A court order halting the restructuring of the Bermuda Department of Tourism’s North American operation has been lifted.

The Bermuda Public Services Union (BPSU) won leave to have a judicial review of the restructuring on the grounds that staff had not been consulted in accordance with agreed procedures.

According to a press release today by Government, the BPSU has officially withdrawn its request. The press release did not state why the union has taken that decision.

Cherie Whitter, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, said: “With the stay lifted it means we can proceed with the Government’s plan of restructuring outlined during the Budget Debate this past spring.

“We are restructuring the entire North American operation so that it is more efficient and more results driven. The process of interviewing current employees for new posts is underway.”

The tourism work in New York is being outsourced to US firm Sales Focus and in the past union leaders have said up to 20 Bermudians would be made redundant. Government said the figure is eight.

In an open letter, published as an advertisement in The Royal Gazette, the New York staff said they felt deceived and deeply disrespected by Government’s outsourcing of their jobs.

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