A senior Bermuda College lecturer is set to sue over alleged sexual and racial discrimination after she was passed over for a top job, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

If successful, the suit could land the college with a legal bill which could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages and costs.

Lecturer Tara Soares, a physicist, is to lodge a writ with Supreme Court, claiming she was discriminated against when she sought promotion to the post of assistant dean of the college's applied science faculty. Canadian-born Ms Soares, who is married to a Bermudian, was named as the approved candidate for the job by an interview board but did not get the post.

It went to a Bermudian who did not apply for the job when it was first advertised.

The post was given on an interim basis to Bermudian-born biologist Michael Bradshaw.

The job -- originally advertised in 1998 -- was re-advertised in 1999, with changes to the job requirements. Ms Soares reapplied but Mr. Bradshaw was given the job on a permanent basis.

The job comes under the responsibility of controversial college vice-president Donald Peters who is due to be replaced by Bermudian Larita Alford.

A college insider said: "Tara Soares has several years experience in applied science and technology.

"But her promotion appears to have been blocked by Dr. Peters, despite being the unanimously approved candidate.'' Dr. Peters landed in hot water last year after accusing a white American colleague of being a racist and white supremacist over a revamp of the administrative structure.

He was given a "severe reprimand'' by the college's ruling board and forced to apologise for the claims, which were made in a memo that was circulated to selected staff at the college.

The board also found Dr. Peters guilty of "dereliction of duty'' in circulating details of chief financial officer Barbara Green's confidential proposals to shake up the way the college is run to unauthorised junior staff.

Ms Soares is the white spouse of a Bermudian, while Mr. Bradshaw is a black born Bermudian.

Bermuda College in new race row Lawyer Ronald Myers, of legal firm Diel & Myers, last night confirmed the firm was acting for Ms Soares. Partner Mark Diel said: "We can confirm that we will, on behalf of our client Tara Soares, institute proceedings in the Supreme Court against Bermuda College.

"These proceedings relate to matters of discrimination within the meaning of the Human Rights Act 1981.'' Mr. Diel added: "Our client regrets having to resort to litigation to ensure that her rights are protected.'' But he said: "She is compelled to seek a legal remedy since all attempts made over the past year to resolve this matter internally have failed. Neither Diel & Myers nor our client intend to make any further statements to the Press regarding this matter.'' After the Peters/Green row became public, the college board issued a statement condemning the race remarks and completely clearing Ms Green of any racial motives. It said: "The board of governors believes it to be obvious that the college abhors and condemns acts or statements which may be constituted as racist in nature or motivation as having no place whatever in an institute of higher learning.'' College president George Cook -- who declined to comment on specific cases -- said last night: "We haven't been served with anything yet.'' He added: "We do have procedures to cover vacancies and we, as a public institution, have to follow them religiously, to cover agreements we have with the union for example.''