Association of Bermuda International Companies (ABIC) executive director Richard Winchell has been nominated to chair the Work Permit Stakeholder Group, Government announced last night.The group, formed as part of the ongoing work permit reform process, will deliver a proposal to Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy which is expected to include a training and development component for Bermudians.Giving an update on work permit reform, Sen Fahy said Government was striving to balance the needs of business with the interests of Bermudians, with jobs for locals their top priority.Minister Fahy said: “We continue to take the necessary steps to strengthen our economy and stimulate job creation. This has meant that Government has had to take steps to make Bermuda more attractive as a place to do business.“Our policies must be friendly to business while simultaneously protecting the rights of Bermudians to work in their own country. This requires balance and we are working to ensure that we take a balanced approach. And in that regard, I want to reiterate that preserving, protecting and providing jobs for Bermudians remains our top priority.”The stakeholder group had met last week to consider Phase II of the reform process, Sen Fahy added.Phase I, the Implementation Version of the Work Permit Policies, took effect on April 1 and includes the new work permit fees.The stakeholder group includes representatives from the Home Affairs Ministry, the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, the Bermuda Hotel Association, ABIC, the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers (ABIR), the Construction Association of Bermuda, the Bermuda Employers Council, the Bermuda Human Resources Association and the Trade Union Congress.