Today the Minister of Home Affairs the Hon. Walton Brown JP MP announced the names of the members of the newly-formed Bipartisan Committee on Immigration Reform.

Those members are: PLP MP Renee Ming, PLP MP Christopher Famous, OBA MP Ben Smith and OBA MP Leah Scott, with Minister Brown Chairing the group.

Next month the Bipartisan Committee will engage the public in a consultative process regarding various aspects of immigration reform.

It should be noted this group serves a different function to the Immigration Reform Working Group whose mandate is to come up with principles that will guide legislative reform in the areas of Bermudian Status, PRCs, and Mixed Status Families.

The Bipartisan Committee on Immigration Reform, meanwhile, will be looking at a much broader set of issues regarding immigration reform.

"What the working group is doing is very important," said Minister Brown. "The principles they come up with will guide the legislation to come. Once the working group presents these principles on or by October 31, the bipartisan committee will commence its work. The aim is for them to then come to the public for consultation in November."

The Minister added: "I am very pleased that these four Members of Parliament have agreed to work in a consultative fashion to address and bring resolution to such a fundamentally important matter; that being comprehensive immigration reform.

"There is much work to be done. Consultation and public input are extremely crucial and only after an extensive consultation period will changes to both legislation and policy be proposed."

Members of the public may recall that the completion of comprehensive bipartisan immigration reform is one of the items of priority highlighted on the Government's agenda.

"The question of immigration reform has been a challenging one, with many distinct groups effected by  it," said Minister Brown. "Our intention is to create a truly inclusive and collaborative approach to get the best fit for Bermuda."