Critical financial issues will come under scrutiny when the Island's newly appointed Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) meets this weekend.

Premier Ewart Brown is convening the council at a dinner meeting this evening and a day-long session of roundtable discussions and presentations tomorrow.

He said: "The economy is in the forefront of people's minds all over the world given the current climate. Bermuda is no different.

"The economic thinkers we are assembling this weekend will help ensure the Government takes the best steps to minimise the impact the world economic crisis has on the people of Bermuda and the Bermudian economy."

Dr. Brown said as well as discussions on the current economic climate, the CEA would dissect the recently released Low Income Threshold Study and look at the economic benefits of new initiatives such as free Bermuda College tuition and free means-tested daycare, as well as the proposed free public transport for all.

"Our election promises were strong on social programmes designed to give people a hand up," said Dr. Brown. "We have already executed part of that agenda. I don't want us to take our eye off that target because some could face even greater economic hardship in light of current economic trends around the globe."

Officials from the Department of Statistics and the Ministry of Finance will make presentations to the CEA, which is headed by Dr. Brown and Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Paula Cox.

Asked if the council would release its findings, Glenn Jones, the Premier's press secretary, said: "I don't think they formulate a report or anything like that... but I expect there will be public statements afterward."

The other council members are: Philip Butterfield, Bank of Bermuda CEO; Alan Thompson, Bank of Butterfield president and CEO; Cecil Durham, Bermuda Industrial Union treasurer; Barbara Tannock, Colonial vice president of pensions and investments; Malcolm Butterfield, KPMG managing director of financial advisory services; Fiona Luck, XL Capital Ltd. special advisor to the CEO;

Cabinet Secretary Marc Telemaque; Bob Johnson, former chairman and CEO of Black Entertainment Television; James Gibbons, chairman and CEO of Capital G; Max Quinn; Evan Greenberg, ACE chairman and CEO;

Brian O'Hara, XL Capital Ltd. chairman; Brian Duppereault, CEO of Marsh & McLennan; and Government's principal economic policy advisor, Dr. Andrew Brimmer who is a former member of the US Federal Reserve Board.