Family advocate Sheelagh Cooper has questioned why a panel focusing on improving socio-economic conditions in Bermuda only includes business leaders.

Mrs. Cooper, chairperson of the Coalition for the Protection of Children (CPC), claims the Council of Economic Advisors is not in a position to determine what low-income families need.

The group created by Premier Ewart Brown includes Bank of Bermuda CEO Philip Butterfield, Butterfield Bank chairman Brian Duperreault, Capital G chairman and CEO James Gibbons, XL Capital CEO Brian O'Hara as well as hotel magnate and former chairman and CEO of Black Entertainment Television Bob Johnson.

It met for the first time last weekend and one area it was focusing on was family issues and how parents could spend better quality time with children.

Mrs. Cooper said: "I just wonder how they will be in a position to accurately assess the social and economic conditions they are asked to address without the help of the families themselves or at the very least some of those who work with those families. ... Why not to put people on the panel who can relate?"

She suggested the council hold focus groups similar to what she does at CPC, inviting single mothers to come in to discuss the many issues they face.

Mrs. Cooper explained it is timely to respond because CPC in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity completed a study last year on poverty and homelessness among children and their families.

She said the study is part of the agenda it would appear the group will be addressing and there are many recommendations that come out of it which she is hoping will be taken into consideration.

Mrs. Cooper said: "The findings of the study indicated that 30 percent of our children live on, at, or below the poverty line.

That's in Bermuda's own Government data. This problem of an increasing gap between the very wealthy and the very poor is at the root of very much of what we are seeing in social problems."

She said there needs to be a closer look at the cost of living because the efforts that have been made have not produced any results.

Mrs. Cooper suggested setting a minimum wage as there isn't one in Bermuda.

"We need to revamp the system in which we offer financial assistance to needy families.

"The whole system is in complete disarray, in my opinion, and in light of the changes in the dynamics of families and the magnitude of need, it needs a complete overhaul. This would be a good opportunity to address that."

She also said the Government needs to partner with charities to increase the affordable housing capacity and claimed Habitat has asked Government for the past two years to provide land to build affordable housing because, if the charity has to buy the land themselves, the housing won't be affordable.