Deputy Prison Commissioner Marvin Trott is being forced to take compulsory retirement, but the top officer is fighting the bid to oust him, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

Mr. Trott was told in May by the Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety that the department was asking Governor Sir John Vereker to make him take compulsory retirement at 60.

But Mr. Trott has appealed the decision to the Governor, and the Prison Officers Association (POA) is backing him.

One senior prison source told The Royal Gazette Mr. Trott was being made a "scapegoat" for the "mismanagement" in the service, which culminated in a strike in April by prison officers who demanded Prison Commissioner Colonel John Prescod be sacked.

The strike ended on May 1 after Premier Jennifer Smith agreed to meet Col. Prescod on a quarterly basis to ensure he carried out the recommendations of a board of inquiry into the service.

And a panel was set up to review senior management of the prison service.

But less than two weeks later, Mr. Trott was informed by then Labour and Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Brian Rowlinson that the Ministry was applying to the Governor to have him compulsorily retired at 60.

POA chairman Michael Tuzo said yesterday the attempt to sack Mr. Trott had pre-empted the work of the review panel.

And The Royal Gazette has been told by a number of senior prison sources that officers still want Col. Prescod sacked and they are prepared to strike again unless Government caves in to their demands.

The officers went on strike because they claimed Col. Prescod was autocratic and was failing to implement a 2001 review of the service.

Labour and Home Affairs Minister Terry Lister said last night the forced retirement of Mr. Trott had nothing to do with him because it was a civil service matter.

"We (politicians) are not allowed to get involved in the hiring or rehiring of civil servants," he said.

"It's not up to me. I am not is a position to comment because I am not in a position to do one thing or another."

Deputy Governor Nick Carter said yesterday: "I can confirm that Mr. Trott has appealed the decision."

POA chairman Mr. Tuzo said: "I did have a meeting with Government last week and this was an issue that did come up and we put forward our position that we are not in favour of it. Now the matter is in their hands.

"A panel was set up to look into the senior administration of the department and they have pre-empted that process by going ahead with the dismissal of Mr. Trott."

A senior prison source told The Royal Gazette: "It's just not justified. There are elements of professionalism that the Ministry need to come to grips with.

"They are looking for a scapegoat for the bad management and bad administration coming out of the Commissioner's Office and Permanent Secretary's office.

"There have been bad decisions made and they had to find a scapegoat for that and they are trying to light a fire under the deputy commissioner's post.

"If they try to infer Marvin Trott doesn't have the experience, what about his resume? The Public Services Commission have used his services to do tribunals, and that is usually something that is only reserved for heads of department."

Mr. Trott, a Bermudian, has attended corrections conferences in the US, Canada, South Africa and Britain, and has a conflict resolution diploma from the Industrial Relations Institute in Ottawa, Canada, and a degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland.

Another prison source said: "Prison officers are still in an angry mindset over the situation with Col. Prescod.

"They still want him to be sacked and if that is not resolved quickly, they could resort to industrial action again."

Mr. Rowlinson has now moved back to the Ministry of Environment after a reshuffle caused by Labour and Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Robert Horton taking holiday leave.

Mr. Horton, who has returned as Labour and Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, did not return a call seeking comment yesterday.

Mr. Trott refused to comment on the matter.