Premier Ewart Brown refused to say yesterday whether he was obliged to find new jobs for the Uighurs as part of the deal he struck with the US last year.

Dr. Brown told an audience on Monday evening that he made a "humanitarian decision" to bring the former Guantánamo Bay prisoners here and that his integrity meant he would honour the terms of any agreement made.

But he was silent yesterday on whether Government would help the four men find work now they have lost their jobs at Port Royal Golf Course.

His spokesman provided no response when asked whether Dr. Brown felt responsible for securing jobs for the Uighurs — or whether providing them with work was one of the terms of his agreement with America.

The spokesman said only: "Any queries relating to human resources should be referred to the Port Royal board of trustees.

"In the meantime, I can confirm that the Premier and the Minister of Immigration are in discussions regarding future employment of the men."

Labour and Immigration Minister David Burch failed to answer a list of questions about the employment rights of the Uighurs. His spokeswoman also directed queries to the Port Royal board of trustees.

Meanwhile, Richard Horseman, the men's lawyer, said they were disappointed to be leaving Port Royal and anxious to quickly secure new jobs.

"Their status in Bermuda is somewhat unique but clearly the men should not be inhibited from securing new employment," said Mr. Horseman.

"We are hopeful that Bermudians may come forward with potential job offers for the men to consider.

"Clearly, we would have to discuss with the Department of Immigration as to how and under what conditions the men can accept new employment, but we are confident that provision will be made for them in order to do so."

Mr. Horseman said his understanding of the deal between Bermuda and the US was that the Bermuda Government "would seek to find employment for them".

He said: "The men believed that they would be granted the opportunity to work upon arriving in Bermuda."

Dr. Brown, who retires as Premier at the end of this month, brought Khalil Mamut, Abdulla Abdulqadir, Ablikim Turahun and Salahidin Abdulahad here in June 2009 after secret negotiations with the US.

The UK has said ever since it will not give the men British passports or travel documents, meaning they are unable to leave the Island. Governor Sir Richard Gozney reiterated that position yesterday, saying the loss of their jobs at Port Royal changed nothing.

He said in an e-mail: "The position remains as before: British law (in part reflecting the demands of Bermudian law) precludes the issue of any type of British passports to the four Uighurs.

"Whatever personal sympathies people may feel towards the four men, there is no legal basis for our granting them travel documents."

Shadow Labour and Immigration Minister Michael Dunkley said last night that the Uighurs had "joined thousands of long-suffering Bermudians in the ranks of the unemployed".

"We have some questions about the plans for these four men, given their unique exemption from Immigration rules that are aggressively enforced on all others," he added.

"Our questions are directed to the Premier because of his pivotal role in secretly bringing them to the Island in violation of Bermuda's Constitution."

Sen. Dunkley said Dr. Brown had "defended his role in the Uighur caper as driven by moral concern for their well-being".

"What is now going to happen to them as a result of their Port Royal jobs being terminated?" he asked.

"Are the Uighurs free to seek employment on the Island, even though they appear not to be able to comply with Immigration requirements for foreign nationals, such as leaving the Island to apply for work and being proficient in English?"

Mr. Mamut told this newspaper he and his three countrymen were "a little bit stressed out" about losing their jobs.

"[But] now they decided to terminate our employment, we didn't have any option to stay [at Port Royal]," he said.

Mr. Horseman said the letters of termination indicated that "budget constraints" were to blame.

"We understand the termination has nothing to do whatsoever with their work performance," he said. "By all accounts, the men have been diligent, punctual and they have gotten on well with their Bermudian colleagues at the golf course.

"We are now working to try and secure new employment for the men as soon as possible."

He added: "They are obviously disappointed that their employment with the Port Royal Golf Course will be terminated shortly.

"Despite their disappointment, they wish to express their sincere gratitude for having been afforded the opportunity to work at Port Royal Golf Course. They have thoroughly enjoyed their time at the golf course."

The men will leave Port Royal at the end of this month. It is believed the layoffs are part of a wider restructuring planned for the Government-owned golf courses.

Wendall Brown, chairman of the board of trustees for the golf course, has not returned phone calls this week.