Objections from other physicians practising the same speciality had more to do with an Immigration decision to yank the work permit of Dr. Jonathan Murray than any role the physician played in the recent health insurance battle, The Royal Gazette was told yesterday.

Dr. Murray was told on Friday afternoon to cease practising medicine immediately after Labour Minister Terry Lister rejected an appeal of the decision not to renew his work permit.

As a result, his upcoming medical appointments had to be abruptly cancelled and shocked and outraged patients began contacting The Royal Gazette. Letters of support poured in over the weekend.

But on Saturday Mr. Lister met with Dr. Bruce Lattyak - who held Dr. Murray's work permit - and an agreement was reached allowing Dr. Murray to continue to see patients for the time being.

Yesterday, Mr. Lister saidDr. Murray would be given time to wrap up his practice and direct his patients to alternative care.

But he said the Immigration decision would stand as there are three, qualified Bermudian ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists on the Island.

"That's the biggest part of the issue," Mr. Lister said. "Not long ago there was only one ENT in Bermuda and that was enough for the whole country. Today we have four ENTs but the population has not changed."

And he categorically denied that Dr. Murray's high profile role during the long health insurance battle last year had anything to do with the Immigration decision.

"There is a file on Dr. Murray, a fairly big file," Mr. Lister said. "I can assure you there is not one single line in that file that even mentions that or even that Dr. Murray is president of the Bermuda Medical Association."

Mr. Lister said the belief that the PLP Government is anti-expat is a "boogeyman" completely unsupported by its four year record in office.

"Expat baiting or bashing from Government has not existed," he said.

And yesterday, opposition MPs also said they supported the Minister's position on the work permit in light of the number of Bermudian ENTs.

But both Health shadow Michael Dunkley and Labour shadow Patricia Gordon-Pamplin said the matter should have been handled with more sensitivity toward Dr. Murray and his family.

Mr. Dunkley said he'd been made aware of the situation by other ENT physicians who had contacted both the Immigration department and the board with their concerns.

"The UBP disagrees with the way it was handled," Mr. Dunkley said. "He's been here eight years serving as a member of our community. It's wrong to make him wrap up that quickly."

He also suggested that the long wait for a decision on the appeal spoke directly to problems with the way work permits are being handled.

While he felt Dr. Murray might have been given more time, he said Bermuda has sufficient expertise in ENT not to require expats in that category any longer. And he suggested a number of other medical categories also need to be looked at.

In addition to Dr. Murray, Dr. Lattyak is a qualified ENT physician, as are Dr. Wesley Miller and Dr. Robert Vallis.

But Dr. Lattyak said the numbers alone do not tell the whole story.

While qualified, Dr. Lattyak said he now practises only plastic and reconstructive surgery while Dr. Vallis does a lot of primary care work.

And he said he believed other ENT doctors may have contacted Immigration when the renewal was originally refused in April 2001, but may have changed their positions since.

Dr. Lattyak said he suggested Mr. Lister talk to the physicians in person and said he is still exploring his options for keeping Dr. Murray on board.

Dr. Vallis last night refused to comment on the matter.

Mr. Lister said Immigration's relationship with Dr. Lattyak in terms of Dr. Murray has ended.

Dr. Murray may apply for permission to stay in Bermuda another two months to look for work, he said, and Immigration may or may not grant that permission.

But the appeal has already been rejected. "There is nothing to appeal," Mr. Lister said.