Bermuda National Trust Amendment Act

What this bill does

This bill changes how the Bermuda National Trust is governed by allowing more people to be elected to its Council (up to 10 instead of the current limit) and removing automatic appointments that some people had by right. It also gives the Council more power to make their own rules and lets them choose their own auditor instead of having members vote on it.

If passed (voted YES)

• The Trust's Council can have between 6-10 elected members plus 3 government appointees, making it potentially larger and more representative
• The Council can create their own bylaws for how they operate and run Trust business, giving them more flexibility in decision-making
• The Council will choose their own auditor each year instead of Trust members voting on it at the annual meeting

If rejected (voted NO)

• The current Council structure stays the same with automatic appointments for certain positions continuing
• The Trust must keep following the existing rigid rules about how they operate, with less ability to adapt procedures
• Trust members will continue to vote on choosing the auditor at annual meetings, with the Minister having approval power

Who it affects

This primarily affects members of the Bermuda National Trust and people interested in Bermuda's historic preservation, as it changes how the organization that protects the island's heritage sites and natural areas is run. The general public may be indirectly affected through how heritage conservation decisions are made.