New Immigration Board member Raymond Russell is on paid leave from his job at Sonesta Beach while bosses investigate an allegation of insulting a guest, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

It is alleged that Mr. Russell made "disparaging remarks'' to the visitor, according to hotel insiders.

And bosses sent him home with pay while they investigate the complaint about the incident.

But yesterday Sonesta boss Dennis Tucker was staying tight-lipped over the allegations and refused to discuss them.

He said: "I would prefer not to make any comment other that Mr. Russell is still an employee of this hotel.'' Mr. Russell -- appointed to the Immigration Board last week -- declined to comment last night.

The news comes just a day after Shadow Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley expressed fears over some of the appointments to the influential and powerful Immigration Board, accused of being anti-expatriate.

Mr. Dunkley declined to single anyone out -- but it is believed there is unease over the appointment of maverick Mr. Russell.

Others understood to have caused concern are MP and Bermuda Industrial Union president Derrick Burgess, because of his role in the labour movement, and chairman of the board Reginald Burrows MP, who is said to lack experience of the problems of the business world in Bermuda.

Another appointment which raised eyebrows was ex-MP Grace Bell -- a member of the new Immigration Advisory Council.

She landed in hot water when her cleaning firm was found to have employed a foreign worker whose work permit had lapsed.

Mrs. Bell admitted in 1995 that she had employed a Venezuelan without a valid work permit for up to nine months.

The ex-MP, who defected to the PLP towards the end of the last Parliament, had earlier campaigned against the use of illegal workers in the cleaning and landscaping areas, among others.

Mrs. Bell pledged to pay the work permit fee for the employee and insisted it was "an oversight.'' She said last night: "It in no way affects my ability to serve -- I didn't duck the story then. It was a lapsed work permit and it was taken care of.'' Ms Cox could not be contacted last night, but after Mr. Dunkley took aim at some of the appointments, she defended the new board.

She said it would be "a dynamic in terms of group dynamics'' and that she did not want "yes-men.'' The Assistant Chief Immigration Officer and other senior officials would attend meetings to guide members, she added.

And she said: "I don't think criticism is helpful or constructive -- I have faith in the board and that's why they were selected.'' IMMIGRATION IMM GOVERNMENT GVT