Civil service head Kenneth Dill has been asked by Premier Ewart Brown to retire after a Government career spanning almost 40 years.

Dr. Brown is understood to have presented Major Dill, 63, with a letter on Thursday (April 30) requesting that he step down from his position with immediate effect and advising him that he is entitled to a full pension.

The top civil servant is said to have been taken aback by the approach and to have since discussed the matter with Governor Sir Richard Gozney.

Cabinet secretary Marc Telemaque said on Friday that Major Dill remained in his post but he would not comment further. Major Dill could not be contacted at the weekend and Dr. Brown's spokesman did not return calls from The Royal Gazette.

Major Dill will not reach the official retirement age for civil servants of 65 until September 21 next year and may have been planning to work beyond that to 70, as is now allowed under a law passed by MPs two years ago. A highly-placed source told this newspaper that the letter from Dr. Brown "effectively terminated him from the post of head of the civil service".

The source said: "No reasons were given for the termination; neither was there any documentation to indicate that Major Dill had been afforded due process."

They further alleged: "It appears that the Premier autocratically and arbitrarily initiated this action to remove the head of the civil service in an attempt to destabilise the entire civil service."

Bermuda's Constitution states that "power to make appointments to public offices, and to remove or exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in such offices, is vested in the Governor acting in accordance with the recommendation of the Public Service Commission".

The source claimed the Premier had "ignored this significant procedural step and is therefore acting without authority". Sir Richard would not confirm whether Major Dill had asked him to intervene.

In response to questions, the Governor said: "The relevance of the Governor to the tenure of the head of the civil service is at present hypothetical.

"But the principles are publicly known, and set out in Section 82 of Bermuda's Constitution.

"As to who might have approached me about what, I try to adhere to the principle of not making public who comes to see me on an informal basis at Government House, or on what subject. For consistency's sake I should stick to that."

The allegation that the Premier acted outside of his remit regarding Major Dill comes hot on the heels of claims made by sacked civil servant LeYoni Junos during her recent civil case against Government.

Ms Junos told Supreme Court she was fired as administrator of the African Diaspora Heritage Trail Foundation by acting tourism director Ian MacIntyre due to political interference by Tourism Minister Dr. Brown.

She won her claim for unlawful dismissal partly on the basis that the decision to get rid of her should have come from Major Dill, not Mr. MacIntyre.

The judge did not find that she was the victim of political interference.

Stuart Hayward, of the Voters Rights' Association, said last night that the latest development prompted speculation about whether Major Dill refused to dismiss Ms Junos — and was now being punished.

He added: "It just raises so many speculations given what we have heard about improper conduct and undue pressure for civil servants to do things that are outside of their purview or to not do what is required of them."

Opposition Senate leader Michael Dunkley said he was also concerned. "Ministers aren't really supposed to get involved in this type of stuff and it seems to be an all too frequent occurrence.

"It's very disturbing because I think it has a very detrimental impact on our system of governance when senior civil servants are not able to conduct their business in a manner that is appropriate. It's not healthy."

Major Dill joined the public service in May 1970 and has since served in various capacities, including former assistant secretary to the Cabinet.

He has also taught music at the Berkeley Institute and served as the Regiment Band's director of music.