Bermuda is wrangling with Caricom about how much it should pay for an emergency advertising campaign to promote tourism in the Caribbean after September 11, Premier Jennifer Smith said yesterday.

The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), to which Bermuda belongs, and the Caribbean Hotel Association, which the Bermuda Hotel Association has joined, have agreed on a $16 million marketing campaign.

Ms Smith said the Caribbean Community (Caricom) - which Bermuda is not a member of - agreed at its regional tourism summit in Nassau, Bahamas, last weekend to pay $4 million.

But she said there was “significant uncertainty surrounding the contribution from the non-Caricom CTO member states.

“Aruba confirmed acceptance of the amount assessed; Bermuda confirmed a willingness to contribute but did not accept the basis or the quantum of assessment,” she told MPs.

“The meeting also confirmed that the programme was a ‘pay to play' programme, but felt that all Caribbean states should be encouraged to contribute since they would benefit.”

Ms Smith said Bermuda's contribution would come from the Ministry of Tourism's current budget and is “contingent upon review and acceptance of the advertisements”.

The meeting focused on environmental sustainability, safety and security, human resource development, collection of statistics, and ensuring airlift to and within the Caribbean.

The meeting also discussed how to fund a long-term marketing programme which would be reviewed at a heads of government meeting in July.