The President of Bermuda College is in talks with the Bermuda Public Services Union (BPSU) over the dismissal of a veteran lecturer who allegedly made racist remarks to colleagues.

Dr. Michael Orenduff told The Royal Gazette yesterday that he could say little about the sacking of maths teacher Dr. Shaun O'Connell in June this year, but said the process was still on-going.

"It's a personal matter and we can't comment on it," he said.

"We are in talks with the BPSU and those talks are part of the normal process. I can't elaborate on them."

Dr. O'Connell, who has worked at the college for 29 years, is understood to have been sacked after being accused of making racially offensive comments in a private conversation to two fellow lecturers at the college last November.

However, the conversation was overheard by another member of staff and a complaint was registered. Workers at the college are understood to be split over the dismissal and the BPSU is believed to have asked the college board to reconsider the dismissal, claiming it had been done without the benefit of appropriate due process.

But a source at the college yesterday, who did not wish to be named, said all of the appropriate steps had been followed and that was why it took so long for the dismissal to take place.

And the source said although Dr. O'Connell was not interviewed by the President, he was interviewed during that process by other people.

Last night, the BPSU could not be contacted and Dr. O'Connell, who originally hails from the US but is understood to have renounced his citizenship, said he did not want to "go public" at this time.

Yesterday, the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality (CURE) released a statement about the dismissal and said there was always a fine line between freedom of expression, respect for diversity and racial harassment.

Acting chairman Carlton Dill said the sole responsibility for equal opportunity rested with the employer, but employees at all levels had responsibilities, too.

The statement said: "It is unlawful, under the Human Rights Act 1981, to harass or intimidate other employees in order to discourage them from continuing employment.

"Employees are encouraged to participate with employers to find solutions to conflicts on race and culture. Private conversations do not fall under CURE legislation, nor generally the Human Rights Act 1981.

"However, if an employee is in his/her place of employment and hears statements that are racially inciteful, there may be a human rights violation.

"There is always a fine line between freedom of expression, respect for diversity and racial harassment."

And he said workers who engaged in derogatory conversations about people of different cultures and race in the workplace opened themselves up for scrutiny.

He added: "They may not be violating human rights legislation, but they are violating the spirit and intent of human rights and race relations law."

David Wilson, executive director of the Human Rights Commission, said he had not heard about the dismissal or read about it in the Press.

But he said: "If a complaint came to us we would treat it in the normal way. We would investigate it."

Section 8A of the Human Rights Act states that "no person shall with intent to excite or promote ill will or hostility against any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, culture or national origins, publish or display anything which will incite ill will. There is a prohibition on uttering words in a public place that will incite ill will."