Department after officials frogmarched his newly-arrived Canadian brother-in-law back onto a plane after he was earlier given permission to enter the Island.

Kevin Chalker boarded the April 1 flight from Halifax to the Island after being told a faxed copy of his birth certificate would be sufficient to let him into Bermuda.

On arrival he was barred from entry and was escorted back onto the plane with his fiancee m Agnes MacDonald within an hour.

In a letter to Immigration he said: "My sister has been living in Bermuda since 1973 and I have dreamed for years of visiting. You can't imagine how excited we were as we flew in over the beautiful emerald waters and the reefs.

"On arrival senior immigration official Owen Lewis took me by the arm and said `you are going back'.'' "No good afternoon, excuse me, I'm sorry or any other such politeness which I had heard Bermudians were famous for, just you're going back.

"He then led us to an open waiting area where we were kept until we were escorted like two criminals right onto the plane to return to Halifax.

"When I attempted to show him what identification I did have, he was not interested in seeing it.

"When I said that the Air Canada agent in Halifax had contacted Bermuda Immigration and had been advised that the faxed copy of my birth certificate would suffice, he only agreed to try to find out who had given such approval.

"After waiting more than an hour, Mr. Lewis advised us that we would be leaving on the flight back to Halifax.'' Mr. Chalker said even if Mr. Lewis had no room for discretion, despite having a Bermudian family at the airport willing to vouch for him, there was no need for the heavy-handed approach.

"The situation was embarrassing and devastating enough and his complete lack of manners and compassion was nothing short of inhuman -- not to mention the fact that this all happened within earshot of other passengers.

"It was obvious from the demeanour of the other two immigration officials present that even they found his behaviour and attitude somewhat lacking.

"This is certainly not the type of treatment which encourages us to return to Canada and sing the praises of Bermuda. It would seem that, with what we have seen in the Canadian media as well as our own personal experience, Canadians and their money are not needed or wanted in Bermuda.'' His Bermudian brother-in-law Mr. McCluskey was shocked by the treatment of immigration officials when he went to pick the pair up with his wife Maureen.

He also wrote to Immigration. He said: "I went to the immigration window and asked to speak to someone.

"After more than ten minutes someone finally answered the bell but would not even come to the window to speak to me. Instead I was left to talk to a wall microphone with strangers standing beside me.

Kevin is now back in Bermuda after wasting three days of his holiday and is staying at the McCluskey's St. George's home after arriving on April 4 with a new copy of his birth certificate.

Mr. McCluskey said a friend had since told him that Mr. Lewis had let in another visitor without proper documentation.

The Royal Gazette contacted the Immigration Department but received no response.

Bitter: Canadian tourists Kevin Chalker and Agnes MacDonald were booted out of Bermuda -- despite assurances from the Department of Immigration that they would be allowed to enter -- but have returned.