Canadian Robert Leslie Jardine has taken up a $74,000-a-year Police post -- renewing controversy over the job.

Mr. Jardine, from the eastern Canadian province of New Brunswick, was confirmed yesterday as finance and administration manager.

He settled into his new job on Monday after beating six other applicants -- including Bermudians -- for the position.

Yesterday Shadow Public Safety Minister Alex Scott demanded to know why a Bermudian had not been chosen.

And he took a swipe at Bermuda's British Police Commissioner Colin Coxall, pledging to raise the issue in the coming Budget debate in the House of Assembly, which reconvenes on Friday.

"I'm as strongly committed to Bermudianisation as the Commissioner is committed to bringing in non-Bermudians.

"It is now left for us to bring as much pressure as possible to bear to bring about Bermudianisation.'' Mr. Jardine, who is married to a Bermudian, was a City Treasurer for the municipality of Miramichi in northeast New Brunswick.

Before that he was Town Manager of the Town of Chatham for some six years.

A chartered accountant who holds a Commerce degree, Mr. Jardine's new position involves responsibility for financial planning, strategic planning, budgeting and management of resources and administration.

It also entails developing a new computerised financial record-keeping system.

The job was one of several civilian management posts created by Police Commissioner Colin Coxall as part of plans to divert officers away from desk jobs into mainstream Police work.

Last month Michael Tucker, a Briton, was appointed Information Technology Manager. He is also married to a Bermudian.

Government was rocked last year after a Canadian ended his three-year contract for the post of finance and administration manager after just two days.

Byron Rafuse, the first Canadian to work for the Bermuda Police Service, cited "personal reasons''.

Two non-Bermudians -- a Canadian and Briton -- were the second and third choices.

But they pulled out of the running for the job following Mr. Rafuse's departure and the post was readvertised.

Mr. Scott said he was convinced there were suitable Bermudians.

He claimed Bermuda had more than 200 accountants and controllers in the financial industry.

And recently he urged the Police and Public Service Commission to treat Bermudians as "real candidates'' for the post.

Yesterday he said the only way to make the Police Service a true community organisation was to exploit local talent.

"We will be raising this matter during the Budget debate, making it a key discussion point. We will be having a full-blooded debate,'' he said.

He said decisions to employ non-Bermudians were needlessly costing the Island millions of dollars.

"You have to pay housing for these people and there are all sorts of other costs as well. It really is a dubious benefit that we are getting.'' APPOINTMENT APP