Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman to resign or be fired over the burgeoning Police controversy.

In a statement signed by Shadow Delegated Affairs Minister Mrs. Lois Browne Evans and Shadow Labour Minister Mr. Alex Scott, the Opposition said it agreed with a call from educator and author Mr. Dale Butler for Mr. Pearman to resign over the decision to hire two British Police officers to head the Bermuda force.

Mr. Pearman, who is also Deputy Premier, Immigration Minister, and Minister of Delegated Affairs, was off the Island yesterday -- in London with Deputy Governor Mr. Peter Willis interviewing eight applicants for the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner posts.

Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan was also off the Island, leaving Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira as Acting Premier.

The British officers are being brought in to succeed Commissioner Mr. Lennett (Lennie) Edwards and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Alex Forbes, two Bermudians who are retiring. The PLP feels the posts should have gone to Bermudians Mr. Wayne Perinchief or Mr. Harold Moniz. Each holds the rank of Assistant Commissioner, two grades below the Commissioner.

The PLP charged that Mr. Pearman had "misled Parliament'' about the state of the Police force and now "has allowed himself to become part of the team who are actually to recruit the two British officers who will take the posts of two Bermudians -- whose jobs Mr. Pearman as Immigration Minister should be protecting.'' The party also called on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London to "review the circumstances surrounding this entire episode,'' and said Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade will hold a news conference this morning to report "the party's latest moves to have the decision reversed''.

The party has hinted that it may have Parliamentary questions raised at Westminister about the affair.

Mr. Wade will also advise Bermudians where they can find copies of a petition that is circulating calling on the Governor and Government to rescind the move.

In its statement, the PLP accused the Government of planting a "cover story'' in the news media to support its "regrettable decision''.

Mr. Pearman has cited the report of the Police Tumim Committee -- which identified serious morale and management problems on the force -- as part of the basis for the decision to hire abroad.

But Mr. Butler, who co-chaired the Police Tumim Committee, on Tuesday described the foreign hirings as "asinine'' and also called for the top posts to go to Bermudians.

"If Mr. Edwards did not ensure that the chain of command was in place, then the Governor should have done so,'' he said.

The PLP accused Government of "leaking'' to the Press parts of a second report by UK Senior Adviser for Dependent Territory Police Forces Mr. Lionel Grundy, to support its "cover story''.

Mr. Grundy's report to the Governor, which has not been made public, reportedly called for a senior outside officer to be brought in to work with Mr. Edwards. Retiring in ill health, Mr. Edwards had been asked to stay on another two years.

Now Mr. Grundy is "being fingered'' as the reason for the overseas hiring, the PLP said. But Mr. Pearman, who earlier had told the House of Assembly that action on the Police Tumim Report was well in hand, was now saying management expertise and "innovative thinking'' from outside was needed.