Police are remaining tight-lipped about an investigation into allegations that cheques from a company part owned by new Progressive Labour Party MP Zane DeSilva were forged.

The Royal Gazette revealed last month that a complaint was made on behalf of Bermuda Composite Construction (BCC) to fraud officers about a bundle of more than 50 cheques bearing Mr. DeSilva's name and that of one of the company's other directors.

It is believed that the second name on the cheques — which date from 2001 to 2004 — is the one alleged to have been forged.

A Police spokesman said this week: "All I can say at this time is the investigation is ongoing."

Southampton East Central MP Mr. DeSilva, who beat sitting United Bermuda Party MP David Dodwell in the General Election, joined BCC as a director along with former PLP MP Arthur Pitcher in May 2000.

The company had been set up a fortnight before by Kevin Bean-Walls and Leon Williams and was contracted to build 20 low cost housing units at Southside for Bermuda Housing Corporation.

Mr. DeSilva, president and chief executive officer of Island Construction, had 25 percent of the shares of BCC, as did the other three directors.

This newspaper understands that all company cheques had to be signed by two directors and that one of the signatures had to be from Mr. Bean-Walls or Mr. Williams and one from Mr. DeSilva or Mr. Pitcher.

BCC worked on the construction of Premier Ewart Brown's house on AP Owen Road, Smith's, in addition to the Southside scheme. The company was struck off Companies Register in November, 2004.