Bermuda-born lecturer Larita Alford has been offered a post at Bermuda College in 2003, an anonymous flyer has claimed.

But the flyer called for the ruling Progressive Labour Party to live up to its promise to put Bermudians first.

And they demanded that the College board give Dr. Alford the college vice-president's post -- currently held by foreigner Dr. Donald Peters.

And it asked why three black Bermudian women academics -- the others are Dr.

Muriel Wade-Smith and Dr. Eva Hodgson -- have been denied jobs at the College.

But last night the flyer was blasted by college board chairman Randy Horton as riddled with inaccuracies.

And he singled out the claim that Dr. Alford had been offered a job -- but not until 2003 -- as wrong.

Mr. Horton declined to comment on the status of the applications from Dr.

Alford and Dr. Peters.

But his suggestion that the issue will soon be settled could spell good news on the job front for Dr. Alford.

Mr. Horton said: "We have actually made an offer in relation to the job and I will comment on it after it's accepted or rejected.'' The flyer said: "While Dr. Peters, a Dominican, will enjoy the security of a job contract from the year 2000, Dr. Larita Alford, a born and bred Bermudian, has been offered a job in the year 2003.'' It added: "Dr. Alford is a competent, capable, committed and highly-qualified Bermudian.

"She possesses the necessary experience, exposure and expertise and is adequately qualified to assume this position.'' The flyer -- from a group calling itself Bermudians Concerned for Bermudians -- made its appearance after The Royal Gazette revealed that college staff feared Dr. Peters would have his contract renewed because he had the backing of top Government figures -- including Premier Jennifer Smith.

The move has caused a split in academic circles at the college -- with the faculty dividing into pro- and anti-Peters factions.

College insiders said Dr. Alford -- Dean of Instruction and Associate Professor of English at a college in Tennessee -- was better qualified for the post of vice-president than Dr. Peters whose background is in student affairs.

But part-time languages lecturer Riquette Bonne-Smith insisted Dr. Peters had turned the College around -- as well as provided a valuable role model for young men in an academic world dominated by women.

The flyer, however, said: "To add insult to injury, Dr. Alford has made two previous attempts to return to her homeland and make a contribution to the society which produced her.

"She has applied for the position of a Dean and was unsuccessful. In 1996, she applied for the position of vice-president of student and academic affairs and was overlooked for a non-Bermudian.

"Dr. Alford and others like her, such as Dr. Muriel Smith-Wade, Dr. Susann Smith and Dr. Eva Hodgson, have been unable to contribute to their country for the past 20 years.

"It is painful to see that such people are not valued in their own country.'' College insiders added that they suspected the board might try to cut a deal to avoid embarrassment by creating a second vice president's post at the Stonington campus.

And they added the board could even try to force out college president George Cook to create a vacancy for Dr. Peters. Dr. Cook, it was said, will be due to retire in "two or three years''.

Offer pending: Randy Horton