Bermuda, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

For J&H Marsh & McLennan senior vice-president Paul Rowlerson has not had his work permit renewed after more than a decade on the Island.

Mr. Rowlerson said yesterday: "We've had a verbal decline -- we haven't had anything in writing yet.

"With Immigration, it takes quite a long time to get documentation out of them.'' But the international reinsurance brokerage firm -- the world's largest -- could be set to fight the decision.

Mr. Rowlerson said: "As soon as they get the documentation, the company will be able to make a decision on what they will do.'' He added: "We put in for renewal...in that we applied to renew it, I'd rather stay where I am.'' Mr. Rowlerson, an Englishman who came to Bermuda 14 years ago, joined the then-Johnson & Higgins brokerage and captive insurance management firm as a computer expert.

His current firm was created from a merger of two Bermuda-based exempt companies, Johnson & Higgins and Marsh & McLennan, last year.

Mr. Rowlerson and two colleagues founded the End-to-End walk in 1988 and since then the event has raised more than $1 million for a variety of charities.

The debut walk had just 180 participants and raised $43,000 -- a major sum from a single event in those days.

The 1997 event involved 800 walkers and raised a record total of $241,000 -- pushing the ten-year total to just under $1 million.

That year, Mr. Rowlerson was honoured by the International Olympic Committee as part of their "Sport for All'' theme.

Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox could not be reached for comment.

But the new PLP Government has pledged to work with international business -- and not make a bonfire of work permits.

The PLP Election platform said: "We will encourage the business community to seek out and employ Bermudians in all sectors of the economy.'' It added: "But we readily acknowledge that international businesses may have the need to assign key executives from outside of Bermuda.'' And the PLP also promised, in some cases, to link work permits to education and training for up-and-coming Bermudians.

Chief Immigration Officer Martin Brewer yesterday declined to discuss Mr.

Rowlerson's problem.

Dr. Brewer added: "The department cannot comment on individual cases.'' FUND RAISER FNR CLUB CLB