Less than 18 months ago, Premier Dr. Ewart Brown brought four Uighur detainees from Guantánamo Bay to Bermuda.

He said then that the move was a humanitarian one, that there was no quid pro quo and it was simply the right thing to do.

In doing so, he damaged relations with the UK government and did untold damage to his own government as well.

Little of the criticism was aimed at the Uighurs themselves, who, once the dust settled, gave no signs of being terrorists and seemed to be glad to be freed from "Gitmo".

There were concerns raised at the time that the Uighurs would have to be employed, housed and fed while in Bermuda. At the same time, Bermudians were losing jobs and having trouble making ends meet.

The Uighurs were under the impression that after a time, they would receive travel documents and would be able to move on if they so chose.

Nonetheless, there was remarkably little ill will directed at the Uighurs themselves when they were given jobs as groundkeepers at the Government-owned Port Royal Golf Club.

Now they have been terminated from their jobs, apparently because the golf club cannot afford to continue to pay their salaries.

Dr. Brown and Immigration Minister Sen. David Burch are now said to be trying to find employment for the four. However, they also referred this newspaper for comment to Port Royal as if it had some responsibility for their future employment.

Whether you agree with the Uighurs being brought to Bermuda or not, this is shameful.

The idea that people can be made promises and be brought to Bermuda, only to find themselves unemployed and facing an uncertain future, is a cruel joke.

That this kind of problem was apparently not anticipated by Government demonstrates how little thought was given to this whole episode.

Nor was the possibility that they would be stateless, and that Britain would stick to its guns.

Thus, for better or for worse, Bermuda is now responsible for the well-being of these four men. The Bermuda Government, by its actions last year, has a moral obligation to do the right thing.

In a few weeks, this will no longer be Dr. Brown's problem. But it will be Bermuda's for a long time to come.