controversy after he accepted an extra $30,000 to stay in Bermuda's top legal post.

Government offered Mr. Mottley the shock pay rise as a "gratuity'' to stay on until the end of November.

The extra cash means Barbadian Mr. Mottley is now being paid an extra $5,000 a month -- on top of his $125,000-a-year salary and house in Paget.

And he admitted last night he had been asked to stay in the post by Government House -- "in view of the upcoming election''.

Five lawyers have applied to fill Mr. Mottley's position, which he was meant to have vacated by the end of June.

Two of the candidates are thought to be Bermudians. But it is understood no interviews have taken place.

And legal insiders have accused Government of trying to delay a decision on a new Attorney General until after the General Election.

The Royal Gazette reported yesterday that Mr. Mottley had signed a new contract lasting until November 30.

The 57-year-old originally said there was "no particular reason'' why he was staying on longer than expected.

He was originally quoted as saying he had not been made any extra offers to say.

But he contacted The Royal Gazette last night to say he had misunderstood the question and had in fact been given a cash "gratuity''.

Mr. Mottley, whose salary is set at Government level PS47 and cannot be altered, said: "I am being paid a gratuity for the six-month period between June 1 and November 30, on top of the general salary.

"It's $5,000 a month. But that's not why I stayed on. I stayed on because I wanted to stay on.

"I simply agreed to stay on and then this came about. My contract was supposed to come to an end in January.

"I agreed to continue until the end of June. I went to Barbados.

"When I came back, I was asked by Government House whether I would stay on in view of the upcoming election.

Mottley was paid `gratuity' "I agreed to do that and having done that I was made the offer.'' A Government spokesman said: "The gratuity which is being paid to Mr. Mottley is to compensate him for the disadvantage to which he has been put by agreeing to stay on in Bermuda until later this year.

"It is the second time he has extended his contract at the Government's request. On this occasion, the request was made because he knows Bermuda's law, and especially election law, intimately.

"Mr. Mottley had made arrangements to be back in Barbados in July. Having to renege on his agreement to do so put him at a commercial disadvantage, for which the Government agreed he should be compensated.'' Mr. Mottley is understood to have been handed $30,000 to ship his furniture to Bermuda when he first moved to the Island three years ago.

And he was introduced to Bermuda with a stay at the plush Newstead Hotel on Harbour Road in Paget, until he could be moved into his house.

He was meant to have been back at home in Barbados working in private practice by the beginning of July.

But ironically, the Attorney General will be back in Barbados next month for two weeks -- attending two conferences.

Mr. Mottley added: "I can't really answer the question about why this gratuity has been offered.

"My only comment would be because they probably think that I'm worth it.

"But I had already made arrangements to go back to Barbados permanently and there are lists of clients I have now had to put back.'' Eugene Cox, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Finance Minister, said the blame lay with Government and not Mr. Mottley.

"The Government's mistakes always fall back on the taxpayer,'' he said. "It does seem an exorbitant sum but maybe the offer of compensation, from Mr.

Mottley's viewpoint, is legitimate because of demands in the marketplace.

"The Government is at fault for not having a succession plan in place.

"Then we could have allowed Mr. Mottley to take his leave when he was meant to leave.

"When you do not plan and organise, things like this can happen. They are mistakes.'' One Government MP, who asked not to be named, said the decision to grant the gratuity was "curious''.

Graphic file name: MOTTERS Elliott Mottley