Reaction to the announcement that four Guantánamo Bay detainees have been relocated to the Island, was swift and overwhelming with The Royal Gazette being inundated with e-mails as well as comments on our Facebook page.

The number of e-mails was unprecedented, with no issue causing such an outpouring in recent memory.

E-mails to the news desk yesterday indicated that born Bermudians and foreign workers alike were opposed to the resettling of four Chinese Muslim Uighurs released from Guantánamo Bay.

Many who wrote in expressed outrage at Premier Dr. Ewart Brown's comment that the four former detainees will be "provided with the opportunity to become naturalised citizens" when many expatriate workers in Bermuda are denied long-term residency and forced to leave after six years.

"How many foreigners are on this island working hard and helping our economy but get no opportunity to become a citizen?" asked one Bermudian.

Added another local worker: "All these hard working people who have contributed to Bermuda's well being, who are desperate to live here full-time, are being shoved out of the way for some terror suspects."

Another local man asked: "What about the many people here who were born here, lived most of their life here, productive members of our communities and the labour force, engrossed in the betterment of our country, but yet regularly denied the opportunity to status?"

Others asked what Bermuda would be getting in return for agreeing to naturalise the four Chinese Muslims, noting that the Pacific island of Palau where 17 Uighurs have been relocated is to receive almost $200 million in aid from the US.

"How much money did the Bermuda Government receive and why don't you report on that?" asked one letter-writer.

"This deal was struck to get the US Government to back off going after exempted companies for taxes," said another. "At what price is Bermuda going to pay for the way this Government chooses to do business?"

Other letter writers called on Dr. Brown to step down or be removed, with some noting that this action has forced them to reconsider their allegiance to the Premier.

"Government MPs that still have some backbone left, please exercise the power, the only true power that you have, and relieve Dr. Brown of his position," wrote one local resident.

"Dr. Ewart Brown has sealed his fate," said another in an e-mail. "If his PLP supporters cannot see the light of day I don't think they ever will.

"I may have been for Independence, but have to second guess that vote if this is going to be the result," said one letter writer. "The more I read this, the sicker I feel."

Of the few e-mails welcoming the Bermuda Government's decision to take in the four detainees, one came from a US college professor, who said: "The Uighurs are not your enemies, and I hope the residents of your country will give these men a chance to have a good life."

The Royal Gazette's Facebook page was overwhelmed by Bermuda-based users of the networking website, most of whom were also against the Government's decision.

"We are overpopulated as is," said one Facebook user commenting on the breaking news stories placed on Facebook. "With our housing and traffic problems, there's only one question why here?"

Some Bermuda residents posted more sympathetic messages, with one young local saying: "These poor people have been imprisoned for years without trial, have some compassion."

Another Bermudian said: "These people were acquitted of wrongdoing. So why is everyone calling them 'terrorists'?"

Yet more Bermuda Facebook users asked why the Government had not informed residents of the decision to relocate these former prisoners until after their arrival.

"Everyone should write on Dr. Brown's page," implored one user of the website. "Why were we kept in the dark? This is the reason why we have so much trouble in Bermuda these days."

One other said: "This is just another example of poor decision making by our wannabe dictator. Nobody wants these guys. Why should we take them? This is ridiculous."