STORY:
New Zealand first to greet millennium bug

As the giant television screens are directed at Year 2000 parties in New Zealand, the world will also be poised to witness a global early warning station for the millennium bug.

Computer experts have predicted that banking, power, health and transportation systems could be affected by the date change from 1999 to 2000. New Zealand officials are focusing on the country's electricity systems as the area of most concern.

Reg Hammond, Ministry of Commerce information technology manager, has said New Zealand could help alert the world of any potential problems.

"My impression is that we're going to get journalists from all over the world anyway for the dawn event. If things start falling over, those people are going to report it back to their countries," Hammond told a French news agency.

"The United States has probably got around 17 hours to fix things. A number of people have said 'We'll keep an eye on New Zealand'."

Hammond says it is highly unlikely that any countries would have time to fix any problems that occurred here. But, he adds, they could make contingency plans.

For example, if a type of kidney dialysis machine failed in New Zealand it could be highlighted internationally alerting people to make alternative plans such as using a different machine.

Source: Agence France Presse

DATE: 1/11/99

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