Financial support for people on low incomes who face massive legal bills could soon be made available to wider income groups -- after Social Services Minister Wayne Furbert promised a review of the legal aid system.

Mr. Furbert made his announcement last night following repeated calls for the system to be revamped.

Currently defendants wanting to hire an attorney can only qualify for legal aid if they have a net disposable household income of less than $12,000, with certain other factors taken into account.

That figure was set in 1989 and has not been amended since.

Last night Mr. Furbert was keeping his cards close to his chest, saying he could not guarantee any increase in the eligibility means test.

But a top civil servant later confirmed that an increase was a probability.

"We are going to be reviewing the legal aid system and hopefully will be in a position to put something through when we return to the House in November,'' Mr. Furbert said.

"There have been recommendations but it's at a technical stage at the moment.

It hasn't even arrived at my desk. But when you look at an Act some things can be reviewed and others not. Everything's up for grabs and there are other parts of the Act that we could also be looking at.

"It will be going to the Cabinet but while it's possible that the income figure could be increased, I can't say that -- we have collective responsibility.'' But Health and Social Services Permanent Secretary Donald Scott confirmed that an increase in the income band was likely.

"There are a number of recommendations made for reforming the project and recommendations will be considered by Government in the next Parliamentary session,'' Mr. Scott said.

"It's been the view of most defence attorneys for some time that this allowance needs to be increased and it was also the view of the previous chairman of the Legal Aid Committee.

"The Legal Aid Committee recommended a review and encouraged an increase but at the end of the day it must be the Minister who will determine the level of the increase. I have my own view but the House of Assembly hasn't had time to consider the recommendations, but the expectation is that there will be an increase -- there's a fairly high probability.'' The Royal Gazette recently reported that many lawyers were dissatisfied with the Legal Aid scheme and called for a revamping of the system, in particular the eligibility means test which has been stuck at the same level despite inflation.

Yesterday's announcement followed the appointment of a new chair to head the Legal Aid Committee.

Supreme Court Registrar Charles-Etta Simmons replaces former Puisne Judge Richard Ground, who recently left his post in Bermuda to assume the position of Chief Justice of Turks and Caicos.