Immigration Minister the Hon. John Irving Pearman claiming his trio's work schedule was cut back, and another trio sacked, to make room for non-Bermudian entertainers.

Mr. George Smith, a member of the Hubert Smith Trio, said Henry VIII owner Mr.

Andrew Allan broke the terms of an agreement with the Immigration Department when he cut the Bermudians' hours.

And he wants the foreign act's work permit suspended.

Mr. Smith is also vice-president of the Bermuda Federation of Musicians.

But Mr. Allan said his establishment broke no laws and there was a Bermudian entertainer working each night at the pub.

"It's my prerogative who I employ,'' Mr. Allan told The Royal Gazette .

"If acts don't work we can replace them. He is holding the wrong end of the stick. His claims have no validity. It's all sour grapes. He obviously wants more nights but that's our prerogative.'' Mr. Smith said Mr. Allan originally promised to hire a Bermudian trio for three nights a week.

On that basis he secured a work permit for a British trio.

However, Mr. Smith said the British trio -- Triple Cream -- had steady work six days a week while the Bermudian trios were cut short.

Andrew Chamberlain's trio -- Drew's Blues -- originally worked on Wednesdays while Mr. Smith's trio (headed by his father Hubert) worked Monday and Thursday nights.

Allan fired Chamberlain last Wednesday and The Hubert Smith trio was given Chamberlain's Wednesday night spot.

"I don't know if he has immigration permission to do this,'' Mr. Hubert Smith said yesterday.

"But I'm going along with it because it is not up to me. He (Allan) came to me in April and told me that he wanted to bring in a foreign act and he asked me if we could do three nights.'' Last Monday, Allan told Mr. Smith he could no longer afford both Bermudian trios.

"I still have my regular four nights as a solo act, but those other guys have been put out of work.

"I don't blame Andy. He seems to like our performance but he says it's too expensive to keep both trios.'' But angry son George said, "I thought we were working there for the season.

When he called my dad last Monday night and told him he could not afford us he should have given us at least two weeks' notice.

"Andy Allan hoodwinked the Bermuda Government but I'm sure that John Irving Pearman has the best interests of Bermuda at heart and I have every faith that Mr. Pearman will dish out justice.''