A top chef alleged to have commented that arsenic had been put in a meal prepared for Premier Ewart Brown acted in way that was “tantamount to threatening an act of terrorism, a criminal act of a most heinous nature,” according to Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess.

And the Australian chef was whisked off the Island almost immediately after the furore at the Elbow Beach Hotel became known to Government.

But close friends of executive chef Anthony Reynolds are stunned at what has happened. One said: “He is in London now. No-one can believe it. Everyone thinks it is craziness, like April Fool’s Day has come early. They are asking what has this been done for.

“It is like something from the Dark Ages. He has worked in 14 or 16 different countries and knows not to get involved in another country’s politics.”

On his website Mr. Reynolds details his impressive career working in top hotels around the world. He has worked at Elbow Beach for a number of years.

The Premier hosted a dinner at the hotel last Friday and information about the alleged remark surfaced the following Monday. On Tuesday, Elbow Beach management confirmed a senior member of staff had resigned. In a statement posted on the Bermuda Sun website after it published a story yesterday on Mr. Reynolds’ departure, Immigration Minister Mr. Burgess has reported that Government acted swiftly to ensure Mr. Reynolds left the Island as soon as possible after he resigned.

He said the Department of Immigration and the Ministry of Labour and Immigration had received complaints from members of the public in respect of the matter on Monday and as a result launched an investigation.

“There was also a story on the electronic media about this incident. Once I had been fully informed about the incident and determined that this person was undesirable by any civic evaluation or standard, I instructed the Department of Immigration to take all immediate and necessary steps under the law to remove this man from the country forthwith,” said Mr. Burgess.

“To make a statement threatening to put arsenic in the food of the leader of any country or head of state, is reprehensible to say the least and is tantamount to threatening an act of terrorism, a criminal act of a most heinous nature.

“Such behaviour will not be tolerated by this Government administration, least of all from a guest worker in this country and particularly from someone who, as purportedly responsible as an Executive Chef, was in a position to make good such a threat.”

In a statement, the Immigration Minister added: “No modern democracy post 9/11 would, or should, take such threats lightly or in jest. For completeness, you will be aware that the work permit holder in question had resigned his position, thus his work permit and residence in Bermuda were no longer valid or legally tenable.

“At which point, travel arrangements were promptly made and the work permit holder subsequently escorted by Immigration Officers, to the Bermuda International Airport for safe and swift passage out of Bermuda.”

Chef’s behaviour ‘reprehensible’