A former Bermuda College lecturer says people have been congratulating him on the street since he won a lengthy battle to clear his name over racism allegations.

Sean O'Connell, a maths lecturer who worked at the college for 29 years, was alleged by another lecturer to have used the slang term "grease monkey" during a private conversation in the staff room seven years ago.

Dr. O'Connell, 68, denied the allegations, and pushed for years for an arbitration hearing. One was eventually held this summer, behind closed doors. The ruling that his name had been cleared was made public last week.

Speaking of the reaction he's experienced since then, Dr. O'Connell told The Royal Gazette: "I've got lots of e-mails people on the street I hardly know have congratulated me. It's a very positive experience.

"It's a great feeling of freedom and happiness, I'm thrilled to bits. I can continue my life without this anguish and anxiety."

He added: "The people coming up on the street are saying 'congratulations, glad to hear it and good luck in the future'.

"They're black and white, a mix of people. The irony of this issue is that it's not a racially divisive issue it's almost unified people in that they can see that this was an unfair attack."

The arbitration panel, chaired by retired judge Geoffrey Bell, determined that there was no basis for the accusations against Dr. O'Connell and that he was wrongfully dismissed.

The panel said he was entitled to a damages payout and for his full legal costs including the expenses of the panel to be footed by the college. It also heavily criticised the college and top officials over the way they handled the case.

Dr. O'Connell failed in a further claim for defamation relating to a memo that former college President Michael Orenduff wrote about him. The memo was in response to members of the college faculty who had protested over Dr. O'Connell being fired.

The panel rejected the defamation claim, saying Dr. Orenduff had the legal protection of qualified privilege relating to his words, since they were not uttered with malicious intent.

Dr. O'Connell said he is disappointed the college is now appealing aspects of the ruling of the panel.

He is claiming for four years of lost salary, payable from the date of his dismissal until the date he would have retired. The college is offering him just four months.

It is also contesting the order to pay his full legal costs, since he lost his action for defamation. The matter is set to go to the Court of Appeal in March.

Nonetheless, Dr. O'Connell says he is "optimistic" there is "some substance" to the assertion made by the college in a press release last week. It has "implemented modern and transparent policies and practices for dealing with disciplinary matters" since his case.

He is also grateful to his friends and family for supporting him privately and publicly through protests and letters to the editor throughout his ordeal.

"So many have assisted me in this quest over the years. It never would have been possible without them," he said.