new Government as we did with the previous one and we are as prepared as ever to assist to the fullest extent,'' Mr. Ezekiel added.

While Ms Cox said she had not yet received Mr. Ezekiel's written invitation, she stated in a press release: "Certainly a priority will be to meet with all the affected stakeholders and to communicate the needs of the Ministry, while also recognising the commercial needs of the business community.'' She also stressed that her key focus in the first 100 days in office will be to meet with those who are most affected by the Ministry's policies.

This, she explained, was to "ensure that we effectively communicate the message that the Minister intends to be sensitive to the needs of the community, and to initiate dialogue with the various stakeholders''.

"The aim is to facilitate a real partnership between the Ministry, industry and the community as a whole,'' Ms Cox added. "This is a busy Ministry and there will be a number of issues which will need to be addressed and grappled with in as expeditious a manner as possible.

"I look forward, with the support of those within the Ministry who serve in an advisory capacity, to tackling the issues and getting on with the business of dealing with the issues within this Ministry as quickly and efficiently as possible.'' MEETINGS -- Paula Cox Graphic file name: COXXIP