scheme.

But the founder of the scheme yesterday moved to distance his "Richer Life Program'' from pyramid schemes and multi-level marketing schemes which are likely to be banned from the Island.

The Royal Gazette has learned that some 170 residents -- including some Members of Parliament, Police officers, lawyers, and bankers -- have joined the Florida-based Richer Life Program and the International Coaching Institute (ICE).

And its founder, Rick C. Ernst, plans to come to Bermuda when the number of local participants swells to 500.

Speaking by telephone from the US, Mr. Ernst defended his programme and stressed he was not afraid of a crackdown because it was not an illegal pyramid scheme.

"We are not afraid of the Government cracking down on pyramid schemes, we are not a pyramid and we are not an illegal programme,'' Mr. Ernst said.

"We do not want to be associated with such businesses and we welcome the Government crackdown.

"We have members of your Parliament, police, attorneys and bankers in our programme. Someone from The Royal Gazette signed up today, but I do not think it is fair to mention their name.'' Mr. Ernst was responding to news that get-rich-quick advertisements and pyramid schemes will be banned after new consumer protection legislation goes to Cabinet this month.

While pyramid schemes are not illegal in Bermuda at the moment, Consumer Affairs Officer Karen Marshall last week told The Royal Gazette : "The new legislation will rectify that.'' Mrs. Marshall noted that the legislation Bermuda was looking to implement will be modelled along that used in the US, Canada and Britain.

Once it takes effect, what is now the Consumer Affairs Bureau will become a consumer protection agency, explained Mrs. Marshall, which will monitor advertising and truth in advertising and enforce the law. Offenders will face fines and/or other penalties.

Get-rich-quick advertisements, some saying "Fast Cash: Home-based business, Earn $1,250 per day'', including those about The Richer Life Program, have bombarded the daily paper recently.

We're no pyramid scheme, says `Richer Life' founder Under the Richer Life Program distributors pay up to $2,500 for a set of 24 audio cassettes and a book on Mr. Ernst's "Proven Principles of Prosperity''.

They then are sent ads to place and postcards to mail.

Each distributor is given a personal identification number which they include in their ad. When responding to the eye-catching ads, which promise lots of cash for little work in a short span of time, the caller must use the ID number listed.

Some of the ads require a long distance phone call while others have local numbers where a recorded three-minute message includes testimonials from Bermudians who all claim to have made significant financial gains.

Mr. Ernst yesterday explained why his programme differed from pyramid schemes.

"We are not a pyramid, we don't connect people, we have a product we sell,'' he said. "A distributor runs ads in the paper, the calls come into our call centre, our operators make the presentation over the phone and close the sale.

"We pay a commission to the person who did the advertising,'' he continued.

"In a pyramid, people get paid for recruiting people. Someone has to buy our product for someone to earn a commission.'' The product, Mr. Ernst stressed, was the set of 24 cassette tapes, workbooks and his book, Proven Principles of Success for $2,500. The distributor able to sell this package gets half that price as commission.

Claiming to be "a straightforward businessman'', Mr. Ernst said he often has to defend the price of his product.

"I tell people,'' he said, "that I've spent the past 25 years researching the greatest minds of the world.

"What I bring to people is the wisdom of the ages, I start at the level where people are, and build on that.

"If you think the price of wisdom is high, consider the price of ignorance.

"I'm trying to help people to make more money and have greater self esteem.

"I have a good product that builds self-esteem and love.'' Claiming the Richer Life Program promotes "entrepreneurs and free enterprise'', he claimed: "We do not make any money claims''.

Holding that his business is completely above board and open to public scrutiny, Mr. Ernst said: "This is not some underground operation.

"We're not hiding out. We hope to inspire the community.'' With local distributors numbering close to 170, and representing several different sectors of the community, Mr. Ernst said he is looking to conduct a seminar on the Island.

"I am waiting for the number of distributors down there to grow. Right now it's about 170,'' Mr. Ernst added. "When it gets up around 500 people, then I will come down to Bermuda and give a seminar.

"While I am there I would be more than happy to have one of the seminars open to the public and to talk to some of the churches.'' Pointing out that he is an ordained minister and an evangelist, Mr. Ernst noted that he is careful to keep the two areas of his life quite separate and distinct from each other.

"I am careful not to mix the two at all.'' he said.

"I want to bring a spirit of prosperity to the Island, and lift the people up,'' he explained. "I believe that the people who should be paid the highest are policemen, teachers and preachers.'' Noting some children are growing up wanting to be drug dealers because they see profit in it, Mr. Ernst pointed out that the situation could be turned around with children wanting to be teachers, Police and preachers for the same reason.