Larry Covington was the Foreign and Commonwealth official, who according to former Assistant Commissioner of the U.K. Metropolitan Police, John Yates, would provide on island oversight and guidance whilst he (Yates) would provide periodic reviews of the investigation.

The above is found in the judgment by Grand Court Justice Richard Williams in the case between Cayman’s Attorney General and ex Operation Tempura Senior Investigating Officer Martin Bridger – see iNews Cayman story November 18, 2013 “Tempura Judgment says records must not be made public” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/tempura-judgment-says-records-must-not-be-made-public/

Covington was here before the arrival of Senior Investigating Officer Martin Bridger’s team and Justice Williams said it would appear, “that the Metropolitan Police viewed their role was to review, advise and make recommendations, but that the immediate oversight and guidance would come from Mr. Covington.”

Stuart Kernohan, who was Cayman’s Police Commissioner at that time, had asked Covington to represent him in joint oversight of the investigation with John Yates and/or his team.

However, after Bridger’s arrival and as the operation moved forward, the Judgment indicates “Mr. Covington was removed from an oversight position and replaced by the governor, who acted in concert with Assistant Commissioner Yates.”

Speculation as to why Covington was removed has resulted in a press statement to the Cayman Islands media from the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office:

“Larry Covington’s role, as the law enforcement adviser for the Caribbean Overseas Territories and Bermuda, was to provide guidance and advice to the governor, the commissioner of police and the director for the overseas territories on the conduct of Operation Tempura. He had no operational role.

“As such, he was a member of the investigation’s strategic oversight group, which was formed to ensure that the investigation was conducted according to the agreed terms of reference of the investigation. Mr. Covington agreed to step down as a member of that group on Jan. 4, 2008, after he had been asked to provide a witness statement to the investigation team. This would have conflicted with his role in remaining on the Strategic Oversight Group.

“It is therefore misleading to suggest that he was removed for other reasons. After Jan. 4, 2008, Mr Covington had no involvement in any investigative decisions in relation to Operation Tempura.”