Minister Musa Does Not Foresee Guzman Contract Renewal

Last week, we followed up on Aaron Guzman’s seventy-thousand-dollar advisory contract with the Ministry of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries, a deal that raised more than a few eyebrows. Well, there’s an update. Today, Minister Kareem Musa told us that Guzman’s contract likely won’t be renewed when it expires in February 2026. Guzman’s role is to advise on policing and economic growth. But with that kind of paycheck, we’re still asking, was this hire really necessary? We put that to Minister Musa earlier today.

 

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“We found it necessary. Like I mentioned on the last occasion, there is great value coming out of Mr. Guzman. It was a recommendation from the former police commissioner. He wanted Mr. Guzman to be attached to the police department as opposed to the ministry. But we saw where it would have been a better fit in terms of providing guidance and council to our ministry in his duty as a special advisor. And so, there was a lot of work still left unfinished that he still required an additional year to finish up. He has assisted in identifying countrywide repairs to police stations that were necessary. He assisted retirees, in clearing all the backlog with pensions and retirement benefits for retirees. There is such a huge backlog and he has worked well there. He is working on our animal welfare bill. These are things that will be tied up in the coming months and his contract expires in February of next year. We don’t foresee the need to hire him for an additional year next year, but certainly his contribution has been invaluable and perhaps raises the discussion as to whether age fifty-five is really the age we should look at as the retirement age, because I know he still has so much to offer.”