Top chef booted off island
December 23rd, 2006The fragile nature of a Bermuda work permit was clearly illustrated this week after a top chef was booted off the island. Australian Anthony Reynolds, Executive Chef at the Elbow Beach Hotel, made a joke last week about putting arsenic in the meal of Premier Ewart Brown while the leader was dining at the hotel. A complaint was made by a member of staff to the Department of Immigration and shortly after the chef was forced to tender his resignation.
Immigration officials arrived at Mr Reynolds’ apartment on Wednesday and escorted him to the airport. Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess described the incident as ‘tantamount to threatening an act of terrorism, a criminal act of a most heinous nature.’ He went on to say, ‘Such behaviour will not be tolerated by this Government administration, least of all from a guest worker in this country and particularly from someone who, as purportedly responsible as an Executive Chef, was in a position to make good such a threat. No modern democracy post 9/11 would or should, take such threats lightly or in jest.’
Debate on the issue has split the island in two. Most expatriates and many white Bermudians are viewing it as a gross overreaction to an inappropriate joke and an example of Government expatriate bashing. Many within the black community have taken the stance that any threat to the Premier’s life, even if in jest, should be taken seriously.
December 27th, 2006 at 4:04 pm
Fragility meets a jumped up gnatt on steriods.
As a person who lost a relative in a terrorist attack in London I am outraged and insulted that these twits could think that a joke like that would be in the same league.
This is politcal correctness and sensorship gone mad. The comment may have been not have been in the best of taste considering he was cooking for him. I hate George Bush and think he is a complete nut and think his death can’t happen soon enough. But I kept my opinion to myself before I met him. Does that make me any better?
The over reaction is astounding! Only in Bermuda.
If you become a polition you should expect to be loathed - yes even if you are in charge of a backward country no bigger than a postage stamp and with as much clot as a head cheer leader.
He should have been given a warning that his comment was inappropriate while he ‘was at work’ and to save it for his mates down at the bar.
When Bermuda is run by a pimped up, tin-pot despot and voincing one’s opinions with free speech is outlawed then you can deport some one for the slightest of comments.
I only wish Mr Burgess gets the message. He is a very sick man comparing that to a terrorist crime.
January 31st, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Having worked in your beautiful island many years ago and subsequently worked as an expatriate in over 10 countries, I can only say that as an expatriate worker one has to curtail himself in his comments. I could list several other countries where I resided if I would have made a comment like Anthony Reynolds did, I would have experienced the same fate. As expatriate one just has to be more careful.
March 4th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
I think that Chef Reynolds comments to Mr. Brown were totally innapropriate and unprofessional for a chef of his calibre. I actually was employed at the Elbow Beach Hotel, with Chef Reynolds, and his attitude towards many of the hotel staff was very rude and racist. I am a Canadian, and believe expatriates working overseas should respect and abide by the law’s of other countries. As far as I am concerned, the decision of the Immigration department, involving Mr. Reynolds was just and fair.
March 14th, 2007 at 7:24 pm
This issue about evicting this expat for his jokes should not be a white/black issue. Presenting the information this way demonstrates the motive to divide and detract from the real issues. Shame on the reporter on their effort to insult the intelligence of its readers. Common sense should dictate that if you come in someones country you would want to have the deepest respect for the authorities that exists, despite race or nationality. This is basic HUMAN respect.
December 11th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
I think some people are a bit hypocritical. If a guest worker in the United States made this same joke about a member of the Bush Administration’s food–you can bet that losing their right to reside in the U.S. would be the LEAST of their problems. Most likely they would wind up in Guantanemo Bay.
Bermuda may well have issues with treating expats poorly but it would go a LONG WAY for the same expats to behave in a certain way that will thaw those tensions. My brief experiences on the island proved that many of these expats have extensive superiority complexes, ARE racist in their thinking, and do not recognize that they are in Bermuda to work for ITS benefit, not just their own. I think when one wants to immigrate, that is generally the requisite attitude to have.
Joking about poisoning the leader of a country–especially given how many lunatics are in the world these days who would do something exactly like that–is not a good idea.
Nothing wrong with deporting the chef. Go to Saudi Arabia and try the same shenanigan with King Abdullah and then complain about Bermuda being a backwards dictatorship.