US Consul General Bob Farmer is on the verge of quitting the top American post in Bermuda, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

And Mr. Farmer is believed to be considering getting back into US politics to fundraise for the presidential campaign of Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.

Mr. Farmer -- currently pondering his future at his home in Florida -- is understood to be increasingly frustrated by the US State Department's failure to name his replacement.

And his money-spinning talents, which raised millions of dollars for Bill Clinton's run for the White House, would be in strong demand for any Democrat hopeful considering a challenge for the party's nomination for 2001.

Staff at the US Consul's office were yesterday staying tight-lipped over Mr.

Farmer's plans.

US Consul Sylvia Hammond said yesterday: "We have had no formal notification of Mr. Farmer's intentions.'' But US sources close to Mr. Farmer yesterday confirmed he had talked of leaving the Consul General's job.

And they added Mr. Farmer is privately not keen to see the official residence of Chelston sold off -- and was not inclined to go through the hassle of moving to a smaller, cheaper, house.

Mr. Farmer has spent increasing amounts of time off the Island in recent months.

He left Bermuda in the middle of last month and it is not known when he due to return.

US Consular appointments run only to the end of the sitting president's term of office -- in Mr. Clinton's case just two years away in January, 2001.

It is believed several big names in the US sounded out for the job have turned it down.

And the closer it gets to 2001, the less likely anyone would be prepared to take on the job on such a short-term basis.

As Washington concentrates on Mr. Clinton's impeachment hearing, the likelihood of a major drive to find a replacement appears unlikely as well.

But Mr. Farmer -- who would have served seven years on the Island by 2001 -- seems increasingly likely to take matters into his own hands and force the hand of the US Government by handing in his resignation.

Mr. Farmer was appointed in 1994 for three years and has already served nearly two years over that after he was asked to remain in the post.

Farmer may leave to join campaign He was originally due to have left the job in August, 1997 and attended several farewell ceremonies around that time.

Mr. Farmer, however, agreed to stay on until his the appointment of his replacement, wealthy Omaha businessman Vin Gupta, was approved.

But Mr. Gupta -- also a high-profile fundraiser for the Democrats -- changed his mind and went to the South Pacific island of Fiji as US ambassador instead.

Mr. Farmer already has close links with Sen. Kerry -- and was plunged into a row over extending hospitality to the politician in 1996.

Sen. Kerry was slammed for staying at a luxury Georgetown, Washington, apartment leased by Mr. Farmer.

Sen. Kerry admitted living at the apartment over a period of two to three months in 1989 while Mr. Farmer was working at a political lobbying firm.

A probe by the Boston Globe admitted there was "no evidence that Sen. Kerry ever took any official act to benefit Farmer''.

Sen. Kerry said the two were friends and "personal hospitality'' was excluded under strict Senate reporting requirements.

Normally, US Senators are required to report any personal gifts worth more than $250 and are banned from accepting presents worth more than $100 from anyone with "a direct interest'' in legislation.