out of Bermuda if proposed work permit restrictions are enforced, said Shadow Home Affairs Minister Michael Dunkley.

He attacked the plans for six-year limits proposals for some workers as unnecessary as permits had always had time restrictions.

And he said firms would lose skilled workers who were assimilated into the community only to hire new foreign workers who would take time to acclimatise.

He said: "There is no doubt in my mind that the concerns of international business will be heightened by this draft proposal. STW left and more could follow.'' However at the weekend Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox said the departure of STW should be put in context and perspective because new exempted companies continued to set up shop in Bermuda.

More firms may leave Bermuda She told ZBM TV that the arrival of the joint AT&T and British Telecom startup Concert Ltd. was a good sign for the economy and made up for the loss.

The Island would see more jobs and local companies would see more work, Ms.

Cox was reported as saying. She could not be reached for comment by The Royal Gazette .

Mr. Dunkley said it needed to be emphasised that Bermudians will be disadvantaged if there was a mass exodus of international business.

He said Bermudians were in line to take posts in international companies but if the firms fled then those jobs would be lost.

But Mr. Dunkley said Bermudian businesses would be affected by the fall-out as there would be less demand in the economy.

And he added: "There is a multiplier effect. Those companies buy office equipment and they pay rent.

"There isn't an unemployment problem at the present time. The issue of increasing fees for work permits if there is no training in place needs clarification and more detail.

"What they are doing is increasing the costs of business but there's not the labour pool there at present.'' And Mr. Dunkley questioned the wisdom of ratcheting up work permit fees for companies who were not training their employees.

He said: "If you have a small restaurant with three chefs and you are forced to hire a fourth as a trainee then it will affect them -- that business can't absorb the bottom line.'' He said businesses would either be hit by higher work permit fees or by having to hire extra staff.

He said: "You are damned if you do and damned if you don't.'' And he said the clause which exempted key people from the work permit limits was unclear.

"What is a key person? Can it only be a CEO? Look at the hotels -- are chefs key people?'' He said there was a worldwide shortage of chefs but the hotels would be hit by a revolving door policy as they were forced to replace those whose time limits had expired.

Mr. Dunkley also said big business was worried about the increasingly hostile climate in Bermuda.

He said: "There were the comments from Arthur Hodgson. He is now trying to change some of the things he said to make them seem more favourable.'' "Then Raymond Russell who is on the Immigration Board said international business was only in business to benefit themselves. Some people are worrying that they have to get work permits from this person.'' And he attacked Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox for her handling of the Sharon Lamb affair.

Ms. Lamb had reportedly said, before losing her post of Trusts officer at the Bank of Butterfield, that Ms. Cox should be shot. Mrs. Lamb subsequently denied making the statement.

Mr. Dunkley said: "I am concerned why there has been no investigation into this. Sharon Lamb is still on the Island.'' BUSINESS BUC