The assistant director of Bermuda Archives is leaving her $100,000-a-year job less than 12 months into a three-year contract.

Christine Walker, who arrived here in March 2008, is returning to England for "personal reasons", according to Cabinet Secretary Marc Telemaque.

Meanwhile, two overseas consultants, Canadian John McDonald and New Zealander Michael Hoyle, have been hired to work for the Archives on a daily rate of $900 and $700 respectively.

News of Mrs. Walker's departure follows claims of serious problems at the official repository for Government records, including high staff turnover and material being withheld from the public arbitrarily.

Ombudsman Arlene Brock announced in November that she had launched an investigation into the accessibility of material at the Archives.

The Royal Gazette subsequently spoke to numerous Archives users, many of whom said they had encountered difficulty accessing information and were critical of Archives director Karla Hayward, who is said to have had a problematic relationship with some members of staff.

Mrs. Walker, one of three full-time overseas archivists at Bermuda Archives, said she could not comment on the reason for her resignation due to the code of conduct for civil servants. She is due to leave the Island on Thursday.

A source, who would not be named, told this newspaper: "(She) will be leaving in January because she can't work with Karla, although the official reason... is because her husband is ailing."

The source said Mrs. Walker had 30 years experience in the profession in the UK and Europe and would be a loss to the Island.

Her job is being advertised at a salary of between $100,369 and $107,767 by the Cabinet Office.

Prospective candidates — who need to have a master's degree or equivalent in archives and records administration and at least five years experience at a senior level — have until tomorrow (Wednesday, January 7) to apply.

Mr. Telemaque told this newspaper that "high level consultants" Mr. McDonald and Mr. Hoyle had been hired to assist with the "development of infrastructure in the areas of policy and capacity building", in order to keep the development of the public sector records programme on track.

"Both consultants are at the top of their field and come to us with years of experience both in their home countries and internationally," he said. "Their fees are $900 and $700 per day respectively."

He did not answer a question about how long the two consultants would be here.

The source claimed the appointment of the consultants was an "indication of poor management and its effect on the taxpayer" and questioned why the other two permanent overseas archivists at the Archives could not carry out the work.

"There would be no need to hire consultants if the archivists on staff were allowed to do what they are trained to do," said the source.

Mr. Telemaque said the two full-time archivists were "fully engaged in the appraisal of Government records".

"As these staff members are the first full time professionals to work in appraisal in the Bermuda Government, there is understandably a substantial backlog of records to be evaluated," he said.

"The appraisal archivists projects along with the development of policy and training initiatives, form the backbone of the Bermuda Archives strategic plan for the full rationalisation of a records and archives system for the Bermuda Government."