The chief executive of the Bermuda Land Development Company will be out of his post this month under sweeping changes to Government quangos, the Minister of Public Works said yesterday.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch added that a hiring freeze had also been imposed on BLDC, the Bermuda Housing Corporation, and the West End Development Corporation with effect from last month.

He said the first phase of the quango restructure would mean that Francis Mussenden, the BLDC CEO, will “separate” from the organisation at the end of this month.

Major Barrett Dill, general manager of the BHC, will take over management responsibilities at the BLDC the next day.

Colonel Burch said that Mark Melo, the BHC finance manager, would assume financial responsibility for the BLDC on November 1 as well.

He added that discussions with Anthony Richardson, the BLDC’s chief financial officer, about his future were continued “as he focuses on the completion of financial audits for six years that remain outstanding”.

Colonel Burch said the BLDC board would continue unchanged under the new management team.

He added that the responsibility for Daniel’s Head beach, site of a former Canadian military base, would shift from the BLDC to Wedco.

Colonel Burch said: “It makes no sense that on an island of only 21 square miles, that we have three organisations, three CEOs, and three CFOs, and all the attendant offices, machinery and staffs carrying out very similar functions, for the most part, with a full demonstration of bureaucracy on display.”

He highlighted the BLDC’s responsibility for property in the West End — despite being based in St David’s — as an example of inefficiency.

Colonel Burch said the decision on the quango shake-up was made in July after discussions with the three quango chief executives.

He added the changes were in line with two reports, Untangling Bermuda’s Quangos — A Review of the Quangos in the Bermuda Government presented in 2003 and the 2013 Sage Commission Report on Government efficiency.

He said both reports had “largely languished on the shelf”.

Colonel Burch said that he had met staff at the three quangos this week to discuss the changes.

He added: “I assured frontline staff that their jobs are secure — and in fact in some instances, there may be expansion in some areas.”

Colonel Burch said the second stage of the quango shake-up would focus on Wedco “with an eye on recommending greater efficiencies there as well”.

He added that he had arranged to brief Christopher Furbert, president of the Bermuda Industrial Union, on the staffing changes at the quangos.

The minister said discussions continued on the island’s public golf courses, the fourth quango under his ministry’s control.

He added that an update on their position was expected in the “not-to-distant future”.

Colonel Burch said: “We view these changes as an opportunity to immediately effect some cost savings by eliminating duplication of roles, combining responsibilities, and bringing a sharper focus to deliver on the Government’s mandate to control costs and operate more efficiently.”