Amnesty International, Keep Bermuda Beautiful and the Coalition for the Protection of Children are among the worst violators of local laws governing charities, it emerged in the house yesterday.

But they are only three out of 106 Bermuda registered charities which are more than one year behind in filing their accounts with the Registrar General.

All registered charities are required to submit their accounts within six months of the last financial year or risk losing their registration as a charity.

Answering questions submitted by independent MP Trevor Moniz, Health Minister Nelson Bascome said that 131 charities had missed the six months deadline.

Mr. Moniz who had asked identical questions three years ago told The Royal Gazette that he was disappointed that nothing had changed.

"It appears that charities are ignoring the law with impunity and unfortunately include many charities that receive funding from the Bermuda Government such as the Bermuda Olympic Association, the Bermuda Football Association and the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control," he said.

He added that it did not appear that Government, or the Charities Commissioners had the will to enforce the law.

In 1998, Mr. Moniz pushed through amendments to the Charities Act which required registered charities to give the public access to their accounts.

Mr. Bascome told his House colleagues that the Registrar General had warned the delinquents and given them extra time to submit their accounts.

"Those who fail to meet the revised date will be removed from the register of charities," he said. But he added that a number of the charities were already inactive. And he reminded the House that the Commissioners were working on possible amendments to the law to allow "better monitoring of and compliance by Charities".