yesterday with a Bermuda and BMA shuttered window design, created by the Authority's information services consultant, Darren Ruhr.

The site is to be maintained and updated by BMA staff.

BMA chairman Mansfield Brock expressed confidence that the site would provide domestic and international Internet users with access to general information on Bermuda as an international financial services centre and an on-line ability to submit other questions to the various divisions and officers of the BMA.

The site contains general information on the Island, the financial services sector, the BMA's role, company incorporation requirements, issued notes and coins, recent speeches and articles published or presented by the Authority and quarterly notices issued by the BMA.

Developed over the last few months, the website is also linked to several other local websites.

Mr. Brock said, "People are always interested in getting quick returns and information can be had instantly. The time delay is no longer necessary. This would make us more efficient and provide people who have a desire to incorporate companies in Bermuda with information so that they can make their business decisions more quickly.

"We're not able to take applications directly over the Internet, because applications for company incorporations require that they go through a local professional, usually a local attorney.

"This will provide them with the background information they need before going to an attorney, to enable them to make the decision that whey wish to come to Bermuda, as opposed to another jurisdiction, more quickly.

"Before, they would have had to contact us and we would then mail them a packet of information. Now we can avoid that delay because the information is online.'' Mr. Brock estimated that the Authority received hundreds of requests a year for information.

Mr. Ruhr said, "Anyone in the world can contact any of our staff members, or if they have queries that they were unable to have answered on the Internet site, they can direct it to the appropriate division to get the information quickly.

"We've also provided some feedback pages, where a user who couldn't find specific information, would be able to fill out a page, submitting a record going into our database, so that we will learn what other type of information we can provide.'' BUSINESS BUC