Government’s proposals to reform the municipalities is a “barely concealed power grab”, according to PLP MP Walton Brown.But Government insists that giving businesses the right to vote in municipal elections will improve the prospects of projects such as the Hamilton, and St George’s, waterfront developments and help to boost the economy.Meanwhile at least one opposition figure is calling for a joint select committee to study the issues and recommend changes to the law governing the Corporations of St George’s, and Hamilton, as Government comes under fire for its approach to reform.Mr Brown told The Royal Gazette that Government appeared to have already made decisions on the way forward, but had provided no rationale for its plans at a public consultation meeting at Penno’s Wharf on May 20.“The meeting was totally designed to inform the public of the decision made without any rationale provided at all, and no demonstrated effort to keep an open mind. For reasons which were never made clear, the Government seems intent on passing these changes before August,” Mr Brown said.Mr Brown also criticised the well worn argument used to justify restoring the business vote.“The argument used to give the vote back to business people — no taxation without representation — is illogical,” he said.“Firstly, the slogan applies to people everywhere else, yet the OBA distort it for local consumption and include corporate entities; moreover, businesses are responsible for the vast majority of taxes paid to the Bermuda Government, but there is, obviously, no call for businesses to vote in parliamentary elections.“Second, if businesses should have the vote because they pay taxes why does the proposal not extend to business people who are not Bermudian? After all, they pay a large portion of the Corporation of Hamilton taxes.“This is a barely concealed power grab.”Government has held two public consultation meetings on municipalities reform — on Friday, May 17 and the following Monday.Held at 5:30pm at Wesley Methodist Church, the May 17 meeting was attended by less than two dozen people including civil servants, but the second meeting at 7pm at Penno’s Wharf, St George’s, attracted about 100 people including Wayne Furbert, the shadow Tourism Minister, and Mr Brown.“I asked Minister Fahy if he would hold another meeting for Hamilton since everyone knows Friday evening is a very bad night for holding a public meeting. He did not answer this question,” said Mr Brown.“I asked him what problems did Government see with the existing legal framework that would be fixed by the proposed changes. He did not answer.”Government, and the City of Hamilton, have been at odds with each other since a January press conference at which City Hall announced its chosen lead developer for the waterfront redevelopment project.City Hall went ahead with the press conference against the wishes of the Government, which had yet to conduct its due diligence on the project and its financiers.City Hall has since refused to provide to Government a copy of the lease of waterfront property it secretly signed with developers.In a response to Mr Browns’ criticisms, Mr Fahy told this newspaper that his Ministry was seeking to “modernise” the governance structure of the Corporations and had presented its “proposed policy concepts” for public feedback.“The preferred governance structure presented is one that preserves the history of the Municipalities. Historic preservation equates to the preservation or conservation of the county’s historic and archaeological resources,” he said in an e-mailed statement.The statement added that the current law “limits effective partnership therefore the time line for the changes is in the national interest.“The government has made commitments to the people of Bermuda to positively effect (sic) the economy.”The Minister added: “Active participation in the development and enhancement of both the Hamilton and St. George waterfronts and the opportunity to stimulate the development of the product is imperative.“The time for change is now, not next year or the year after. Identifying every opportunity to stimulate our economy is the government’s urgent priority.”