Taxpayers spent over $400,000 for Government Ministers and public servants to take overseas trips this year.

The number of taxpayer-supported trips was made public yesterday, with the taxpayer spending about $401,300.84 on overseas trips taken by Government Ministers between June 2004 and May 31 this year.

Records indicate that some Ministers travel more frequently than others, with Tourism and Transport Minister Ewart Brown topping the list after he took a total of 20 overseas trips at the taxpayers expense this year.

Dr. Brown spent a total of $119,271.33 as a grand total on all trips and was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, the Airport General Manager, the Director of Civil Aviation, Mr. Larry Jacobs, Deanna Wade, of the Bermuda Department of Tourism, Michael DeCouto and the Director of Tourism. All expenses include meals, accommodation and transport.

In Montreal, during an Air Service Meeting with Air Canada that included Jim Medeiros from the Department of Tourism, a total of $3,952.89 while in Minneapolis a total of $3,525.17 was spent.

Taxpayers also footed the bill for a trip to Atlanta and New York in September 2004 which cost $3,244.51.

In A private charter trip to Miami cost $2,600.39 followed by an Annual Caribbean Tourism Conference trip which included the PS of Tourism and Transport and the Bermuda Department of Tourism Director at a cost of $13,894.69.

The Monaco World Summit trip with Larry Jacobs cost a total of $14,918.91. In a New York trip in November 2004 the Minister spent a total of $5,037.28. A trip from the Island to New York and Atlanta in November 2004 cost $3,793.92. A trip the next month in December to New York cost $1,782.14 followed by another trip to an unspecified location that month as well costing $1,422.87.

The CHA Conference in Montego Bay cost a total of $3,928.35. A trip to Phoenix, Arizona with the Bermuda Department of Tourism Director in January 2005 cost $12,724.42.

A trip to Miami later that month with Michael DeCouto from the Department of Tourism cost $4,864.68. Dr. Brown also attended the China-Caribbean Economic Trade Forum travelling to Kingston in February followed by several other trips to Africa, for the IIPT Conference, the Business Development Conference in Johannesburg, and the Miami Heat Golf Tournament followed by the Georgia Minority Business Awards in February ? at $24,694.21.

Dr. Brown travelled on the Miami Inaugural Flight take off in March with the trip costing $2,517.16 followed by another trip in March which cost $1,995.93. A Sharpton?s Annual Banquet in April cost taxpayers $2,721.75 followed by a trip to Miami in April to meet with the African American Marketing Agency & the Trumpet Award, costing $3,075.35.

A trip taken by Dr. Brown in May between Atlanta and Detroit cost a total of $4,956.98. A meeting with Jet Blue and Dr. Brown the following week cost the taxpayer $3,592.73.

Premier Alex Scott took seven overseas trips this year, spending a total of $99,178.49. The Premier attended the Annual CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in Grenada accompanied by the Assistant Cabinet Secretary spending a total of $8,463.11. On a trip to the UK for the Overseas Consultative Council Mr. Scott and the Secretary to the Cabinet, the Attorney General and a Public Affairs Officer spent $31,367.60. For the ASHRM - American Society for Healthcare Risk Managers in the USA a total of $7, 205. 46 was spent. On this trip the Secretary to the Cabinet, the Director of the Department of Communication and Information attended the conference with the Premier.

The Premier attended the BIBA London Briefing with the Secretary to the Cabinet at a total cost of $18,158.85. A visit to the Bermuda Regiment in Grenada following Hurricane Ivan with a Public Affairs Officer and the Assistant Cabinet Secretary cost $9,710.61. The Premier attended the Latin Finance Caribbean Investment Forum in Trinidad and Tobago with the Assistant Cabinet Secretary at a total cost of $8,432.13. The RIMS conference, on which the Premier was accompanied by the Secretary to the Cabinet and the Director of the Department of Communication and Information with the taxpayer forking out $15,840.73 for this trip.

Finance Minister Paula Cox spent a total of $60,449.92 on five trips taken between June 1, 2004 to May 31 this year. Ms Cox was accompanied by the Financial Secretary to a conference hosted by Standard & Poors in New York costing $3,943.70.

A trip to Geneva, Switzerland in September 2004 with the Financial Secretary cost $15,169.33. The Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting in St. Kitt?s in September cost $7,819.44. Taxpayers shelled out a total of $20,968 for the Minister and the Financial Secretary as well as the Assistant Financial Secretary.

The RIMS conference in April cost $12,549.45 and included the expenses of the Financial Secretary, the Assistant Financial Secretary and the Legislative Assistant.

Minister of Labour, Home Affairs, and Public Safety, Randy Horton, spent a total of $65,160.27 on four trips taken this year with other officers. The Minister?s four trips, to the International Labour Organisation Meeting in Geneva in last year, to the Caribbean Latin American Action?s 27th Conference on the Caribbean Basin in Miami, and the tenth meeting of the Task Force on Crime and Security in Trinidad. Taxpayers also footed the bill for the trip to the Bermuda Regiment Camp in Grenada in March this year.

The Permanent Secretary to the Ministry spent a total of $12,241.78 on trips to Miami, Trinidad and Grenada. Government also paid the bill for Glenn Fubler, Junior Maynard Dill, Derrick Burgess, Andrea Mowbray, and Edward Saints to attend the International Labour Organisation Annual Meeting in Geneva at a cost of $26,691.72.

Michael Scott, the Minister of Telecommunications & eCommerce took a total of four trips this year without specifying the location and purpose of the trips. The total of all his trips was $48,128.02.

On the first trip, which included the Minister, a Senior eCommerce Analyst and an eCommerce Consultant, the taxpayer paid $12,469.37. On the second trip, which cost $22,315.80 Mr. Scott was accompanied by the Director of Telecommunications and a Senior eCommerce Analyst. The bill for the third trip including the Director of Telecommunications and the Principal Crown Counsel cost $7,276.33. Trip number four came to a total cost of $6,066.52 for the taxpayer and included the Director of the Information Technology Office with the Acting Director of eGovernment accompanying the Minister.

Health Minister Patrice Minors did not travel at the taxpayers expense between June 1, 2004 to May 31, 2005. The Acting Minister travelled on one occasion during the period concerned with the Chief Medical Officer. The cost of all their expenses to the taxpayer was $7,486.18. It is not known where they travelled. Minister of Housing and Works & Engineering Ashfield DeVent took a total of three trips this year at a total of $14,848.54. Mr. DeVent travelled this year on his first trip with Russell Wade, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing, Vance Campbell, the General Manager of the BHC, Ronald Simmons Chairman, Bermuda Housing Trust Board, and Andrew Swan, Vice President, Project Finance, BLDC, spending a total of $6,370.40. On the second trip, which included Vance Campbell, the taxpayer paid a total of $3,284. On the third trip which included Russell Wade, the taxpayer forked out a total of $5,194.50.

Education Minister Terry Lister took seven trips at a total cost of $8,131.84.

Mr. Lister took a trip to Johns Hopkins University which was supported by the Institute for Talented Students, and included the Permanent Secretary and Joeann Smith, the Senior Education Officer for Student Services. Total cost to the taxpayer was $600.

The second trip to sign a Memorandum of Understanding in Halifax with the Minister of Education for the Province, the taxpayer paid for the cost of accommodation which was $184.99. Nalton Brangman of the National Training Board, Michael Stowe, and Shaun Thomas of BELCO accompanied the Minister.

On Mr. Lister?s third trip to Rhode Island the taxpayer paid a bill of $64.87 for accommodation in Providence, Rhode Island. In Wilton Park, in the UK, the Minister attended the Wilton Park Conference with the Assistant Cabinet Secretary at a cost of $1,158.23. Mr. Lister attended the Reading Recovery Conference in Washington D.C. with five education officers at a total cost of $4,323.75. A trip to Barbados to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with four officers cost a total of $1200. Other expenses for these trips and for a graduation ceremony in New England which was paid for by the National Training Board.

Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Dale Butler took a total of four overseas trips between June 1, 2004 and May 31, 2005. He travelled to Montego Bay, Jamaica, Athens Greece, Washington D.C., and Dominica spending a total of $26,774.27 for accommodation, transportation and meals combined including those of the accompanying officers.

Officers accompanying Mr. Butler on these trips included Anthony Roberts, Director of Youth Sport and Recreation, Gerard Bean, Chairman of the National Sports Centre to the Cricket World Cup Bid Meetings in Jamaica.

In Washington D.C. Mr. Butler was accompanied by Healther Whalen, Senior Community and Cultural Affairs Officer, Chrystal Bean Festival Organiser. He was unaccompanied to the Olympics in Athens last summer.

On the Dominica trip Mr. Calvin Simons, the Senior Sports Development Officer joined Mr. Butler.