While silence greeted specific questions about its human resources department, the Bermuda College accused the media of ?unprincipled? coverage of events at the troubled institution.

Asked to respond to remarks made by former employee Michael Bradshaw, the College issued a statement saying it had been ?shark bait for a media feeding frenzy? and that it would be wrong to respond in detail to personnel issues raised in the media.

It said the College had the full support of its Board of Governors in its mission of providing ?quality and affordable education? to Bermuda?s students.

?For several weeks now, however, Bermuda College has been shark bait for a media feeding frenzy that has been at times unprincipled in that allegations of disgruntled employees have been reported as news, thus allowing political or other agendas to be advanced at the expense of fairness and accuracy,? the statement said.

?It would be both unethical and unproductive to engage via the media in discussing specific details of individual employees and the College and its Board will not do that. There are two sides to every story and it is unclear what Michael Bradshaw hopes to accomplish by his repeated and unwarranted attacks on Dr. Larita Alford.?

The statement continued: ?Dr. Bradshaw elected to take early retirement rather than assume other full-time duties at the Bermuda College and it is unconscionable that he now wishes to place all of the blame on Dr. Alford. The Board of Governors has every confidence in Dr. Alford?s abilities and fully supports her efforts to continue to work with the incoming president Dr. (Charles) Greene to move the College to greater heights.?

It added: ?Financial and administrative accountability, equitable and thorough hiring practices, and streamlined management have been held up to the sunshine of public scrutiny without fear, favour or compromise in this institution?s commitment to integrity.

?Where such scrutiny has revealed any shortcomings, policies and formal appraisal systems have been developed. We encourage the media to continue to scrutinise our actions which it is expected will not be found wanting as this institution moves forward.?

The College has yet to respond to a list of specific questions about its human resources department and its financial controls.

Of 22 follow up questions submitted by e-mail last week, none were answered.

?The College has adequately responded to the issues you have raised already. I will be sending out one more Press release to the media that will once and for all delineates our stand on these issues and then allow us to get back to the business of providing quality education for Bermuda?s students. That will have to suffice,? said College spokesperson Evelyn James Barnett via e-mail.

The Press statement did not address a perception that there may be a rift between the College president and vice president, or that they were not communicating well.

It ended by saying that the College had received an ?encouraging? level of support ?from those who believe in the College?s purpose... not the least of which are the College?s own employees?.

Mr. Bradshaw last week criticised senior management at the College saying they had been providing flawed leadership and presided over a dysfunctional organisational culture.

He also accused vice-president Larita Alford of trying to undermine his professional development.