Community Affairs and Sports Minister Dale Butler is urging progressive elements to overthrow the old guard of the musicians union.

A members meeting at the Leopard's Club on Sunday had urged long-time leader Lloyd Simmons to step down as head of the Bermuda Federation of Musicians and Variety Artists, which has been in limbo for years.

However he has clung on after saying those seeking to get on the executive committee had to be members for six months.

Pianist Andrew Chamberlain said: "Maybe he will step down but he wants to step down with honour. Right now everyone is looking at him like he's turned it into a circus.

"We will have to wait another six months before we can do something."

However Mr. Butler, who is keen to get the union running, said the six-month rule would not wash.

"That's bogus ? they have not had a meeting in four years so no one knows were to send there membership fees.

"They need to put forward a motion declaring all officers null and void and take the thing over.

"No one person will be allowed to stand in the way of progress, they all realise local music is not the way it should be."

A rival musician's union could be set up up if Mr. Simmons doesn't step down, warned musician and entertainment organiser Tony Brannon who said the meeting at the Leopard's Club had turned into "a complete free for all" with Mr. Simmons determined to "carry on as dictator for life".

He said the Bermuda Federation of Musicians and Variety Artists had been virtually defunct for years.

"It's not been active in any meaningful sense since 1998. Lloyd Simmons has been president all this time."

He said Mr. Simmons wanted to be on the committee to turn down work permit applications.

"He's done nothing to help musicians in Bermuda," Mr. Brannon said.

"He claims he is fighting for the rights of musicians but there is no membership, it's just a one-man band.

"Applications for foreign entertainers should not be one man's decision, it should be the board of the musician's union."

Mr. Brannon said he had changed his mind from a hardline on issuing foreign musicians work permits after realising it was impossible to police the public's taste.

Mr. Chamberlain added: "The only thing the union did in the past was reject any proposals to bring in foreigners.

"It's a double-edged sword. We want to protect our jobs but at the same time we want to stimulate it as an art form so we need to have new input."

Mr. Simmons was staying tight-lipped about the challenge to his leadership.

He said: "There will be another meeting in another couple of week's time. The meeting that was held was well attended, that's all I am prepared to say."

Gene Steede, who is also on the union leadership, said he had not resigned yet but intends to do so when there were people to fill his shoes.

Mr. Steede said fellow executive George Smith had already stepped down and another meeting is planned mid-month.

"We are going through a re-birth of the union and I would rather not speak. We are trying to work things out," said Mr. Steede.

Minister Butler said the Ministry had met three times with the union and Stuart Hayward is writing a report on the strengths and weaknesses of the music scene.

"The only way local music will progress is to have a properly constituted musicians and entertainers union."

He said at the moment the Ministry had to deal with them on an individual basis.

His ministry is currently recognising musicians and entertainers with certificates of praise and is hoping to boost the profile of musicians.

The union is against links with Cuban musicians said Mr. Butler even though individual musicians saw the possibilities.

"We think they could benefit from Cuban musicians who come here and musicians going there and bringing back certain skills."

A revitalised musicians union would help improve local music dramatically said Mr. Butler.

He suggested an annual charity concert could raise proceeds for retired members.

Mr. Brannon called for different rates to be given to different categories of musicians to reflect the differing talents on offer. He said it was right that top line entertainers like Tempo should be paid more than average entertainers.

He wants to end restrictions on work permit holders playing music professionally because they were primarily here for reasons other than music.

"You get a convention group who want a string quartet but you can't find one here. We say bring those people into the fold.

"If people are talented let's use their talent."