start again in two weeks.

Yesterday lawyers spent more than an hour on the issue at the Bermuda Bar Association's annual general meeting at Cathedral Hall.

But they ran out of time and will continue at a special meeting pencilled in for April 16.

Moves to abolish the system of appointing local attorneys as QCs have been started by senior lawyer and Environment Minister the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto.

She presented a motion to yesterday's meeting, which was attended by 103 lawyers from the 160-member association.

Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto urged lawyers to vote by secret ballot to abolish Bermuda's QC system.

"There was a very lively and spirited debate. There is obviously great interest in the topic,'' said Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto afterwards.

Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto has described the local QC system as "intellectually dishonest'' and divisive among lawyers.

She said good lawyers had been turned down for a QC title, while less deserving ones had received it.

Controversy recently burst when veteran trial lawyer Mrs. Lois Browne Evans was turned down for the title.

Lawyer Mr. John Riihiluoma, who yesterday stood down as president of the Bar Association, backed Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto's stance.

He said Bermuda was too small a Country for such a system. "It has proved to be divisive,'' he said.

New president of the Bar Association, Mr. John Cooper said he had provisionally arranged for the debate to continue at a special meeting at Cathedral Hall in two weeks.

"I do have an opinion on the issue, but I don't think it is appropriate for me to say publicly what it is at this stage,'' he added.

Mr. Cooper, formerly vice-president of the association and an ex-honorary secretary, said the meeting also focused on other issues.

It was agreed to change the way lawyers were nominated to the association's executive, the Bar Council.

In future there will be an advance nomination procedure through secret ballots, he said.

Mr. Cooper said it was also agreed to remove the ban on lawyers handling cases in which a partner, associate, or employee would be testifying.