Devastated Bermudians kicked out of the New York tourism office yesterday blasted Government's "utter disregard for their employees".

Up to 20 Bermudians some of whom have given 30 years' service to the Department of Tourism are being made redundant with five weeks' notice after Cabinet agreed to outsource sales to US firm Sales Focus this week.

They were told of their fate at an emotional meeting with Tourism Permanent Secretary Cherie Whitter on Wednesday leaving them in search of new homes on the Island, new jobs and new schools for their children.

Those forced out include a number of single mothers whose children are atAmerican schools, while some say they face having to leave their families behind in the States due to immigration policies.

At one stage during the announcement, union boss Ed Ball had to ask Mrs. Whitter and colleague Ian MacIntyre to leave the room so that tearful staff could regain their composure.

Staff are also furious at the way Government allowed details of the news to seep out before Mrs. Whitter's official announcement.

Some people saw their own jobs advertised on the Internet even before Cabinet had confirmed they would be outsourced, while they say that for months questions over their futures have been ignored by the Department of Tourism.

They staged a sick-out yesterday, with colleagues in Bermuda said to be considering similar action out of sympathy today.

Premier and Tourism Minister Ewart Brown who has repeatedly come under fire from unions on the Island in recent weeks, culminating in an historic march on Parliament two weeks ago describes the move as a cost-cutting measure.

A statement released on behalf of members of Tourism's overseas staff yesterday said:"A tearful and emotional group listened to the Permanent Secretary Cherie Whitter and Acting Director Ian MacIntyre deliver the shocking and surprising decision which will have severe ramifications for all overseas employees.

"Most notably these hard-working Bermudian staff members, some of whom have dedicated most of their working lives representing and selling their cherished homeland in the United States, will now have to uproot and possibly separate from their families due to US work visa restrictions.

"Government has given employees less than five weeks' notice that their jobs are being outsourced. With some employees having established lives in the USA for up to 30 years, this gives little time to put their personal affairs in order, such as relocating to Bermuda, terminating existing leases and contracts, enrolling children in new schools, and finding new employment in this dismal economic climate. This action displays the Government's lack of integrity and utter disregard for their employees."

One employee, who asked not to be named because of what she described as a culture of intimidation, told The Royal Gazette:"People were in tears. They were inconsolable, crying. One young lady had an anxiety attack.

"Ed Ball was forced to ask Cherie Whitter andIan MacIntyre to leave the room while he composed his union. There was lots of shock. People are absolutely devastated.

"One girl is probably going to have to leave her husband here because he's American. Families will be split. They didn't even give people the dignity of six months even though they have been planning this for a long time. It's awful people are still in tears.

"The staff statement went on: "This announcement is the latest in a series of indignities suffered by the Bermuda Department of Tourism overseas staff over the last two years. On several occasions, staff have made formal inquiries to senior Government officials regarding their futures within the organisation only to be met with evasive responses or false statements such as the categorical denial that there were plans for privatisation even though the Premier and Tourism Minister Ewart Brown had indicated same to staff in September 2007. "

It also countered any suggestion they were not doing their jobs well enough, stating:"The current sales staff has a combined 200 years experience with the Department of Tourism and has consistently met and exceeded their performance goals and are fully capable of successfully performing their jobs, leading one to question the need to outsource. "Moreover, this decision bears little merit and contradicts the desire of the PLP Government to have Bermudians in key positions within the tourism industry and to be the employer of choice in Bermuda."

Ironically, Sales Focus' new recruits will be sent to Bermuda for training.

On Wednesday night, Dr. Brown claimed attempts at training the Bermudians had been unsuccessful. However, staff point out all this amounted to was one day in which they watched a DVD and received a book which most of them had already read called: "The Little Red Book Of Selling."

A statement from Dr.Brown's Press Secretary yesterday said:"Bermudian and non-Bermudian sales and sales support staff are eligible to apply for jobs with the new firm. Bermudian staff members possessing the necessary visa to work in the United States are eligible for the new sales posts. Bermudian staff members returning to Bermuda will be offered alternative jobs within Government."

However, Mrs. Whitter told staff: "The employer (Sales Focus) reserves the right to make his own employment decision and is not required by way of contract to employ BDOT resources."

Dr. Brown said in a statement:"The New York sales team worked hard at selling the Bermuda tourism product and the country should be extremely grateful for their service, but they were victims of a severely outdated sales model created when the level of our competition was not as high as it is today. An outsourced sales solution will free up Tourism resources and provide an opportunity to refocus on results for Bermuda Tourism.That must be the overriding mission of the department.

"We will do everything we can to ensure our hardworking staff can find alternative employment. They deserve nothing less."