A row has flared at the Corporation of Hamilton over accusations of offensive comments on the job.

Officials have reacted quickly to investigate the alleged incident at the parks department, and a member of staff is now suspended until an inquiry into the issue is completed.

Chief executive Dwayne Caines met with staff to discuss the affair after it was reported to the authority.

However, many were left disillusioned with the response, according to reports on TNN News which also claimed the man responsible was a foreign worker.

There has been a series of consultative meetings with the parks department where workers expressed views on the matter.

A spokeswoman for the corporation confirmed the employee is a manager.

She added: “The Corporation of Hamilton is aware of concerns relating to comments made by a manager within the organisation that have caused distress among members of staff.

“Upon becoming aware of the matter, the corporation immediately initiated an internal review, met with the relevant parties and has taken steps to address the issue in accordance with its policies and procedures.

“The matter remains active and management continues to engage with employees to ensure concerns are heard and addressed appropriately.

“The corporation remains committed to fostering a workplace culture built on dignity, respect, accountability and professionalism.

“The individual has been suspended temporarily until further internal investigations into the matter have been conducted.

“As a matter of policy, the corporation does not comment publicly on specific human resources matters or personnel actions.”

When asked the nationality of the worker, she said: “As this is a human resources matter involving an individual employee, we are unable to comment on personal details, including nationality.

“Providing such information could identify the individual concerned. In accordance with our obligations regarding employee privacy and confidentiality, including the requirements of the Personal Information Protection Act, we are unable to disclose personal information about individual employees.

“A comment was made that management considered inappropriate and inconsistent with the standards of professionalism and respect expected in the workplace.

“The matter remains active and is being addressed through our internal processes, and we do not wish to prejudice that process by commenting further on the specifics.”

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