A story in yesterday's paper should have reported that the Bermuda Public Service Association, not the Public Service Commission, was pushing for the ousting of Mrs. Sarah Pendleton.

A Customs recruit at the centre of a storm last month over the new spouses law could be moved to another Government department to avoid further confrontation.

The Bermuda Public Service Commission is still pushing for the ousting of Mrs.

Sarah Pendleton Carter from her job at Customs, it was learned yesterday. The foreign-born wife of a Bermudian was chosen over hundreds of Bermudian applicants as one of six new recruits.

Collector of Customs Mr. Gerry Ardis confirmed yesterday it was possible Mrs.

Pendleton Carter could be "moved to some other Government department''.

However, he said: "She is still working for us at this particular time.

"Negotiations are ongoing with the BPSA to try to resolve the problem without causing further disruptions.'' The talks between the BPSA and Customs also involved Government Personnel Services and the Labour and Immigration Ministry, he said. "Various departments of Government have been in talks with the BPSA regarding the matter. I hope it is resolved.'' Mr. Ardis said although the BPSA had not dropped its threat of industrial action over the matter, he was not expecting any work stoppages in the near future.

"We are negotiating to try and avert that,'' he said.

BPSA general secretary head Mr. Eugene Blakeney could not be reached for comment yesterday and other officials referred any questions to him.

Last month Customs officers staged a two-day sick-out, creating delays on the docks and at the Airport freight shed. They later decided to put further industrial action on hold.

Customs has maintained it was given a written go-ahead to hire the woman under the new spouses law which says the husbands and wives of Bermudians no longer need to get work permits to gain employment on the Island.

Mr. Ardis has insisted he received guidance on the new law from Government -- that spouses of Bermudians did not need work permits -- and was given the okay to hire Mrs. Pendleton Carter, a long-time Bermuda resident.

However, the BPSA maintains the new Immigration law granting rights to non-Bermudian spouses of locals does not relate to the Civil Service because its hiring body the Public Service Commission has not amended its regulations to comply with it.

Labour and Immigration Minister the Hon. J. Irving Pearman has done little to clarify the confusion, saying despite the change to the law, the PSC did not have to abide by it if it did not want to.