The Elbow Beach manager who first complained to the Human Rights Commission about Bill Shoaf's alleged comments has spoken publicly for the first time about the incident.

Catering and Conference manager Sonia Whitter contacted The Royal Gazette last night after watching Mr. Shoaf give a television interview claiming that he had been the subject of a hate campaign by a small minority of staff.

And Ms Whitter, who still works at the hotel, rounded on her boss, denying that she had a personal vendetta against him.

Referring to the meeting last November during which Mr. Shoaf is alleged to have said: "Next they'll be frying chicken on the front steps'', Ms Whitter confirmed that she had definitely heard the remark.

And she claims she was forced to contact the Human Rights Commission within a matter of days after she realised that the matter would not be resolved internally.

"I didn't mis-hear him -- and two other people have come forward to say he said it,'' she said.

"As soon as it was said, my boss dismissed me from the room because he realised the offensive nature of the words. He could see that I was upset and that I had been offended.'' "I didn't go to Bill Shoaf immediately after because the climate wasn't right. There were a lot of people leaving and a lot of people being forced to leave.

"I would never have gone to the Human Rights Commission if this could have been dealt with internally but he never allowed anyone to sort this out.

"There was a group of middle managers who had some concerns but I wasn't a part of that group. I had no altercations with Mr. Shoaf but this was just something that I had to do.

"He should be disciplined. Last year a union shop steward was fired for making the same kind of comments and that was in a private place.'' Ms Whitter added that, had Mr. Shoaf admitted making the comment and apologised immediately, there would have been no need for her to go to the Commission.

"But he's denied it over and over again. We had one management meeting where he was asked three times and he just flatly denied it.'' Ms Whitter condemned those who had made telephone death threats to Mr. Shoaf and sprayed graffiti on his son's primary school wall. But she added: "Some people were just becoming very frustrated. My way of dealing with my frustration was to go to the Commission.

She dismissed the general manager's claim, made during last night's interview, that he has since approached the three complainants to resolve the matter.

"I just feel disappointed that he's made no attempt to contact any of the complainants,'' she said.