The sister of missing body parts victim Norman Palmer has welcomed news that an inquest into his death will be held in public.

Marion Bishop told The Royal Gazette she believed it was only being heard openly because of media coverage of the case and the help she has received from Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson.

She said: "I'm pleased about it. I believe the only reason that they have decided to hold it in public is because of all the press coverage we have had.

"I'm grateful to all of the press. I don't believe without the help of the press it would ever have been public.

"As for Mrs. Jackson, I really don't know without her support what I would have done. Bermuda doesn't realise it but they owe her a great debt of gratitude for all she does."

Mr. Palmer's family allege he died due to the length of time it took an ambulance to reach his home in Paget on April 12 after he complained of a throat obstruction and the lack of life-saving equipment in the emergency room at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

After a post mortem here, the 57-year-old's body was flown back for cremation to the UK, where he was originally from. A pathologist there discovered many of his organs and tissues were missing, prompting British Coroner Tony Williams to ask the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London to assist in an investigation.

Bermuda Hospitals Board has previously stated that the organs were returned with the body after the autopsy here and the matter has not been investigated at the hospital.

A parallel criminal and coroner's investigation into Mr. Palmer's death and aftermath was launched on the Island and has now been completed by Coroner's Officer Sergeant Adrian Cook. He has submitted reports to both the Police Commissioner and Coroner.

The inquest into Mr. Palmer's death is due to open here on January 15 before Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo. Once he records a verdict on how Mr. Palmer died, a second inquest will be held in England, which witnesses from the Island may have to attend.

Ms Bishop said she hoped both hearings finally revealed why her brother died and what happened to his body afterwards. "I want the truth," she said. "Where are my brother's body parts? I want to know. I want... people... to be held accountable."

Ms Bishop's lawyer Jeffrey Elkinson said: "Clearly it's part of the process that there is an inquest for her. I'm grateful that the Senior Coroner has moved so quickly to have an inquest in a matter that has generated great public interest and is of such great importance to the bereaved family members."

Ben Batley, coroner's officer for East Somerset in England, said he was awaiting the result of the Police investigation and inquest here before matters could proceed in the UK.

He said he hadn't been advised when he was likely to get the information. "Here we sit back and wait for the inquest in Bermuda to be resolved and we still await the result of the Police investigation."

Sgt. Cook said earlier this month (December): "The parameters of the inquest are still to be laid down." He added: "We have been communicating quite freely and directly for some time (with the UK authorities), almost since the investigation started."

A spokeswoman for Bermuda Hospitals Board said: "Unfortunately we are very limited by what we can say publicly about the case until the inquest takes place. We have been respectful to our duties of confidentiality and due process in the face of what we believe to be serious inaccuracies and unsubstantiated allegations. We are therefore looking forward to the Coroner's inquest, when the full facts can be independently reviewed."