Faith-based tourism boss Andre Curtis yesterday gave details about hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' money he is contracted to receive to set up events over a two-year period.

Mr. Curtis was paid $200,000 for faith-based projects which took place in 2006-07 and is due for another $400,000 for organising ten events in 2007-08.

At yesterday's press conference, he said he would explain the $600,000 by breaking it into three segments of $200,000 "so that you can follow me a little easier".

He claimed an explanation to the spending of $200,000 in 2006-07 could be found in answers to Parliamentary questions posed to Premier Ewart Brown by Opposition Leader Michael Dunkley in June.

Although Dr. Brown has stated Mr. Dunkley's questions will not be answered until the next Parliamentary session begins in November, Mr. Curtis said yesterday: "A complete breakdown was sent to show how it was spent, although the Opposition kept talking to the media as if they had not received this information."

He produced the Premier's statement, addressed to Mr. Dunkley, which showed a total of $259,959 had been spent on: First Church of God, Love Alive Ministries, Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, Glory Temple, Super Soulfest, business trips and business lunches. No explanation was offered for why the total figure exceeded $200,000.

On the money for 2007-08, he stated: "Government has not handed me $400,000 in my hand. I have a list of the criteria that faith-based tourism has to meet.

"In order for Government to give the company money I have to satisfy a list of conditions."

Unveiling a copy of his contract, he said he had already satisfied the first two conditions and "look forward to receive the cheque on August 1".

The Royal Gazette, which has a copy of the draft contract, understands the payment for meeting these two conditions to be $200,000. The money, payable on the signing of an agreement and a contract, is for providing the list of events and other items including copies of letters from sponsors.

The remaining conditions on the contract, worth another $200,000, include creating marketing materials, providing written updates, confirming sponsors for events and filing a report outlining the benefits generated for Bermuda. According to the draft contract, $20,000 will be forfeited if Mr. Curtis fails to meet his target number of visitors of 2,200.

Mr. Curtis said he did not personally receive a penny for his efforts in faith-based tourism in 2006-07. He did not say how much his salary was this year, but Dr. Brown's Parliamentary answers to Mr. Dunkley state faith-based tourism salaries for 2007-08 total $200,000.

Responding to Mr. Furbert's question over what happened to $30,000 raised at the National Sports Centre multi-faith event last October, Mr. Curtis said the cash was now with a church.

"It's a very respected church and the pastors are very respected people," he said. "That church for the moment is acting treasurer. It's no truth that the churches paid me $30,000 to put on that event, or Government."