Bermuda's bureaucrats yesterday vowed to fight any plans to cut public sector jobs which could come out of a secret report into the Civil Service.

Civil Service union chiefs were yesterday taking a "wait and see'' approach to proposals designed to shake up the system.

But the Bermuda Public Service Association pledged to fight any possibility of job cuts involved in a bid to modernise the public sector.

BPSA chief Ed Ball Jr. is off the Island -- in England at the UK Civil Service College to discuss the review's implications with its authors.

Acting General Secretary Thelma Hart said: "I haven't seen the document and I wouldn't be in a position to speak on it.'' But she added: "In general terms, we would make our best efforts to maintain the workforce.'' She was speaking after a secret review -- prepared by Civil Service College consultants Mike Fogden and Chris Cooper -- said Bermuda appeared to be "overgoverned'', but steered clear of discussing cuts in numbers.

But it did suggest slashing the number of Ministries almost in half -- from 13 to just eight by combining portfolios.

That would almost inevitably lead to duplication in some areas of central services as Ministries joined forces.

And the report floated the possibility of selling-off or contracting out services currently provided by Government -- a process pioneered in the UK by former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and endorsed by Tony Blair's "New'' Labour.

The moves led to massive public sector job cuts and worse pay and conditions for workers in Britain forced into the private sector.

There are around 4,600 civil service employees in Bermuda -- approximately one for every 13 people.

Union alarmed at Civil Service review The report said: "Again, we should emphasise that it is not our intention to impose solutions which are clearly implausible given local conditions.

"Nor is it necessarily the case that a crude `down-sizing' solution will be appropriate.'' The report added: "We would expect as many areas to be identified where extra effort and resources are needed as areas where waste and ineffective effort is expended.'' But the report admitted that civil servants would have suspicions about the thrust of the review.

It said: "It is essential that the study is not seen purely as an exercise to identify the scope for job cuts or privatisation.

"Clearly there will be suspicion about the objectives of the study and sensitive handling will be of paramount importance.'' And the writers stressed the report should be seen as a draft with further consultation needed.

But it added that the Civil Service was seen as overmanned and Government provided "functions which could be better carried out by non-governmental organisations or the private sector''.

The report added, however: "In the short time available to us it has not been possible to form a definitive view on these assertions.'' And it said: "We heard widespread anecdotal evidence of civil servants under-performing in their jobs. This evidence might on the face of it point to the fact that the same level of work could be performed with fewer civil servants.'' But the report added: "However, counter-balancing this we heard a number of people refer to significant instances of civil servants over-working.'' The report added that -- in relation to privatisation or contracting out -- "there is certainly scope to do this''.

But it said: "We recognise that this may be constrained by political considerations.'' Premier Jennifer Smith -- understood to be furious that the report was leaked -- has refused to comment on the recommendations.

GOVERNMENT GVT