On this date a special meeting is being held to approve the settlement. If it is approved the company should be back trading on the BSX by December 17.

According to the deal, all actions brought against members of the BF&M Shareholders Association will be dismissed by the court.

And the same members will no be able to be prosecuted again on the same case.

The shareholders will also keep their BF&M shares or any sale proceeds and /or dividends free from any claims by the liquidators. If shareholders have sold or transferred their shares, they will also have no further action taken against them.

And it has been agreed that shareholders will not be obliged to pay any further costs to the BF&M Shareholders Association beyond what has been paid to date.

The notices of the meeting will be couriered to the shareholders from today.

Shareholders' equity will, however, be decreased by the payment of the $35 million. This payment will reduce earnings for the year ending 31 December 1999 by this amount and both earnings per share and book value per share are expected to fall by $10.88 in 199 as a result of the deal.

BUSINESS BUC