SALES staff working at the Ministry of Tourism's New York office have condemned plans to outsource their jobs to a US firm, claiming that the move "strips the livelihood of young, hard-working Bermudians".

And one team member has blasted Premier and Tourism Minister Ewart Brown for wasting taxpayer cash on "controversial" events such as Faith-Based Tourism while failing to look out for the welfare of qualified, hard-working Bermudians.

News of the closure was first reported on ZBM News on Wednesday, and confirmed by Dr. Brown that night, although so far no details about the outside company have been released.

"We hired a US company to sell to US people, Bermuda, " Dr. Brown said.

But in an e-mail sent to the Mid-Ocean News and circulated widely across the island, one disgruntled staffer described the move as "a sad day for Bermuda". And Opposition Senate Leader Michael Dunkley also slammed the move as showing "a callous disregard for people who have a devotion to their job".

"This announcement will have a major impact on the lives of several fellow Bermudians who have lived and worked overseas for upward of 30 years, many of whom will lose their jobs," the correspondent wrote.

"We have toiled with such dedication, selling and promoting Bermuda and this has meant a severe sacrifice to friends and family along the way. However, our island home has reaped the benefit over the years and very much recently as you have seen the upswing in visitor arrivals. Do not be fooled in thinking that this upswing has been the result of the one man Ewart Brown show!

"Of course, the outsourcing of the jobs to American sales company means that we are will not be eligible to apply as many of us our on restricted visa and it has been noted that the company is not obliged to hire Bermudians."

The letter writer went on to allege that the US company began recruiting sales staff on June 6 ¿ yet Cabinet only approved the move on Wednesday, July 9 which is when Bermudian staff were first told of the closure.

"Tourism is the second pillar of our glowing economy, and we have watched over the years how Bermudians have shied away from working in the industry," the staff member wrote.

"This is so much that we are actively encouraging Bermudians to return and work in the sector of our economy. Why have such programmes as the David Allen Internship for young Bermudians if we are giving the tourism jobs away to overseas companies?

"Let it be known that your fellow Bermudians who work overseas are professionals, highly skilled, college educated and well respected in their respective territories. When the proposed company hire their new staff, they promise training in Bermuda. Well, that means that a Bermudian will have to train a non-Bermudian on island!

"The PLP Government is effectively saying that, yes, Bermudians are good enough to train a non-Bermudian for the job but in fact not good enough to do the jobs themselves. Really, you have to ask what has become of the PLP Government when they are about to disenfranchised a group of Bermudian workers without any substantive rationale.

"It is suggested that the outsourcing of these jobs will save money. However at no time has there been a staff consultation on what other solutions could be had as a means of cost saving. As a talented group of individuals we could have easily made contributions on possible effective solutions.

"Instead Dr. Ewart Brown, as Minister of Tourism, strips the livelihood of young hard-working Bermudians whilst he waste millions on such tourism events as the International Love Festival, Miami Heats sponsorship, NY Mets sponsorship, a so-called charity event at the Playboy Mansion, and the highly controversial Faith-Based Tourism, none of which generate significant visitors to the Island. Let's not forget to mention his private jet trips, luxurious new BMW and the $500,000 personal expenses for Beyoncé.

"Just like you we are in the everyday struggle during this economic meltdown, and in five weeks time on September 1, 2008 when our jobs have been squandered away many of us will still have a family to feed, rent and mortgages to pay.

"Bermuda, how can we sit back and let such an atrocity happen? How can we sell out our Bermuda Tourism Jobs to an overseas company? How can we continue to say 'Feel the Love'? Did you expect the PLP, a labour Government, to rob Bermudians of their jobs?"

Last night Sen. Dunkley said he he had been inundated with calls from people disgusted at the news.

"I think people are surprised that a labour government would do this and what makes the matter even more frustarting for them is that they were given no warning about what was going to happen and no explanation for it," he said.

"People are saying they believe that this is just another example of the Premier looking after his friends and buddies. I really do find it hard to believe that a US firm staffed by Americans can do a better job of selling Bermuda than Bermudian."

Sen. Dunkley also pointed out that Dr. Brown set aside a budget for the full year for the New York office back in February ¿ when he must have known that the office would be closing.

"This arrangement didn't happen overnight and shows a callous disregard for people," he said.