The restructured Bermuda Hospitals Board should team up with the controversial Saturday Group for meetings on healthcare, Opposition Senate Leader Michael Dunkley said yesterday.

Sen. Dunkley spoke out during the Upper House debate on the BHB Amendment Act, which reduces the number of voting board members from six to four.

Former Health Minister Michael Scott's notes on the Saturday Group — leaked to The Royal Gazette — state the BHB chairman, deputy chairman and CEO joined Premier Ewart Brown, Mr. Scott and health chiefs for a secret meeting in August last year. Despite heavy criticism and Ombudsman Arlene Brock reporting discomfort over political interference at BHB, Dr. Brown has pledged that such Saturday Group meetings will continue.

Yesterday, Sen. Dunkley said: "I was hoping that now that the board (BHB) seems to have the full support of the Government ... they could ask the attendees of the Saturday morning meetings to get together with them so they could meet altogether with one purpose."

Progressive Labour Party Senator Thaao Dill, who gave the bill its second reading yesterday, said the number of voters had been reduced because with too many people in the room it was difficult to get things done. Independent Senator Walwyn Hughes noted that although the voting members had dropped from six to four, at least that was better than the number on the original BHB board — three.