Bermudian photographers cried foul this week after Government fast-tracked a temporary work permit allowing an international company to bring in their own photographer ? without the company first considering Bermudian photographers for the job.

The ACE Group of Companies recently applied for the two-day permit to bring in photographer Arington Hendley, who is shooting the company?s 2004 Annual Report. Mr. Hendley, Labour and Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Robert Horton said, is travelling to all ACE locations world-wide to shoot photos for the report ? and the company wanted to bring him to Bermuda also to shoot the ACE global headquarters.

Mr. Hendley, Mr. Horton said, arrived on the Island yesterday.

However the Bermuda Professional Photographers Association recommended the Ministry turn the application down after no Bermudian photographers were interviewed for the post.

The Ministry, BPPA president Graeme Outerbridge said last night, ignored that recommendation ? a move he said was par for the course. ?A pattern is evolving with fast-track applications being abused,? he said. ?This one was just rammed through.?

A Bermudian photographer is ?assisting? Mr. Hendley on the job, he said ? a move he likened to ?fronting?.

?It?s very important to draw a distinction between fronting and doing the job... This is a constant pattern. The job was not advertised, it was just pushed through. But it was well within the purview of the local professional market.?

In-camera meetings with the Ministry are not carrying any weight, he said. ?The Minister (Randy Horton, brother of the Permanent Secretary) is using his discretionary powers in a very unfair way... Bermudians are not being considered. The Minister is taking away opportunities.?

Permanent Secretary Robert Horton said the Ministry does recognise the photographers? concern ? however a difficult balancing act had to be performed between the needs of Bermudians and of the international companies.

ACE had argued that Mr. Hendley?s services were necessary to preserve a continuity of style, he said ? an argument that Mr. Outerbridge discounted, saying a photographer must follow the direction of an art director at such a shoot. ?A Bermudian could have done this,? Mr. Outerbridge repeated.

Nevertheless, Mr. Horton said: ?It was a very difficult situation.?

With ACE arguing on one side it was ?unreasonable? to force the company to use a different photographer at their global headquarters from the one used at all other ACE locations, and Bermudian photographers arguing that Bermudians can do the job, ?a compromise had to be reached?.

?I know it doesn?t satisfy Mr. Outerbridge,? he said. ?He has met with us on a number of occasions to express his concern about international companies who make this request.

?But the companies argue strenuously that this is their product. At least a Bermudian is not being deprived of the job.?

The Bermudian working on the shoot now also has the opportunity to learn from working with a ?top, top shelf? photographer such as Mr. Hendley, Mr. Horton added.

The need to fast-track such applications does provide a legitimate concern, he said. Often companies say they do not know when a photographer can be made available until the last second. However, Mr. Horton added: ?We would be happier if we got more notice ? we wish we had more time to advise stakeholders.?