furious controversy.

"Some of the applicants are Bermudians,'' a Government spokesman said.

Monday was the applications' deadline for the post of finance and administration manager.

Now a shortlist of potential candidates will be drawn up.

"I would imagine a final appointment will be made in a few weeks,'' the Government spokesman said.

Last month, Government was rocked after a Canadian ended his three-year contract for the position 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 for the job.

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

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.

It involved responsibility for financial planning, strategic planning, budgeting and management of resources and administration.

The job also entailed developing a new computerised financial record-keeping system.

Shadow Public Safety Minister Alex Scott has been fiercely critical of decisions to give the post to a non-Bermudian.

He hoped Bermudians who had originally applied for the position would do so again.

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

"I hope they will look for qualifying features and factors, and not for reasons and circumstances to disqualify them. For that kind of thing happens too frequently.

"If someone has 90 percent of what they're asking for, they shouldn't take the view that that candidate lacks ten percent of the qualifications.'' Mr. Scott was convinced there were suitable Bermudians.