Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess' defence of the seemingly never-ending and inter-twined saga of Curtis Macleod, George Scott MP and Dr. Catherine Wakely brings to mind a statement of which the late Dr. John Stubbs was fond: "When you're in a hole, stop digging."

It would appear that Mr. Burgess simply does not know when to shut up, and does not even seem to understand that every time he opens his mouth, he makes matters worse.

Mr. Burgess is in trouble over separate, but inter-related issues. The first is his belief that you should not get involved in the politics of other countries of which you are not a citizen. He said: "Any country you go in — you do not get involved in their politics. That is a common sense attitude you should take. I would never do it and I have never done it. I would be afraid to."

As noted in yesterday's Royal Gazette, Premier Dr. Ewart Brown was not afraid to get involved in US politics when he led student protests in Washington, DC while a student there. And recently he even got involved in Fijian politics when he made a public statement regretting the recent military coup there. What about the people who protested against apartheid in Bermuda and around the world or against dictators from Myanmar to the Sudan?

The fact is that freedom of speech — which includes the freedom to comment on politics — is enshrined in Bermuda's Constitution, not only for Bermudians but for anyone who lives in or visits this Island. Certainly, you can argue about whether it is wise to get involved or to make public statement s about issues you may know little about. But to suggest you should be silent is ridiculous.

The second controversy is Mr. Burgess' continued insistence that individuals who publicly disagree with their employer's policies can be fired.

Mr. Burgess cites this in the case of the dismissal of Dr. Wakely for writing a letter to this newspaper concerning the closure of the Medical Clinic at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Burgess again said it was nothing to do with Government and added: "If anyone of you spoke out against your company's policies you would expect to be dismissed. It's a common sense issue."

Aside from the extraordinary and dangerous freedom Mr. Burgess has just handed to employers, this does not add up.

First, the hospital has everything to do with Government, which appoints the Bermuda Hospitals Board and provides it with a massive subsidy.

Secondly, Mr. Burgess and the BHB are being inconsistent. Just one week after Dr. Wakely was dismissed, a nurse echoed her concerns and criticised Dr. Wakely's dismissal, and yet she is, rightly, still on the job. But Dr. Wakely is not.

If Mr. Burgess was a talk show caller, or even if he was still president of the Bermuda Industrial Union, this might not matter. Mr. Burgess is the Minister of Labour and Immigration. He holds the fates of some 10,000 workers in his hands. He can decide whose work permit is granted and whose is not, and as the Macleod case has shown, he has very wide discretion.

Mr. Burgess also speaks on labour matters, so when he says Government can do nothing about people who are fired for simply expressing an opinion, then his word is policy.

Under collective responsibility, Mr. Burgess also speaks for his Cabinet colleagues and for the Government. So when he says non-Bermudians should not get involved in politics (although, not apparently the shadowy political consultants employed by both parties), then he speaks for the Government. And when he says people can be fired for disagreeing with a company policy, no matter how wrong- headed or even immoral it might be, then he speaks for the Government.

And in this case, it is clear the Government does not know what it is talking about.