Assistant director of Marine and Ports Mike Dolding has been supported in his promotion dispute with the Civil Service by the Bermuda Public Services Association (BPSA)

Mr. Dolding is suing the Public Services Commission (PSC) on the grounds that it did not follow the correct procedure by failing to interview him for the post of director of the division when it became vacant earlier this year.

Despite Mr. Dolding working for Marine and Ports for 23 years, holding the assistant's position for five years and having Bermudian status, he was overlooked for the top job.

Instead, Francis Richardson, who has also worked for the department for a number of years, was appointed designate director and is expected to take up the position in three years' time after being fully trained.

In the meantime, Barry Coupland has been brought in from New Zealand to head up the department on a three-year contract.

Mr. Dolding is arguing that not only was the correct process not followed, but also that a non-Bermudian was given the interim post over a Bermudian - at a time when Government is claiming it wants to Bermudianise the workforce.

The 53-year-old assistant director has hired lawyer Saul Froomkin Q.C. to fight his case.

Last night, general secretary of the BPSA Ed Ball junior said the organisation was supporting Mr. Dolding in his fight, and was attempting to organise meetings with the Civil Service to clarify the issue.

Mr. Ball said: "We are supporting our member Mr. Dolding in his dispute with the Civil Service and the process used by the PSC in appointing a new director and interim director for Marine and Ports.

"Mr. Dolding is taking legal action, so we are limited on what we can publicly say at the present, but we are interested in pursuing this matter in the interests of the rest of our members.

"Our members are obviously concerned about the issue of upward mobility and promotion in the Civil Service.

"We are also taking exception that someone from New Zealand has been brought in to take this interim post.

"We are hoping to have meetings with the Civil Service so we can ask for the reasons why they took all of the decisions they did. Our concern is that if it happens to Mr. Dolding, it can happen to other members."

When Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown was asked last week why someone was brought in for the top job from overseas, he said he was unable to speak at length due to the fact that a writ had been filed. But he said he believed Mr. Coupland was the right man for the job.

He said: "We wanted someone who was comfortable with integrating the system and he brings a wealth of experience.

"We went world wide looking for somebody who fit our needs and, from what I have seen, we could not have found a better person at this stage in his career to help, to advise and to assist Francis Richardson in his new position."