Premier Ewart Brown, Minister Zane DeSilva and Hamilton Mayor Charles Gosling finally met yesterday — but their talks over the future of the Corporations couldn't have gone much worse.

Few common objectives were identified, according to Cabinet, which issued a brief statement saying the Mayor had failed to address "the destructive media campaign presently being waged against the Government".

Mr. Gosling said the two sides had at least agreed on one thing: that their objectives are directly opposed.

The meeting lasted about ten minutes, with Mr. Gosling saying the Premier was incensed about the Corporation's claims that Government is plotting a takeover.

Meanwhile yesterday, Bermuda Public Services Union boss Armell Thomas issued a statement attacking Government on a host of issues and calling for Ministers to "do the right thing and vote no" over the Municipalities Reform Act. Mr. Gosling is also lobbying MPs, sending each a ten-page letter spelling out why he thinks the bill will lead to the demise of the Corporations and would weaken the city.

He's applied for permission to stage a rally from City Hall to the House of Assembly at noon on Friday, when the legislation could be up for debate.

The bill, tabled by Mr. DeSilva last Friday despite strong opposition from a segment of the Progressive Labour Party backbench, is seen as one of Dr. Brown's burning ambitions in his final days as Premier.

Mr. Gosling says it would cost the Corporation of Hamilton 40 percent of its income by repealing its right to claim wharfage and port dues, and saying it's no longer exempt from land tax.

Yesterday's meeting came after Mr. Gosling made numerous public comments calling for Cabinet to break its silence on the plans, and described the bill as a land grab and tax hike masquerading as reform.

It was attended by Dr. Brown, Mr. DeSilva, who is the Minister in charge of municipalities reform, Cabinet Secretary Marc Telemaque, Mr. Gosling and Hamilton chief operating officer Ed Benevides.

A Cabinet spokesman said in a statement: "The Premier and Minister Zane DeSilva met with the Mayor of Hamilton, Charles Gosling today. Few common objectives were identified and the Mayor was not prepared to address the destructive media campaign presently being waged against the Government."

Mr. Gosling told The Royal Gazette: "This meeting was scheduled as a regular quarterly meeting as mutually agreed upon by the Premier and Mayor almost a year ago.

"The Premier, accompanied for the first time by Minister DeSilva, was incensed that the Corporation was critical of their takeover plan.

"It is unrealistic for the Premier and Minister DeSilva to believe that we would have nothing to say about a bill that places the city in financial jeopardy.

"We fail to see how you can say you are modernising a city by cutting its income by 40 percent and expecting city services and programmes to remain unchanged.

"It became clear at that time that our objectives are directly opposed and if there was any point of agreement this was it."

Mr. Thomas' statement criticised Government on a range of subjects including the "mess" of the hospital, the "mockery" of CedarBridge and the Auditor General being denied access to Government's computerised financial system, which he said was "not shocking any more but merely disappointing".

He called for Government to put aside race and politics for two months to have round table discussions on problems like gangs and unemployment.

But he directed most of his ire at the municipalities bill.

"I'm disappointed about the Government trying to take over the Corporations. It's only one thing that comes to mind: that is assets to burrow against," said Mr. Thomas.

"The Corporation is very transparent and works with the Government. I think the Ministers need to do the right thing and vote no at this time.

"As parents, children tend to ask for everything they see on the shelves, but as responsible parents we say no.

"The reasons we say no are different but the end result is the same. The parents of this country are the public and we must say no for the takeover of the Corporations.

"Again we all may have different reasons but the end result has to be the same. Even in friendly takeovers, it never works."