when supporters of ousted Government Veterinarian Trainee, Dr. Susann Smith, presented her with a petition calling on Government to re-hire the young Bermudian vet.

Organiser Russ Ford passed on the petition -- bearing 1,500 signatures -- at 4 p.m. on the steps of the Cabinet Office as Dr. Smith and a small group of supporters looked on.

"I firmly believe that if Dr. Smith meets the standards set out she should definitely be hired for the job,'' Premier Gordon responded, but added she would not support lowering the standards for any Government senior post.

"We will hold firm on that. We have to make sure that everyone recognises the level of applicant for a senior post must not be diminished.'' Both petition organiser Mr. Ford and Dr. Smith -- in her remarks to the press -- lashed out at "the system (which) represents an insidious, intangible, evil force designed to allow an elitist group to maintain power by denying fair opportunity to others''.

"I stand on the shoulders of giants who have paved the way after much fighting,'' said Dr. Smith. "I speak of the Dr. E.F. Gordons, the Dr. Ewart Browns, the Lois Browne-Evans'...'' Regardless of the flaws in the system, Premier Gordon later told The Royal Gazette , "the Dr. Ewart Browns and Lois Brown-Evans' passed the exams required to allow them to practise in Bermuda''.

Controversy has swirled around the April 4 termination of Dr. Smith, who was on contract to Personnel Services as Veterinarian Trainee and in line to succeed Dr. Neil Burnie as Government Veterinarian.

It has since emerged that Dr. Smith -- who holds a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Alabama's Tuskegee University -- was let go after she failed on four occasions to pass a US-based licensing board exam.

It is also understood that Dr. Smith agreed, in her contract with Personnel Services, to successfully complete those exams; she refuses to confirm or deny that.

Meanwhile battle lines have been drawn on both sides of the issue. Local veterinarians, while sympathetic to Dr. Smith, say applicants aspiring to the post of Government Veterinarian must meet and exceed the standards set for those in private practice.

Ms Gordon agreed: "We want to make sure the person in the post is well respected. This is not about hampering any Bermudian who is qualified; in fact the reverse is true. I don't want to set up anyone to fail by lowering the requirements for the job.'' Veterinarians also maintain it has been convention for the last 35 years that those wishing to practice on the Island must hold licensing credentials from a granting jurisdiction.

"Because Bermuda is so small it really doesn't have its own institute of certification. We rely heavily on the process of overseas certification to set a professional standard,'' one vet told The Royal Gazette . "This situation is like getting your law degree but never passing your Bar exam.'' Island vets meanwhile, have recently formed an association to put this point across. "We don't feel having a licence is too much to ask. She should just get on to doing what she needs to do, which is passing the exam,'' Bermudian vet Dr. Andrew Madeiros said last week.

Supporters argue Dr. Smith has passed two of the three exams required for the US licence and maintain the third section -- a National Board Exam -- is irrelevant to Bermuda anyway.

They also that argue nowhere is it written in Bermudian law that one has to pass a foreign licencing exam to practise veterinary medicine here.

With the backing of the Bermuda Public Services Association, supporters claim Dr. Smith had surpassed the expectations of her supervisors and was unfairly denied representation before the Public Service Commission.

"This is a human rights issue that crosses all barriers, colour lines, and social boundaries. We have support from all walks of life, all colours, and all classes,'' Mr. Ford said.