The term limit policy for work permits is unreasonable, threatening and intimidating to both local and international business, according to a former Labour and Home Affairs Minister.

Quinton Edness, who was a United Bermuda Party MP and Minister up until the 1998 General Election, yesterday called on Government to remove the policy as it was harmful to both Bermuda and Bermudians.

“I understand the problems Government is trying to resolve, but I think this policy is wrong and should be removed,” said Mr. Edness.

“I think the policy is unreasonable and is threatening and intimidating to international companies as well as local companies. My fear is that it will result in damaging the economic welfare of Bermudians.”

The policy came into effect in 2001, and states that work permit holders can only stay for up to six years. This can be extended to nine in special cases.

Key employees will be exempt from the policy which has caused great concern in the business community.

Mr. Edness said that he knew of companies that were already leaving or thinking of leaving because of the implementation of the policy, which he called “unworkable”.

He pointed out that the policy had been put in place to avoid problems with long term residents, but he said that “a sledge hammer was being used to kill a fly”.

Instead, he proposed that work permit holders should be given a letter which would spell out they were not entitled to become citizens or long term residents, and this would solve the problem.

“I feel I have to speak out about this because it affects the well being of Bermudians and will impact on Bermuda's economy,” Mr. Edness said.

He said he had spoken to many members of the business community on the Island and had been moved by the force of their objections to the policy.

He said: “It is so threatening and intimidating that it is and will make some international companies look at other sites where they can move to because of this policy.

“It is also damaging because the policy will prevent other potential companies from coming and this will have an effect on the economy.”

Mr. Edness said it would also badly afMr. Edness said it would also badly affect local business and generally drive up the cost of doing business in Bermuda - a place where it was already very expensive to set up and do business.

And he revealed that the same policy was put before him by civil servants when he was Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, but he rejected it out of hand.

“I rejected them because I felt that it was a policy that would damage Bermuda,” he said. “The purpose of the policy is to prevent the long term resident problem arising again. There is a simple way to prevent this - all Government has to do is to put in its immigration policy, like other countries do, that you cannot become a long term resident or get any status as a Bermuda citizen as the result of a work permit.”

He said the policy was already that you could only become a citizen through a family relationship, and that since 1989 no one on a work permit had the prospect of becoming a long term resident.

“Government can make it quite clear in a clearly defined policy that work permit holders will not become long-term residents,” said Mr. Edness.

“All countries make their own policy - in the United States and Australia you have no right to vote or expectation of citizenship because of a work permit, you have to formally apply for it.”