Kerik not hired thus far

Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee says that former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik has thus far not been hired or contracted as a consultant in relation to law enforcement here.

The minister stated that if the government should retain him, remuneration and benefits would be subject to negotiation. These disclosures were made on Thursday in Parliament in response to questions raised by Member of Parliament Raphael Trotman.

President Bharrat Jagdeo had announced last year that Kerik would be hired as a consultant to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded citizen security project.

The announcement sparked controversy as concerns have been raised about Kerik’s admission of an ethics violation and he is also now under further investigation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Despite this, the government has insisted that Kerik will be hired although it is unclear when exactly this will occur. In the meanwhile, Kerik has involved himself in a similar exercise in Trinidad and Tobago for the opposition United National Congress.

The IDB had also issued a statement clarifying that Kerik had not been hired by it and if he were applying to be part of the project he would have to comply with the relevant tender procedures.