The island’s soaring cost of living will be the topic of a series of town hall meetings organised this month by the Bermuda Industrial Union.

The move comes in the wake of legislation tabled on Friday in the House of Assembly to eliminate import duties on a range of essential items.

David Burt, the Premier and finance minister, told MPs the Government had “a responsibility to deliver relief to support the people” in light of rising costs and inflation.

The BIU said the meetings would feature Bermuda Youth Connect, an organisation set up to link young people with the island’s leaders, as well as Robert Stubbs, head of research at the think-tank Seed Bermuda; Llewellyn Simmons, director of academics for the Department of Education; and BIU president Chris Furbert.

The first meeting will be held on October 11 at the St Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Centennial Hall in Hamilton.

Other meetings will follow on October 13 at Clearwater Middle School in St David’s; October 18 at Sandys Secondary Middle School; and again at Centennial Hall on October 25.

The meetings, from 6pm to 8pm, will be moderated by Rick Richardson, president of Hamilton Rotary Club.