Controversy continues to swirl about Government backbencher Arthur Pitcher's Southside construction site.

Mr. Pitcher was involved in a widely reported punch-up with employee Ryan Fox on August 15 and now some employees believe they may have lost their jobs as a result of their support of Mr. Fox.

Seven employees - six men and one woman - were sacked on Friday. The Royal Gazette was told the workers were shocked when they received their letters of termination at lunchtime.

One young man said that he had been with the Southside project - a Government project to construct 20 low income housing units - since day one. The man - who refused to be named for fear of retribution - said the workers could see no reason for their dismissal other than their position that Mr. Pitcher had been wrong to get involved in a physical fight with Mr. Fox.

The man said that he had never had any problems with Mr. Pitcher prior to his sacking although he backed earlier claims that the backbencher is often verbally abusive to his staff.

The man said that the site had been highly divided after the fistfight - with some workers backing Mr. Pitcher while others thought the MP's actions were out of order.

"I don't know what else it could be," he said. "It seems to be a personal thing that's going on."

The man claimed that a few of the seven workers sacked Friday had contacted a Labour Relations officer about what they feel amounts to unfair dismissal and that he was considering consulting a lawyer about his own position.

He said that the letters of termination handed out by Mr. Pitcher claimed financial difficulties the construction company is undergoing led to the layoffs.

But the man claimed that Mr. Pitcher had hired two new workers at the beginning of last week.

"Why is he hiring new guys if the company is in financial trouble," asked the man. "Usually those hired last get laid off first."

The seven workers were given one week's notice and told their final paycheques would be available on September 4.

"It has to be about the fight, because there was no conflict before," the worker told The Royal Gazette. And he questioned how the project could be experiencing financial problems if Government is footing the bill.

When contacted last night Mr. Pitcher confirmed that he had given the workers one week's notice.

But when asked about his reasons, he declined to say why he had taken the termination action.

"I don't want to comment on that," said Mr. Pitcher. "The Royal Gazette doesn't print accurate information, I've experienced in the past so I won't comment anymore...."

When asked he wouldn't elaborate. "I might have something in the back of my mind I want to do about what The Royal Gazette has done to me in the past," he said.

The Police investigation into the fistfight between Mr. Fox and Mr. Pitcher is still ongoing.

The two men allegedly came to blows after Mr. Pitcher sacked Mr. Fox and the altercation was witnessed by roughly ten other employees.

Mr. Fox told The Royal Gazette that he spent four nights in the hospital following the altercation and that injuries he sustained were exacerbated by the fact he had been in a serious road accident several years ago and has yet to fully recover.

However other workers at the job site said the altercation between the two men had been overstated and that Mr. Pitcher had given Mr. Fox several warnings and opportunities in the past.