The Corporation of Hamilton is likely to open up some of its meetings to the public in the "very foreseeable future", according to Secretary Ed Benevides.

He told The Royal Gazette yesterday that though the issue hadn't been fully aired among members yet he expected it to come up for scrutiny early in the New Year.

"We are certainly pushing towards opening up some of our meetings to the public," he said, adding that certain issues requiring privacy, such as some financial matters, would still be discussed behind closed doors.

"There are a number of topics that can be covered in public meetings. Starting off the New Year, I would be willing to suggest that the legislative committee will be looking at things like what can we do to go public and when can we start it.

"It's not going to happen January 1 or January 2 but we are certainly moving in that direction. That's our goal."

Calls for the Corporation to be more transparent and accountable have been made for a long time and were stepped up this year by The Royal Gazette's A Right to Know: Giving People Power campaign. In October, the 213-year-old municipality announced it would make its resolutions public each month for the first time.

Under the Municipalities Act 1923, which governs the Corporation, members do not have the privilege protecting them from libel lawsuits enjoyed by House of Assembly members and this has long been cited as a reason why meetings cannot be held in public.

Mr. Benevides said yesterday that the legislative committee had not looked at privilege as part of its recent review of the Municipalities Act, since it was more of a constitutional issue.

"I don't think you'll find that will have any impact on our ability to open the meetings to the public," he said, adding that the biggest problem was likely to be space and where to hold public meetings.

The Secretary added that elections for the entire Corporation, which has a $21 million annual budget raised through taxes, wharfage charges and parking fees, would be held next year and it was hoped to have meetings opened up before then.

Meanwhile, former Corporation councillor Graeme Outerbridge has commented on the legislative committee's recent recommendations to Government on extending the franchise in Hamilton.

The Corporation wants to allow all those resident in the capital and on the parliamentary register to be given a vote — a move which would add about 700 voters to the electoral roll.

Mr. Outerbridge believes the vote should be taken away from businesses and be only for those living in the city limits.

"All that's being recommended here is an updating process that's long overdue," he said of the committee's report to Government. "I commend Councillor (Kathryn) Gibbons for her thorough work on this but it falls short of one simple thing. It doesn't make it fair, it just enables more people to vote."

He said it was an "outrage" that businesses still got a vote, a situation he suggested was unique to Bermuda.

Mr. Benevides said the Corporation was keen to enlarge the franchise rather than eliminate voters. He encouraged Mr. Outerbridge and anyone else with views on the topic to email act@cityhall.bm.