Bermuda's Public Accounts Committee will meet in public for the first time this Thursday.

It means people will finally be able to observe as the group, comprising five MPs, checks whether taxpayers' money is being spent properly.

For years, the United Bermuda Party has called for residents to be allowed into PAC meetings, while The Royal Gazette's A Right To Know: Giving People Power campaign has lobbied to end the practice of meetings being held in secret.

PAC chairman Bob Richards yesterday said the committee — also including Government MPs Lovitta Foggo, Walter Lister and Patrice Minors, and his UBP colleague Patricia Gordon-Pamplin — had voted unanimously to open up after House of Assembly rules were modernised earlier this year.

This Thursday's meeting is at 2.30 p.m., in the Senate chamber, where questions about advertising contracts will be put to a leading member of the Tourism Department.

"It's important that people are able to attend Public Accounts Committee meetings," Mr. Richards told this newspaper yesterday.

"The word 'Public' in 'Public Accounts Committee' is the operative word. Quite frankly, I think that it's the people's business and the people should see how the Government operates.

"I'm very pleased, because on our side we have wanted this for a long time; I'm fortunately to be in the chair when this is happening.

"For some folks, it's a dry subject, but there has been a number of controversies in the last year or so, and our job is to review the findings and reports of the Auditor General, and make sure the public are getting value for their money."

Parliamentary rule changes, put together by former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith and UBP MP John Barritt, give MPs the right to decide whether they want the public in meetings traditionally held behind closed doors.

Mr. Barritt has said he pushed for all meetings to be automatically open to the public where appropriate, but reached a compromise whereby each committee could decide for itself.

He said the system is not simply about embarrassing Government, but an attempt to tighten up procedures.

Deputy Premier Paula Cox is among the Progressive Labour Party MPs to support opening up the PAC, although Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney has warned some Government members may now feel compromised and only give partial answers.

It's understood Tourism Permanent Secretary Cherrie Whitter is off the Island, so a senior member of her team is expected to attend Thursday's meeting instead.