Faith-based tourism boss Andre Curtis yesterday came under attack once more after one of his proposed events was removed from Government's website amid suggestions it never existed.

The CeCe Winans Gospel Concert at Fairmont Southampton was one of eight planned events posted on Bermudatourism.com as Mr. Curtis attempted to silence criticism over his handling of the initiative last week.

However, it disappeared from the website after CeCe Winans' booking co-ordinator said the singer was already booked to perform in Georgia on that date, December 6-7.

Critics claim Mr. Curtis had advertised the event without confirming it first because he wanted to justify the fact he is contracted to receive hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars to run the scheme.

Mr. Curtis argued the wrong date had been put up by mistake because with so many negotiations taking place things had got "a little dodgy".

He said the event was in fact organised for November 24-25, and that it would go back on the website with the correct details today.

But this claim was contradicted by CeCe Winans' booking co-ordinator Jada Gunn, who told The Royal Gazette yesterday that Bermuda was not currently on the singer's calendar.

Mr. Curtis runs Premier Ewart Brown's constituency in Warwick South Central. Both deny faith-based tourism is being used as a method for Dr. Brown to get cash to Mr. Curtis as a thank you gesture.

This newspaper contacted Mr. Curtis and Ms Gunn a number of times yesterday to try to determine why the event was removed from the website.

Ms Gunn sent us an e-mail early in the day, stating: "CeCe Winans is not booked for December 7-8, 2007 in Bermuda. She is in Atlanta, GA, on December 7, 2007. I believe that there is a promoter that was trying to secure the dates and was unsuccessful due to CeCe's previous engagement."

At about 1 p.m., she suggested there was no firm plan for CeCe Winans to come to Bermuda, stating: "Of course anything is possible. However, at this time I don't have anything on the calendar."

Mr. Curtis said he was unavailable in the morning, but called back in the afternoon.

Asked why the event was removed from the website, he replied: "They will be back up tomorrow. The date was wrong, it's November 24-25. I have to take responsibility for that. Somewhere in the translations, we gave them a whole host of paper. It's definitely going back up tomorrow. There were a few typos. I want to make sure it's full."

Told that Ms Gunn had said there was no event on the calendar, he replied: "I don't know if she's wrong. I have called her. It's been confirmed, but the dates were wrong. We have been in the negotiations all the time, but trying to get a hotel, the entertainment, it gets a little dodgy. It was a mistake.

"We have a lot going on. I take responsibility for it. However, it's set. We had about seven dates coming from there, we had to keep changing, keep changing. The communication broke."

He denied a suggestion he had "jumped the gun" by putting the event on the website before it was confirmed.

He said he had spoken to Ms Gunn yesterday but declined to specify what time.

According to a draft copy of Mr. Curtis' contract, he is due to receive $400,000 to set up ten faith-based events in 2007-08, bringing in a total of 2,200 tourists.

Former Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert, who has repeatedly attacked Mr. Curtis over the scheme, said yesterday: "I'm not surprised this has happened because I thought it was a rush job to get some stuff on the website.

"How about the other events? Are they real? Are they really real? Is he pulling the wool over everyone's eyes?"

A Fairmont spokesperson said: "Fairmont Bermuda is working with Andre Curtis of faith-based tourism on a number of bookings, but our confidentiality policy prevents us from releasing any particulars. Inquiries should be directed to Andre Curtis with faith-based tourism or the Bermuda Department of Tourism for details on any upcoming events."

Bermuda Department of Tourism failed to respond to a request for a comment by press time yesterday.