A union representing civil servants has dropped a judicial review of the restructuring of Government's New York Tourism office.

Representatives of the Bermuda Public Services Union were last night unavailable for comment, but according to a Government statement yesterday, the BPSU has withdrawn its request.

The BPSU began seeking the judicial review in July, claiming that Government broke its contractual agreement by not holding consultations before the appointment of US firm Sales Focus.

Union representatives said that up to 20 Bermudians – some of whom have 30 years' service with the Department of Tourism – were to be made redundant on five weeks' notice after Cabinet agreed to outsource sales to the US firm. Government, however, maintained the figure was eight staff.

Announcing the restructuring of the North America overseas team earlier this year during the Budget Debate, Premier Ewart Brown, Minister of Tourism and Transport, said: "The approach to doing business and the activities associated with the operation of the sales and marketing function (in the Department of Tourism) will be reviewed and no new or replacement resources will be hired.

"The work load will be redistributed and some of the functions historically performed will be eliminated or outsourced."

But staff in the Department of Tourism Overseas Team said they felt "deceived" and "deeply disrespected" by the outsourcing of their jobs.

In an 'Open Letter to the People of Bermuda' published as an advertisement in The Royal Gazette, the North America Sales Team accused Government of attempting "to rob Bermudians of their jobs with no shame or empathy".

The situation resulted in a stand-off between the BPSU and Government. And in August Government failed in an attempt to throw out an injunction preventing it from moving ahead with the outsourcing of the operation to Sales Focus.

But yesterday Government reported: "The Order of the Supreme Court which halted the restructuring of the Bermuda Department of Tourism's North American operation has been lifted.

"The Bermuda Public Services Union, which was granted leave to seek a judicial review, officially withdrew its request on September 12. The stay was made, and took effect, July 24."

Cherie Whitter, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, said: "With the stay lifted it means we can proceed with Government's plan of restructuring, as outlined during the Budget Debate this past spring.

"We are restructuring the entire North American operation so that it is more efficient and more results-driven. The process of interviewing current employees for new posts is underway."