The task of overseeing the reform of the corporations of Hamilton and St. George's has been transferred to Minister Without Portfolio Zane DeSilva.

The Progressive Labour Party MP replaces Health Minister Walter Roban who had previously been heading up the effort.

Premier Ewart Brown announced the switch in a Ministerial Statement Friday.

"Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise this Honourable House that I have assigned responsibility for the municipalities project to the Minister Without Portfolio, the Honourable Member Mr. Zane DeSilva."

Dr. Brown said Mr. Roban had taken on several tasks recently, including the role of Health Minister following the death of Nelson Bascome.

"Since the passing of Minister Bascome, the Honourable Member Minister Roban has been a quick study in the area of health care and health policy," he said. "Without complaint, Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Member has continued to chart the course for municipal reform while other colleagues have tended to health and personal issues.

"With a team returned to full strength I can now relieve that Honourable Member of one of his diverse tasks.

"Both Honourable Members have effected a handover and I expect that the Honourable Member Mr. DeSilva will be equally as focused and committed to addressing the issues presented by this area which cry out for reform."

The future of Bermuda's two municipalities has been unclear since they were referred to as "outdated" in the 2008 Throne Speech.

The following June, Government announced that it planned to reform the corporations by repealing the Municipalities Act 1923.

In January of this year Government announced an $800,000 review of the corporations was underway. Mr. Roban was named the Minister responsible with local firm Attride-Stirling & Woloniecki Barristers & Attorneys, and international firm McKenna Long & Aldridge, hired as consultants for the project.

Charles Gosling and Kenneth Bascome, mayors of Hamilton and St. George respectively, have said in the past that Government's move to "reform" the municipalities is actually an attempt to eliminate them.