Kernohan sacked

| 18/11/2008

(CNS): Police Commissioner Stuart Kernohan, who has been the subject of a mystery special police investigation for some nine months or more, has been terminated from his post by the Governor. “After reviewing all the circumstances, of Mr Kernohan’s conduct as it relates to the terms and conditions of his employment including his continuous unauthorised absence from the Islands, I am left with no option but to accept that he has unilaterally severed his contract,” Jack said in a written statement.

Following the release to the media on Monday 17 November of an open letter sent to the Governor in October from Kernohan’s legal representatives requesting his reinstatement, the Governor released a written statement  on Tuesday afternoon, 18 November, saying that he was personally disappointed that Kernohan had published what the Governor described as private correspondence sent when there was potential disciplinary acts against him. 

“Not only was this an inappropriate action but the letter also contains groundless allegations which I categorically refute,” Jack added in the written statement.

However, the letter from Campbells Attorneys was marked as an open letter and focused on the Chief Justice’s ruling suggesting no crime had been committed and indicated that there was no evidence that Kernohan had done anything wrong. (See CNS Kernohan accuses Governor)

The Governor said in his written statement, however, that having reviewed the circumstances, Kernohan’s behavior amounted to a severing of his employment with the Cayman Islands Government, and he therefore was treating that employment as at an end. He said that he was “advised that the termination of the contract does not in any way affect the ongoing police investigation against Mr Kernohan, whom I understand the police intend to interview shortly.”

Jack stated that he had set things in motion to recruit a full time replacement. “In acknowledgement of the critical role of the Police Commissioner for these Islands and in particular the morale of serving officers in the RCIPS I have instructed the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs to immediately commence the recruitment process for a new full time Commissioner,” the Governor said, adding that he would continue to ensure that the public was kept up-to-date as developments take place.

A number of significant developments regarding Operation Tempura have taken place in recent weeks, however, to which the Governor or the SIO of the Special Police Investigation Team (SPIT) Martin Bridger have yet to respond. In particular, there has still been no response to the clearance of Justice Alex Henderson, the fact that the warrants acquired by Bridger were ruled unlawful or the acknowledgement by Sir Peter Cresswell, who presided over Henderson’s Judicial Review, of the legitimacy of the Chief Justice’s ruling in February of this year that no crime had been committed with regards the alleged entry into the offices of Cayman Net News, which was said to be the cause of Kernohan’s suspension.

Kernohan’s spokesperson David Legge said a statement will be issued by Stuart Kernohan shortly. Check back to CNS for that update. 

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  1. MB Ebanks says:

    Jack says he is “advised that the termination of the contract does not in any way affectthe ongoing police investigation against Mr Kernohan, whom I understand the police intend to interview shortly.”

    this makes it clear that the farcical SPIT investigation will continue undaunted!

    Twyla Vargas, you can’t be serious!

     

  2. Anonymous says:

    Well done Mr. Governor (sarcastically meant), now you’ve given the criminals (terrorists) a joyous victory and great celebration over the termination of Mr. Kernohan.  They were afraid of Mr. Kernohan.  The criminals (terrorists) can ruin this island.  What a mess now!  Good Luck fighting crime!  Takes a brave and experienced courageous Chief to fight crime!  It is unbelievable to me that the thought was even entertained to oust Mr. Kernohan!   Fools!

  3. Anonymous says:

    LOL, what next handbags at five paces!

    Sounds like ‘His Excellency’ has just thrown all the toys out of the pram in response to the letter from Stuart Kernohan’s lawyers.

    After months of dithering why did Stuart Jack wait until he (not the Commissioner) was clearly in the wrong before acting? If summary termination was the proper solution (which I doubt) this should have been done months ago. 

    Dumb move because it not only makes it look like the sacking was in deliberate retaliation to the letter of complaint but it will be damn near impossible to argue otherwise when this all goes to court.

     

  4. Ivan McLean says:

    Sacked! he never should have been here in the first place….hum bug

  5. Anonymous says:

    really bodes well for any new potential top civil servant….

    Stay clear of the HSA,Police to name a few

    The Cayman Islands arn’t making it a very attractive place to want to work…New potential employees arnt stupid people they will do their due dilligence!!

     

     

  6. Anonymous says:

    Kernaham will be interviewed shortly like how he was coming back .I TOLD YOU SO  from the day he left the Cayman Islamds you would never see him here again .I really dont know WHO the GOVENOR trying to FOOL not ME Mr JACK try another Country BoBo.

  7. Jedi Dread says:

    How about Operation, "Send Them Both Home" ?

  8. Anonymous says:

    I guess that is the easy way out for the Governor to save face!  By terminating Mr. Kernohan’s employment right after his letter to the Governor is pre-mature and immature!  Mr. Governor, you need to be sacked!  It is you bringing in these investigator people who even the Cayman Government has ordered for them to get out of here as they are wasting tax payers $ and creating scandal against the Cayman Islands.  Sacking Mr. Kernohan was the biggest mistake this island made.  I hope he writes his book and sues and makes alot of money.  More power to YOU Mr. Kernohan.  Don’t feel bad Mr. Kernohan, you wanted to make this country a safer and better place.  You weren’t given the chance to do so.  Now look at all the murders and robberies and violence!  Getting more and more frequent!  God what a mess this island is in!  They call evil good and they call good evil!  Bible warns of those type!

    God Bless You Mr. Kernohan, stay on the straight and narrow, everyone has to stand before God by themself accountable to God for what they have done in this life.  God will judge one on one.  Be cheerful and of good heart and good spirit Mr. Kernohan!  God Bless You and Your Family in Jesus Name i pray, Amen.

    A very fed up Caymanian!

  9. Anonymous says:

    It comes as "no surprise" to the people of the Cayman Islands that STUART fired STUART !!!!

    Stuart Jack needs to remove "additional staff" in the RCIPS especially individual(s) who held the top "Operational Position(s)" who were "hell bent" on following "a clearly and visibly flawed" Strategic Policing Plan. Additionally, this "flawed plan" was also sold to the UPD Government who gave them an authorized blank cheque to do as they please.   

    The results are now in. A "Crime Wave" that is now sweeping the Cayman Islands.This did not come about overnight, it was developed over the past years from being ignored and ultimately undetected. 

    Crime was carefully organized, planted, nurtured, conditioned and then unleashed like a "wolf" at the front door, while the Operational Captain accompanied by his confused troops, was at the rear chasing "peacocks and butterflies" for their General.

     

     

     

     

  10. Twyla M Vargas says:

    "YOU GO GOVERNOR" I salute His Excellency Governor Jack for the actions taken by him in this fiasco with Top Cop. Mr Kernoham was blatantly disrespectful to The Governor.

    Never in my entire life living in the Island have I ever seen such bold disrespect to a Governor. These actions of the Governor was expected a long time ago. But His Excellency Is a very smart man and had a plan.

     Of course, that was to let Top Cop have enough rope to hang himself,, which he did just that.. .