The Ministry of Transport has finally revealed that they have suspended a convicted ferry pilot, who crashed a fast ferry into a dock while he was intoxicated, until his disciplinary hearing.

Two days after Dwayne Pearman was convicted in Magistrates' Court for piloting a fast ferry while being two-and-a-half times over the legal maritime alcohol limit the Ministry clarified that he was not currently operating the public transportation vehicles and had his pilot's licence suspended since the collision.

Pearman was fined $2,000 by Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner for driving the J.L. Cecil Smith while intoxicated on December 21, 2007.

At the time of the crash at Rockaway in Southampton, there were 60 passengers on board.

The Department of Public Prosecutions is appealing the decision.

On Tuesday the Ministry of Transport said Pearman would now face a disciplinary hearing which could result in the loss of his licence. The statement did not say whether Pearman was currently suspended from his job, pending the hearing.

The Royal Gazette has been trying sinceTuesday to find out whether Pearman was suspended.

Yesterday afternoon a Ministry spokeswoman said Pearman had been suspended from his duties since his arrest and continues to be suspended pending the outcome of his disciplinary hearing.