Tourism Minister Renee Webb is entitled to expect her staff to stand up when she enters the room, according to enquiries by .

Angry Tourism staff listed Ms Webb?s alleged command that they jump to attention in a lengthy three-page memo of complaints about the Minister, which is currently being investigated by Cabinet Secretary John Drinkwater.

The letter also complained Ms Webb was high-handed and disrespectful to staff who feared they would face retaliation if they spoke up.

The letter, written on behalf of staff by Bermuda Public Services Union, states about the command that they stand up: ?Where is the Policy, Code of Conduct or Public Service Commission regulations??

Civil servants spoke to yesterday, said it was common protocol for staff to get to their feet when their Minister enters the room.

In this respect, Ms Webb would have the right to expect her staff give her the same VIP treatment others are supposed to give Governor Sir John Vereker or Premier Alex Scott when they walk in the room.

Or that she gets the same level of deference from her staff which Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith and senior officers get from the rank and file, or top brass in the Bermuda Regiment command from subordinates.

Government?s protocol officer Trina Burch said yesterday: ?I don?t know if there is anything written down, but it is customary, depending on the Minister and the circumstances, that upon entering a room or a meeting, that generally those in the meeting will stand up for the Minister.

?Some Ministers say ?No, thank you sit down,? but others will expect it.?

Police spokesman Dwayne Caines said: ?Police protocol is when a senior officer walks in the room, the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner, it is customary for people to stand up.

?If, say, a superintendent or what?s known as a ?white shirt? walks into a room and there are a group of PCs, someone will say ?room ?shun? and everyone would stand up.?

A senior civil servant also confirmed staff are expected to stand up for Ministers, but said it showed the extent to which Ms Webb?s relationship with staff had deteriorated that she had to demand this from them.

?Yes, absolutely, staff should stand up, but she shouldn?t have to ask for it, should she?? said the source.

Another source said: ?If the Governor, or Deputy-Governor if he is acting, or the Premier, walks into the room, everyone should stand.

?It is not written but it is expected of you. It is like if you go to someone?s house, there are certain things you are supposed to say out of common courtesy, like ?Happy New Year? this time of the year.

?It is widely known in the civil service that when your Minister walks in the room, you stand up and acknowledge their presence. Some say ?just carry on? but you are supposed to make the physical gesture.

?It is not subservient or going back to the slave mentality or anything foolish like that, it is something that has been done for years and is expected.

?It is reasonable, it is not anything new, and it is important.?

One senior tourism figure leapt to Ms Webb?s defence yesterday, saying she was the most open minded Minister he had worked with and that those doing their job had nothing to fear.

?As another side to this, at a meeting in which there were also members of the private sector, someone suggested we stand up when Minister Webb departed the room, but she dismissed this and said ?carry on with your work?,? said the source.

?She does not suffer fools at all, but I have an excellent relationship with her. I take comments and criticism from her and it is fine.

?If you are doing your job, you probably won?t have any problems from her. But I have heard other stories.

?She is a no nonsense person who wants to do the best for tourism, but perhaps the way she goes about it is not to everyone?s liking.

?She is genuinely interested in doing her best for tourism, and she has by far the most open and receptive mind of any Minister we?ve had in recent times.

?She is very intelligent, she has a very sharp business mind, she is very savvy and very switched on.

?When it comes to tourism, her heart is definitely in the right place. It is just unfortunate staff have felt they had to do this, but hopefully we can move on.?