Minister of Labour and Immigration Derrick Burgess told the House of Assembly that guest workers should not get involved in Bermuda’s politics — and those who speak out against their company’s policies should expect to get dismissed.

His remarks during the Motion to Adjourn stemmed from media coverage about a Canadian construction worker whose work permit his Department revoked, citing disrespectful conduct to Government backbencher George Scott during a building site row.

As previously reported, Global Construction site manager Curtis Macleod complained he had been a victim of a one-man vendetta by Mr. Scott, who is also the Bermuda Industrial Union Chief organiser.

But Mr. Scott — who admits telling the Canadian: “You do not know who I am, but I will see you off this Island” said disrespect shown by Mr. Macleod justified his deportation.

“I am a member of Government. Nowhere else in the world would he be able to get up in the face of an MP”, he said, going on to remark: “It will be an example to anyone who is a guest worker in this country that they better respect what is here, the people and the Government.”

Defending the decision to revoke Mr. Macleod’s permit, Mr. Burgess echoed Mr. Scott’s comments.

He expressed unhappiness at posts on the Limey in Bermuda website about Government Ministers — which Opposition hecklers, in calls from across the floor, said were satirical.

Nonetheless, said Mr. Burgess, countries such as Canada and the US would get rid of people such as a hotel worker who recently joked about putting arsenic in the Premier’s food.

And of an English doctor recently asked to resign from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital after a letter in this paper questioning the closure of a Government-funded clinic, he said “if you speak out against the policy of the company that you work for you’re going to be dismissed... that’s what the hospital’s done. Nothing to do with the Government”.

The Minister said guest workers were appreciated in Bermuda but people should respect the country they are in and “you don’t get involved in their politics, whether you like it or not”.

He said if anyone disrespected an Opposition member “we will take issue with that”.

He also criticised Shadow Labour and Immigration Minister Trevor Moniz for hitting out in this newspaper over the work permit row. Mr. Burgess said Mr. Moniz was hypocritical because he once made a complaint about a work permit holder himself involving an incident while driving. However, he added that he felt Mr. Moniz had been right to make that complaint.