Ministers racked up almost $225,000 on Government credit cards in a 15-month period, it has been revealed.

The news prompted Deputy Opposition Leader Patricia Gordon-Pamplin to question whether taxpayers are getting value for money.

In answer to requests for information from Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin, Deputy Premier Paula Cox released figures detailing credit card bills spanning January 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007 as totalling $224,970.

Ms Cox said the expenditure was made while Ministers were representing the people of Bermuda at overseas meetings, conferences and promotional briefing tours.

In addition, she revealed that $53,000 was advanced to Ministers for out of pocket expenses known as per diems in the same period, for services such as taxis and gratuities. They returned $2,586 of this to Government as unspent.

The news came weeks after similar Parliamentary questions from the Opposition sparked controversy with news that Premier Dr. Ewart Brown and his entourage spent $280,000 overseas in 16 trips over ten months from July 2006. Dr. Brown hit back at accusations from the Opposition that he leads a “lavish” lifestyle funded by taxpayers.

Commenting on the new figures relating to Ministerial expenditure, Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin said: “The amount of expenditure by credit card requires isolation and scrutiny since the Auditor General has previously expressed concerns about the misuse of credit cards.

As Opposition, we wish to examine those costs that have been charged to government credit cards to be able to show a degree of accountability to the taxpayer.”

She expressed concern that only $2,586 of the $53,000 advanced for out of pocket expenses was returned.

“Per diem expenditure is advanced for the purposes of out-of-pocket expenses, such as meals, taxis, and tips which are not covered by any other means. It is therefore distressing to see per diem being regarded as ‘extra pay’ when expense reports show a chargeback to the taxpayer for hotels, meals, taxis and incidentals as well as the per diem advance,” she said. “It would seem that the per diem should form the subject of an expense report, and if not spent, should be returned.”

Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin highlighted as an example the spending of Minister of the Environment and E-Commerce Neletha Butterfield. According to previous reports in the House, she spent $5,838 on a hotel between March 27 and April 1 during a trip to London for a Bermuda International Business Association roundtable. This was in addition to $600 in per diem expenses.

“What type of accommodations are we really paying for, averaging $1,000 per day? What real benefit is the taxpayer getting from his tax dollar?” asked Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin.

Figures previously revealed by Government showed Ministers spent $155,464 on Government credit cards over 21 months from April 1, 2004, and $77,610 in per diem expenses.