The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency yesterday flatly denied that any of its officers had been to Bermuda or are assigned to come here to review the Island's tax system.

Nor is the agency involved in any other reviews from Canada into Bermuda's tax arrangements, said a spokeswoman.

The Mid-Ocean News on Friday reported that Government was in the process of hiring three experts from the agency, which, it said, could lead to income tax being introduced.

Finance Minister Eugene Cox angrily dismissed the story when it appeared on Friday, describing it as "reprehensible".

He said he was not aware of any contact with the agency in relation to a tax review and the Progressive Labour Party has said in policy statements that it will not introduce income tax.

But when asked yesterday if Government has carried out any reviews of the Island's tax system or if it is planning to do any, Mr. Cox refused to comment.

Canada Customs and Revenue Agency spokeswoman Colette Gentes-Hawn told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "I have checked again and we have no indication that anyone in this department is going to Bermuda or has been to Bermuda.

"There has always been contact between the departments over the years and we do provide assistance in Customs matters and help train drug sniffer dogs.

"But there is no-one here that we know of that is going to Bermuda. There has been ongoing contact but no one in this department has been assigned to go to Bermuda or a delegation going to Bermuda."

The spokeswoman also said that no one from the agency was involved in any reviews of Bermuda's tax system.

The Royal Gazette asked Government Information Services (GIS) if Government had commissioned any studies into the Island's tax system or whether it was planning to do so.

GIS said Mr. Cox did not want to comment.