An under-fire executive officer at Bermuda College whose conduct was found to have compromised the quango?s standards of fiscal responsibility has laid the blame on all members of staff.

Chief financial and operations officer Lloyd Christopher, who came in for heavy criticism last month after an investigation by the Government?s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), sent a Christmas e-mail to his colleagues claiming that they, as well as he, were responsible for the college?s recent problems.

The festive missive, sent on Thursday, December 21 while Mr. Christopher was acting president and forwarded to by an anonymous source, reads: ?The College has gone through a rough, rough time this year and the main culprits for this rough time is the person working along side of you.

?Yes we are all at fault for what has been happening to us. Whether we turned a blind eye to the situation, whether we divulged information, or whether we sat back and did nothing, we are all at fault.?

The college hit the headlines last year after it was discovered that taxpayers were forking out for president Charles Green to be a member of the exclusive Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.

Internal documents leaked to this newspaper revealed that Dr. Green?s personal electricity bills were also being paid from public funds and that no cap was put on how much could be spent on renovations on his campus home.

The cost of the work, which was not put out to tender as it should have been, spiralled to more than $400,000 ? all courtesy of the taxpayer.

The PAC, in a report made public last month, concluded that the club membership breached Government?s Financial Instructions and that Dr. Green?s electricity bills should not have been paid from public funds.

It recommended that he pay back more than $20,000 to the college.

Mr. Christopher, who admitted to the committee that he should have exercised tighter controls on spending, has never spoken publicly about the controversy, ignoring repeated requests from this newspaper for comment.

But his e-mail, entitled Seasons Greetings, suggests that college staff can overcome the troubles of 2006 by ?absorbing the spirit of Christmas?.

He writes: ?Around this time of year, it appears to be the perfect time that we forget about our troubles, forget about those who have wronged us, and forget about those people that we have abused. Is this the true Christmas spirit??

He goes on to comment about all staff being at fault and adds that absorbing the Christmas spirit is one way of correcting what happened. ?What ever your beliefs, whatever your custom, let the True Spirit of Christmas continue to sooth (sic) your souls, not just tonight, not just over this holiday season, but in order for the College to survive.?

A source at the college said the message was not well received by staff. ?There was a very negative response,? they said. ?Some people were very disturbed, some people were shocked.

?Most people in general thought it was quite inappropriate. A lot of people took it from the perspective that he was lost and didn?t know what to do as acting president. But most people in general were quite seriously taken aback.?

Mr. Christopher, who was found by the PAC to be unable to prioritise and complete important tasks, was put in charge of the College from December 20 to 31, while Dr. Green was off the Island.

A second source said: ?What action does Bermuda College take regarding the chief financial and operations officer, whose inability to do his job led to ?compromised standards of fiscal responsibility??

?They promote the ?responsible executive? and place him temporarily as the executive in charge of the entire college.?

Mr. Christopher did not respond to a request to comment on the e-mail and nor did new college board chairman Larry Mussenden. Education Minister Randy Horton is off the Island.