From the minute they are hired, non-Bermudian workers should know that they will not have the same rights as Bermudians. Unless they later marry a Bermudian, they have no expectation of getting a vote, are highly unlikely to be able to buy property and have limited job mobility and no job security beyond the end of their work permits.

Now they should also know that they should not expect to remain on the Island for more than six years, even in the absence of a qualified Bermudian replacement, unless their employer can prove they are a key employee.

All of that is generally accepted by non-Bermudians, although it is understandable if it sometimes rankles. But most accept that a balance has to be struck between the needs and career aspirations of Bermudians and the demands of the local job market for non-Bermudian labour.

What one would assume that few non-Bermudians — and no right thinking Bermudians — should accept is the blatant abuse of what few rights non-Bermudians do have.

Before Christmas, Government overreacted to a poor and tasteless joke about putting arsenic in the Premier's meal by revoking the work permit of the chef responsible, claiming that the Premier's safety had been put in danger. While this was an extreme and foolish overreaction, at least its supporters could make an argument, no matter how specious, in support of the deportation.

What has come since has been far worse. First a doctor at the hospital was forced to resign for having the temerity to oppose Government's plans to close the Indigent Clinic and for daring to speak up for her patients, who, far from feeling insulted about attending the clinic, are almost unanimously opposed to its closure.

Now Dr. Catherine Wakely is out of a job, and on Friday Acting Health Minister Philip Perinchief, confirmed the clinic would close, with no further debate on the subject.

At the end of last week, this newspaper reported that Curtis Macleod, a Canadian, had had his work permit revoked and was being forced to leave the Island, apparently because he had had an argument with Government MP George Scott and had thrown him off a construction site.

That Mr. Scott accused Mr. Macleod, who happened to be black but had committed the sin of being employed by a white man, of racism is apparently irrelevant. Mr. Macleod may or not have been rude about Mr. Scott's children, and was certainly rude to Mr. Scott during an argument, and for that he is returning to Canada today.

This is not the first time a local politician has threatened a person on the basis of their nationality, nor that the argument has been made that publicly elected officials belong on a pedestal and should be given "respect" as a matter of right. It does appear to be the first time an MP has successfully used his position to end a person's livelihood, if you exclude the interference by the Premier and his Chief of Staff, Sen. Wayne Caines, in "arsenicgate".

This is immoral and wrong. Mr. Macleod may or may not be a nice person, but Mr. Scott himself admitted that the reason he is being sent off the Island is because he failed to show sufficient respect to an MP. He also claimed that this would not happen elsewhere in the world, which is utter nonsense.

The Ministry of Labour and Immigration compounded matters by threatening to revoke the work permits held by Mr. Macleod's employer, Global Construction, without having even investigated Mr. Scott's claims, a clear breach of due process and a clear act of intimidation.

What is to be learned from all of this? First, non-Bermudians who come to work should know that their right to speak freely is heavily restricted, and heaven forbid that you actually disagree with or lose your temper with an MP or Senator. Secondly, Bermudians should know that if they allow the rights of Bermudians to be eroded, then theirs will probably be next.

Third, hypocrisy in Bermuda is alive and well. A person like Tony Brannon can rightly be criticized for claiming that "black Bermudians" caused the decline of tourism, but Mr. Scott can be alleged to say: "This is a white man's company. Is he hiring any black Bermudians? Cos you know how the white man is. ... "I don't have to move. This is Bermuda and you are a foreigner. You are not Bermudian" ... "You are not from here and you don't know what it is like to be a black man. You are a black man with a white man's heart" without justification and without fear of criticism, and he can get the work permit of the person he was accusing revoked.

All of Bermuda should feel embarrassed about the state of this country — and afraid for basic civil liberties.