A story in Thursday's newspaper indicated Bermuda Hosts Ltd. did not have a licence to operate an airport limousine service as a result of Supreme Court orders issed in March. The company does have a licence.

Extraordinary moves are afoot to purge a Government board of key members so it can hear a company apply for an airport limousine licence without an appearance of bias.

Lawyer Mr. Saul Froomkin is moving aggressively to have Public Service Vehicle Licensing Board members involved in the transport industry step aside.

In their place, temporary members would be created to hear the application by Bee Line Transport Ltd. to run a limousine service from the airport.

The moves follow Supreme Court orders in March quashing the board's decision to transfer an airport limousine licence to Bermuda Hosts Ltd. instead of Bee Line.

Chief Justice the Hon. Sir James Astwood in those orders concluded that the board had acted unfairly.

Following the court decision, Transport Minister the Hon. Ralph Marshall declared that the board had been tainted. He indicated the issue would be brought before Cabinet and that dissolution of its membership was a strong possibility.

Last night, the Minister declined further comment on the membership shake-up.

The court orders were based on uncontested grounds of appeal that the board had an appearance of bias in handling the two companies' applications for right to operate a limousine service, currently owned by Bermuda Aviation Services (BAS).

The appeals filed by BAS and Bee Line argued that the board's chairman, Mr. Ed Bailey, was a partner in a law firm whose general manager was a shareholder in Bermuda Hosts.

It is understood that at least three new members would be created to take seats to hear Bee Line's new application before the board.

The 11-member board has at least three members who are taxi drivers and one who is related to a shareholder of Bermuda Hosts.

The shift will also see lawyer Mrs. Jo Carol Robinson -- who was appointed to board for the first time in January -- become chairman for the Bee Line hearing over Mr. Bailey and his deputy chairman Mr. Roderick Simons, who is a taxi driver.

When Mr. Froomkin, who is Bee Line's lawyer, was before the Supreme Court in March he told Sir James that he would do everything in his power to "make sure the board is impartial.'' It is understood his push to remove every board member involved in the transport industry is simply to clear the air of any possible appearance of bias -- the ground that led to the successful court appeals.

The hearing is scheduled to take place at month's end.