The Ministry of Immigration should have apologised to a Canadian construction worker whose work permit was unlawfully revoked after a row with a Government MP, an Opposition party critic charged.

Curtis Macleod is free to return to Bermuda and work out the remaining seven months of his contract after he won his Supreme Court appeal of the Minister of Immigration’s decision — though the Government has the right to reconsider the matter.

But Shadow Minister of Labour Trevor Moniz said Minister Derrick Burgess should have apologised for the “shameful” and “vindictive” way Mr. Macleod was treated.

“The Government gave in but we did not hear them apologise or say that what they did was wrong,” he said. “Mr. Burgess should be promising that this will not happen again.

“I see what they have done as a convenience to them, they saw that they could not win it so they glibly gave in

“I was also surprised by the comments the judge said, congratulating them on the concession. They should have been given a real ticking off for behaving in this fashion in the first place.

“We have seen non-Bermudians given continually short shrift again and again. And what happened to Mr. Macleod is not that uncommon.

“There is a culture of fear and the public sees that the Ministry of Immigration acts vindictively.”

On Monday Mr. Macleod won his appeal on the basis that the Minister made his decision using information that was not presented to Mr. Macleod.

Puisne Judge Ian Kawaley commended Government lawyer Martin Johnson and the Minister for following the law and making the concession, he said it was a sign of strength and not weakness.

Mr. Macleod, and his bosses at Global Construction, waged a five-month battle to keep him on the Island, he left in February after his appeal of the Minister’s decision was rejected but can now return.

The saga began on October 26, 2006 when Government backbencher and Bermuda Industrial Union representative George Scott showed up at the Church Street site Mr. Macleod ran for Global Construction.

It is alleged that Mr. Scott was there on union business but Mr. Macleod has stated that he was not aware of that and did not know who Mr. Scott was.

An argument between the two men ensued during which Mr. Macleod called the MP a “racist” and “ignorant” and allegedly called Mr. Scott’s children uneducated, though Mr. Macleod denies bringing children into the argument

As the argument escalated, Mr. Scott admitted that he said: “You do not know who I am, but I will see you off this Island.”

Soon after the verbal altercation a letter was sent to Global Construction informing them that Mr. Macleod was being investigated in reference to the incident with Mr. Scott.

In January when Mr. Macleod heard that his permit was being revoked he went public because he believed the decision was a result of a personal vendetta.

But Mr. Scott said the disrespect shown to him by Mr. Macleod justified the deportation.

Later, he added that he had received numerous complaints about Mr. Macleod’s behaviour for several months prior to his argument with the Canadian.

However, Mr. Macleod was never made aware of these complaints until after his permit was revoked and his appeal to the Cabinet Tribunal was rejected.

The Ministry did not respond to questions about the case and would not say if they planned to reconsider the matter.

Mr. Macleod was not available for comment.