Senior civil servants have issued a writ in the Supreme Court to Governor John Rankin and Michael Dunkley over the failure to withdraw the proposed Public Service Commission Regulation Amendments.

The amendment to the Civil Service regulations were published in December of last year and senior civil servants demanded the 2016 amendments be revoked. They fear that the regulations would extend the role of the Public Service Commission from an “impartial appointing authority” for senior civil servants to a “politicised semi-executive body” that will set performance goals for senior civil servants.

On January 12, the Bermuda Public Services Union claimed that the Premier had stated the regulations were published in error “on at least three occasions” and that they would be revoked. The union’s statement also called for “full transparency and openness” in the revocation process. However, no progress has been made public.

The Governor and Premier have been given 14 days to respond to the document, signed off by Trott and Duncan, which was filed on April 27, 2017.