Three months after stem cell group Stemedica hunted overseas for a lab manager, the Brown-Darrell Clinic has offered Bermudians the chance to apply for what appears to be the same post.

The Winterhaven clinic yesterday remained silent on why the position was advertised in Canada and the UK first, even though Immigration laws say qualified Bermudians must be given job opportunities ahead of non-Bermudians.

Last November's adverts — which stated the job was to begin on or before December 1, 2007 — were for a lab manager to manage and maintain the company's lab and manufacturing process.

After then Shadow Immigration Minister Trevor Moniz accused Stemedica of ignoring work permit regulations, the Brown-Darrell Clinic refused to say whether the overseas search had been successful.

The new advert posted in last Friday's Royal Gazette is for a full-time research lab manager to manage and maintain the research lab. It states the position is to begin on or before April 1, 2008.

The Brown-Darrell Clinic is a partnership between Premier Ewart Brown, wife Wanda and California-based Stemedica.

Responding to Mr. Moniz's comments last year, Dr. Brown said Brown-Darrell was a "different thing" to Stemedica and that Brown-Darrell would advertise in Bermuda in due course.

He said the local candidate selected by Brown-Darrell would then be compared with the candidate chosen by Stemedica.

However, Immigration's stance over work permits would appear to rule overseas candidates out of the running if a qualified Bermudian now applies.

Yesterday, this newspaper asked Brown-Darrell whether the job advertised last week was the same position as initially advertised in Canada and the UK last year and, if so, why the position had not been advertised in Bermuda first.

We also asked what would happen to the successful overseas candidate if a qualified Bermudian now applies.

We received no response.

International doctors have aired concerns over Bermuda's lack of stem cell regulations since the Brown-Darrell plan was announced last summer.

The Brown-Darrell Clinic has pledged to welcome and encourage legislation consistent with the international protocol practised by countries engaged in stem cell research, but has repeatedly failed to respond when asked if it will postpone opening the stem cell side of its operation until such legislation is in place.