the weekly newspaper more than five years ago as sports editor. He has been assistant editor since September 1992.

"The redundancy came as a surprise,'' said Mr. Wait, an British expatriate, yesterday. "I found out a few weeks ago and will leave the paper at the end of November.'' He would not say whether he planned to return to the UK. "I'm not looking for anything in particular at the moment,'' he said. And the Sun's photographer, Mr. Arthur Bean has had his working week cut to four days.

A rumour that The Bermuda Sun and Island Press are to be consolidated into one company was "not surprising'', said Mr. Wait. He would not comment on cost-cutting efforts at the newspaper.

Mr. Randy French, managing director of the Bermuda Sun, at first denied the lay-off.

Later he agreed it was true and said, "We are entering the third year of the recession and these are the first cuts we have made, other than trying to run the company as economically as possibly.

"It's a competitive environment and there are more publications in Bermuda than ever before.

"It is not easy and we are having to cut back. We hope this will not affect the quality of the product,'' he said.

Editor Mr. Tom Vesey declined to comment on the cost-cutting measures. Mr.

French would not comment about efforts to merge the Sun and Island Press.