A group of axed white-collar workers at Bermuda Telephone Company are to give evidence at this week's Board of Inquiry into the crisis-hit firm.

Several of the 14 managers controversially made redundant in early 1996 will give their own versions of why their jobs were cut at the hearing.

The Royal Gazette revealed last month that BTC chairman Dr. James King and American businesswoman Birute Adams made the job cuts despite contrary advice from original commissioned consultants.

Kevin Fisher, President of Boston-based Dartmouth Research and Consulting, claimed he never set out a mandate for job cuts.

And he said his firm was kicked off the consultation job when Ms Adams' contract as project leader was terminated -- and she carried on the review with Dr. King.

One BTC insider added last night: "Four or five of the 14 managers are due to speak at the Board of Inquiry.

"Several of them are really glad to have the opportunity finally to have their say about the reasons they lost their jobs.'' The witnesses are understood to include Ernest Pacheco, BTC's general manager before Dr. King temporarily took over the post in July 1995.

The Board, led by Michigan State University industrial expert Dr. Dan Kruger, opened its investigation yesterday.

Arbitration to break the dispute surrounding a four-day unofficial strike in March dominated the first day of the hearing at the Salvation Army Hall on North Street.

The inquiry into a morale crisis at BTC, the firm's management practices and labour relations is due to get underway later today or tomorrow.

And the three-man Board will also discuss Mr. Fisher's allegations that the 14 managerial posts were needlessly cut.

He also claimed BTC still owed his company $117,000 from the original consultation, and has not ruled out legal action. Dr. Kruger slapped a publicity ban on both sides taking part in the inquiry talks last night.

And a Royal Gazette reporter was barred from going into the talks, which are not being opened to the public or media.

BTC assistant vice-president Karla Lacey-Minors said last night: "The Chairman of the Board of Inquiry has stipulated that the parties should not comment until the inquiry is over.

"Therefore, we cannot make any comment at this stage.'' Derrick Burgess, President of the Bermuda Industrial Union, added: "There is not anything I can comment on at this point.'' But Mr. Fisher, speaking from his Boston office, said: "I have not been contacted about the Board of Inquiry or been asked to speak.

"I don't expect that I will be, either, but what's happening is very interesting.'' The top-level Board of Inquiry hearing is scheduled to last between five and seven days.

The Board, which also includes Senate President Alf Oughton and ex-Cabinet Secretary Ken Richardson, started by finally thrashing out the industrial dispute which saw 200 workers walk off the job for four days.

The workers' action followed a two-day suspension for Vonda Burgess, accused of leaving her post.

But unionised workers claimed the company had not followed proper procedures before dishing out the ban.