Kenneth Dill has no intention of stepping down as head of the Civil Service despite the Premier's attempt to oust him, sources have told The Royal Gazette.

And Ewart Brown may have made a serious error in trying to force out the top civil servant, according to a PLP member who claimed yesterday that the decision had caused "total disquiet" within the party at a time when his leadership is already under attack.

Dr. Brown wrote to Major Dill, 63, last Thursday asking him to retire and advising him that he was entitled to a full pension.

The Premier's reasons for sending the letter remain unclear and his spokesman yesterday continued to ignore phone calls and e-mails from this newspaper.

Sources say that it came as a shock to Major Dill, who joined the public service almost 40 years ago and has no plans to leave his post.

He was at work as normal yesterday and is understood to have engaged a lawyer to respond to Dr. Brown, as well as having privately spoken to Governor Sir Richard Gozney.

Under Bermuda's Constitution, only the Governor, acting on the recommendation of the Public Service Commission (PSC), can fire public officers.

One source said yesterday: "What was attempted [by Dr. Brown] was a very sad attempt at saying to somebody: 'You have done a fantastic job, I wish you all the best in the future, but I'd really like you to go'."

The source suggested that the letter, which did not give reasons for the attempted termination, may have been prompted by Dr. Brown making "erroneous assumptions" about Major Dill having some involvement in attempts by rebel MPs to oust him as PLP leader last week.

The source said of the letter: "It's meaningless. It has no meaning. Clearly he [Major Dill] must perform his job. It's a totally independent function and he has the support of the Civil Service. Overall he is a respected person who has done a good job."

A second source said of the Premier: "He is on a very sticky wicket. He isn't supposed to get involved until the matter comes to him formally.

"If it's a Civil Service matter, it goes through the PSC. Right now, it's just a letter sent from the Premier."

The source said nobody knew why the Premier wrote the letter or why he thought he had the power to tell Major Dill his last day of employment should be April 30.

"It's got to be something big for him to feel that Mr. Dill is a threat to him. It's strange and it's causing quite a stir within the Civil Service.

"You can't have a politician trying to influence a civil servant and making decisions contrary to the neutrality of the Civil Service."

Opposition leader Kim Swan said last night that the Premier appeared to have "embarked on another heavy-handed purge of a government official".

He said: "The letter to Mr. Dill appears to be an attempt to bully a respected and senior civil servant out of a job — an action that if not checked could have repercussions for the relationship between the Government and the Civil Service.

"We believe the Premier is way out of line. We would remind him that he does not have arbitrary power to fire people. The Public Service Commission is the appropriate place to manage Civil Service employment issues.

"We urge him to respect its mandate, follow its procedures and respect the principle of due process."

Meanwhile, a PLP member who wished to remain anonymous, said Dr. Brown's actions last Thursday could prove his undoing.

"It has caused total disquiet among members. The reaction from various members of the party is that essentially they just look at the Premier's latest caper, as they call it, as smacking of a dictatorial manoeuvre on his part to control and direct the actions of the Civil Service, which everyone knows is supposed to be sacrosanct.

"Many people are of the view that he'll fail at this latest attempt. What people are beginning to arrive at more and more is that the Premier really doesn't understand the unitary system under the Westminster system."

The PLP member added: "He's operating as though it was a US federal system. The whispered view of MPs and PLP supporters is that we have a Premier who is basically out of control and must be reined in and looked at and removed."

This newspaper called Public Service Commission chairman Nelda Simons last night for a comment. Before we had a chance to put questions, she said: "I'm not talking to you. Have a nice day," and hung up.