The Bermuda Federation of Musicians and Variety Artists has voted to elect a new executive committee.

This follows the Federation?s annual general meeting held at the weekend when the issue of replacing controversial president, Lloyd Simmons, was discussed. Executive member Rick Hawke sent a statement to yesterday in which he stated that the process, as set forth in the constitution of the BFMVA, would consist of a nomination phase, followed by a polling phase.

He said the polling phase would take place over several weeks to ensure that every qualified member had the opportunity to vote.

Mr. Hawke said at the conclusion of this process, which he expected would take about five weeks, a new executive committee would be installed.

This committee will be charged with revitalising the union to go forward with its partners in the entertainment industry.

Mr. Hawke said this new executive committee would be charged with putting several subcommittees in place to deal with key issues including ways to expand membership by engaging the wider entertainment community, production personnel, stage crews, light and sound engineers and all other performance genres.

Mr. Hawke said recommendations of Stuart Hayward?s Report on the Status of the Music Industry in Bermuda would also be addressed and the BFMVA constitution would be reviewed and modernised.