Foreign managers at trouble plagued Bermuda Telephone Company have been partly blamed for low morale because they have failed to understand the Island's culture, according to a report released yesterday by Labour and Home Affairs Minister, Maxwell Burgess.

And the company has been ordered to improve its Bermudianisation policy and to train local workers in a bid to stop discontent spreading amongst staff. It is also recommended that immigration officials make regular checks to make sure the company is doing all it can to promote local workers.

These findings are just part of a shopping list of criticisms made by a an independent Board of Inquiry set up to examine the reasons for poor morale at the telecommunications provider.

And their report warned that, unless managers cleaned up their act, the company would lose out to hungry rivals.

The report blasted telephone bosses for a stack of failings and made a list of recommendations, including: Providing a comprehensive communication policy with employees; keeping workers informed on the comapny's performance; updating job descriptions; giving supervisors and managers guidance in the handling of disciplinary action; explaining to staff why and when some work is contracted out to other companies.

The report also suggested that managers have failed to understand the importance of psychological contracts -- factors such as respect and fair treatment - in the building of good working relations.

The report, ordered by former Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness following a week-long wildcat strike at the company in March, says: "It was pointed out that the newly-recruited managers from Canada do not understand the culture of Bermuda. As a result their actions, however well intended, sometimes created ill will. There is an old and wise saying - `When in Rome do as the Romans do'.

"The Board of Inquiry strongly recommends that newly recruited executives from overseas be given training programmes in the culture both of Bermuda and the telephone company.

"The Board of Inquiry recommends strongly that the company strengthen its resolve to increase the number of Bermudians in executive management positions.

"How can anyone develop meaningful equitable promotion initiatives unless there are updated job descriptions? What should succession training entail if job descriptions are 28 years old? "Supervisors and managers need guidance in the handling of disciplinary action.

"The Board feels most strongly that the BTC must become a learning institution in order to become more competitive in a highly competitive market.'' Although the board clearly believes that blame for poor business practices clearly lies with management, unions were also given certain recommendations, including the development of a handbook on regulations concerning the collective agreement.

On Saturday The Royal Gazette revealed that the inquiry team also partly blamed BTC chairman, Dr. James King, for the slump in morale.

BTC workers `vindicated': BIU Last night Home Affairs Minister Maxwell Burgess would not say if he felt BTC managers were responsible for the company's low morale.

"This inquiry was not created to punish or point the finger,'' he said.

"It's aim was to find the basis for an improved relationship in the future.

Playing the blame game will not be helpful to either side if we are to focus on the future and not the past.

But Bermuda Industrial Union president said the report vindicated workers actions when they went on their illegal walkout.

"I am not saying that you should break the law, but the workers were pushed to the brink,'' he said.

"This inquiry has brought everything out in the open and it says what the workers have been saying all along.'' Dr. James King