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Sacked Canadian manager takes case to Supreme Court

Curtis Macleod

A Canadian who is being kicked off the Island for showing disrespect to a Government MP is to appeal the decision in Supreme Court.

Curtis Macleod is expected to leave the Island this week, however his lawyer, Richard Horseman, said they are appealing a decision to revoke his work permit because Mr. Macleod did not know the full case against him - and because it did not appear to be just.

Mr. Macleod was a Global Construction site manager when he was involved in a row with Warwick North Central MP George Scott on a Hamilton building site last October.

It is alleged words such as "racist", "ignorant" and "uneducated" were used and Mr. Scott's children also insulted by Mr. Macleod, who denies saying anything about the children. He also denied knowing the Mr. Scott was a Bermuda Industrial Union representative or MP.

Mr. Macleod, who is black, admitted "loosing his cool" and shouting at the MP after asking him to leave the property three times.

He says he did not know who he was speaking to and was reacting to alleged racial comments Mr. Scott made. The MP denied making any racial comments.

Last week Mr. Scott said the disrespect shown to him was appalling and could not be condoned.

On Wednesday, BIU officials claimed they had received several complaints from workers about Mr. Macleod's behaviour since August 2006. However, the original letter from the Department of Immigration to the company informing them that Mr. Macleod was under investigation did not mention the complaints the union had received.

It said Mr. Macleod was being investigated because he "conducted himself in the work place in a manner that is offensive" and mentioned comments made during Mr. Scott's October 26, 2006 visit to the Church Street site.

On Sunday Minister of Immigration Derrick Burgess stated the complaint went through all the proper procedures and abided by the laws. He said he chose to revoke Mr. Macleod's permit "as a result of unsatisfactory character and conduct".

Yesterday defence lawyer Richard Horseman said he would be making an application for a judge to review the decision.

He said: "We are filing an appeal on two grounds. One being that Mr. Macleod did not know the full case against him. He was not told about other complaints against him and was unable to make submissions about these claims.

"We are asking the judge to look into the process of the decision and see if he was afforded all his rights.

"The second ground of the appeal will ask the judge to decide if the findings were just."

Mr. Horseman said the original appeal, which went to the Cabinet, was formally rejected yesterday - though Mr. Macleod was told his permit had been revoked last week. The Cabinet did not disclose how they reached their decision.