Civil Servants have reacted favourably to their pep talk with Premier Ewart Brown on Tuesday.

Around 80 top civil servants attended the dinner at the Elbow Beach along with Cabinet members.

One department head told The Royal Gazette he had been apprehensive about the meeting after Premier Brown had said some civil servants were not buying in to this Government's programme while some were actively taking steps to retard it.

Dr. Brown had said last month: "We are going to convince them to find employment elsewhere. I will be asking them to make it clear to us who wants to work and who doesn't."

However, Tuesday's dinner took a much more amicable tone.

Health Permanent Secretary Warren Jones said: "It was a great evening."

He said it was frank but non-threatening. "It was good right after the Throne Speech."

He added: "I think it was about being willing to take risks and recognise we serve the public. He's looking to push us to think outside the box."

One civil servant said: "Premier Brown said, if we are eager to make changes and do things differently and better, we have to look at problems differently and explore all the possible solutions and not always do things the same way — if people are in line with that vision they are in line with working with the civil service."

Asked for reaction that worker said: "I think the tone was good. I think the meeting was a good thing."

Another, who attended the meeting, agreed with that summary and said he had been apprehensive after Dr. Brown's threat to those he deemed not to be supporting the Government.

He said: "That was a bit of a surprise. I think he implied some people are trying to thwart their objectives. I have never come across that."

He said the basic tenant of the civil service was carrying out Government policies.

"I never found anyone trying to actively undermine a minister."

A third civil servant, who also spoke on conditions of anonymity, told The Royal Gazette>that civil servants were co-operating.

"But some are being asked to do things which are inappropriate."

And that source questioned why the meeting was necessary.

"I would think the civil service was, by now, fully supportive."

The source said there had been a useful meeting a Stonington when the PLP first took over.

"It's fine when you have a change of Government but I don't know what this was about."

Bermuda Public Services Union general secretary Ed Ball said it was the Cabinet Secretary who is supposed to talk about matters to do with the civil service.

"The whole reason we have a separation from the running of political parties is to ensure there's no intimidation in any way shape or form.

"That's why Government appoints the impartial Public Services Commission to make appointments and meet out discipline.

"There are sufficient persons within Government advising the Premier on protocol."

Opposition Finance spokeswoman Patricia Gordon-Pamplin said she had no problem with the dinner if it led to Government functioning better.