IHAVE seen the North-East open up to a world of opportunity for international businesses. Over the past ten years, the North-East has attracted major companies such as IBM, easyJet, Siemens and ICL Fujitsu.

Teesside for example, has undergone a huge transformation, with many new industries building up a strong base in the region.

I have worked extensively in Europe and we recently attracted Cyprus's main telecom provider to invest in the region.

If the Regional Assembly is to stand any chance of representing our real views, people need to start the debate on what they can get from this, how to access it and lead the way to successful regional self-governance.

I believe the Internet is one of the most empowering forms of communication, and people throughout the North-East have campaigned hard for 100 per cent broadband enablement.

This should be used to new effect in the run-up to this vote.

By taking advantage of the new forms of communication, which have changed the way we live today, we can pioneer a new kind of regional debate.

Mobiles, text, e-mail and websites will make this debate ground-breaking.

Quite rightly, people view the assembly with apprehension on how this may be achieved. I believe this is mainly due to the lack of communication.

Many are still unsure of the implications of what it will mean on a local and national level.

We need to open debate on who will fund it - it must not be another quango or talk shop.

The number that vote in October will directly influence the level of authority the assembly can achieve.

We can use this opportunity to stimulate interest in better voting methods for the future.

Online voting systems require the highest levels of security, and online voting now represents a significant factor in ensuring a fully representative vote is achieved.

Gateshead has successfully piloted voting by mobile phone and the Internet in the May 2002 local elections.

The North-East is in a position to lead the way again.

The North-East is leading the broadband revolution, and we are in a strong position now to create an assembly with an honest and visionary leadership well into the 21st Century.