A ferry pilot who was fired for being more than twice the legal alcohol limit when he crashed the boat into a terminal has received support from passengers to be reinstated.

Yesterday The Royal Gazette went to the Hamilton Ferry Terminal, where Dwayne Pearman had picked-up 60 passengers on the J.L. Cecil Smith fast ferry on December 21, while intoxicated.

Pearman proceeded to crash the ferry into the Rockaway Ferry dock causing thousands of dollars in damages, but no injuries to the passengers.

He pleaded guilty in court, was fined $2,000 and lost his job with Marine and Ports. He may also lose his pilot's license when the Examining Committee reviews the case. However, when four commuters were asked yesterday if he deserved to be fired, the overwhelming response was that he should be given another chance.

Veritee Tankard from Somerset and an Accounts Assistant at BF&M said Pearman, should not have been fired and she supported the action by the Bermuda Industrial Union (BIU).

She said: "I don't think they should fire him. In order to get things done they have to take actions."

While Arthur Wade, also from Somerset said he was a former BIU member and supported any action by the union.

He said: "I agree that he should remain, but Government has a different position. He should remain at Marine and Ports in a different area. I am a former BIU member so united we stand, divided we fall."

The BIU dispute with the Government over Pearman's job came to a head yesterday when Labour Minister David Burch warned them that any industrial action taken once a dispute is sent to arbitration, would be illegal.

While BIU President Chris Furbert gave the Government two days to reinstate Pearman or risk a general membership meeting on Thursday morning disrupting commuters.

Though Ianne McPherson said she didn't want to see the ferries stopped on Thursday, she didn't think it was fair to kick Pearman out of his job.

She said: "I think there's more to it than we know. But they should try to put him somewhere else and see how he works out.

"It's hard times and they could at least put him up on probation. I just don't want to see ferries stopped though. We've depended on them for years."

Dishani Burgess, from Rockaway, also believes that Pearman should be able to remain at Marine and Ports, as long as he is not a threat to safety.

He said: "I think he should keep his job. Let him do it as long as he doesn't put more lives at risk. He should probably be in another position."