Premier Ewart Brown has dismissed claims he is using a faith-based tourism initiative as a means of getting Government cash to a political campaigner as a "thank you" gesture.

Former Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert has questioned the handling of hundreds of thousands of dollars awarded to the project, which was set up by Dr. Brown and is run by Andre Curtis, who organises the Premier's constituency committee in Warwick South Central.

Mr. Furbert alleges no accountability has been shown for the money — which he believes totals $600,000 over two years — and that no details have been provided on how it was spent.

He says he also understands a $30,000 cheque, collected at a multi-church festival last year, was made payable directly to Mr. Curtis' company Harvest Holdings.

As a professed Christian who strongly believes in the principle of faith-based tourism, Mr. Furbert says he feels violated by what he describes as a misuse of the initiative.

The Premier, who denies the allegations, hit back by accusing Mr. Furbert of an "unprovoked assault" on a project which is run in an "honest, business-like manner".

Dr. Brown argued that Mr. Furbert's comments were alarmist and that more information on the handling of funds would be made available in answers to questions posed by Opposition Leader Michael Dunkley when the next Parliamentary session begins in November.

He said faith-based tourism, which involves scores of churches across the Island, has brought more than 1,000 visitors into Bermuda so far this year and had won favour with tourists and locals alike.

Mr. Curtis refused to entertain questions on the matter when contacted by The Royal Gazette.

When The Royal Gazette told Mr. Curtis his role in faith-based tourism was being questioned, he replied: "Tell Wayne Furbert to stop being so immature and childish" and hung up.

Mr. Furbert first raised the issue in the Motion to Adjourn on the final evening of the last Parliamentary session last month.

He told this newspaper: "Andre Curtis was and is campaign chairman for Ewart Brown on Constituency 26. I'm hoping that this is not a way of getting money to Andre Curtis for thanking him for being campaign chairman.

"Someone has to be held accountable for all this. Why is he being paid so much money? There can't be that much work for faith-based tourism initiatives."

Mr. Furbert says he understands from his sources that Government gave $200,000 to faith-based tourism last year, and a further $400,000 this year.

"I want to know how the money was allocated," he said. "Who is responsible? Is it the Ministry of Tourism, or is it Andre Curtis, for the spending of the money and the allocation? Is Curtis given the money up front, or is he allocated so much based on the church's needs?"

On the $30,000 allegedly raised at the National Sports Centre last October, Mr. Furbert said: "Was the money put back in the consolidated funds? I believe the cheque was made payable to Harvest Holdings." Responding, Dr. Brown said: "I was shocked in the House when the former Leader of the Opposition, himself a professed Christian, raised the spectre of impropriety on the part of a Christian effort which involved more than 80 Bermudian churches. Faith-based tourism has produced more than 1,000 visitors for Bermuda so far this year and we are satisfied that the business is being run in an honest business-like manner.

"Obviously, since faith-based tourism is being funded by the Government, the Government portion of its expenditure is open for public scrutiny and critique.

"However, I find it appalling that the former Leader would make harmful, negative accusations about faith-based tourism without first securing information on this great effort.

"I'm left wondering why the Opposition is attacking faith-based tourism. Tourism defines any number of efforts which bring visitors to Bermuda, yet this is the one the Opposition chose to wrongfully accuse of impropriety.

"The Opposition's wrongful assault is not just an assault on this Government and Mr. Curtis, but an unprovoked and unnecessary assault on a religious effort, an effort which has lifted the hearts of many tourists and touched the souls of many Bermudians."

Faith-based tourism encourages churches to bring large groups to Bermuda for conferences and events at considerable savings by getting hotels and airlines to cut costs.

Mr. Furbert also attacked one of its sponsor-seeking brochures as being "full of lies", including a claim that influential visionaries from all over the world are recruited to give talks on ethics and morality with 120 local spiritual leaders.

"If anyone knows what's happening in the church, it's me. I'm saying they (visionaries) haven't come at all. To say they have met with 120 local spiritual leaders is misleading the people, misleading the community," said Mr. Furbert. He accused Dr. Brown of using the scheme to gain political brownie points, adding: "Because I have a strong faith belief, I didn't want to be seen as attacking the programme, but it's become too obvious and it's time for me to speak.

"I feel violated. I feel that the principle of the church has been violated. For a person who has been involved in the church for a long time, I'm not going to let them do that."