Jet set film stars Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas were among the luminaries attending the Progressive Labour Party?s weekend fundraising festivities.

The Bermuda-based screen favourites, who have a house in Warwick, were at the Premier?s Gala Ball at the the Fairmont Hamilton Princess on Saturday night.

One PLP MP said the pair?s arrival had been a surprise at what he said was a galvanising event. He said: ?The whole thing rejuvenated me.?

He said MPs had been encouraged to attend the weekend festivities although they had been given a 50 percent break on the $1,000 tickets.

However some packages, which included a roundtable breakfast with Premier Ewart Brown, were on sale for revellers at $25,000.

Attending the event were US congresswoman Diane Watson, former Washington DC mayor Sharon Pratt and BET founder Bob Johnson.

One MP not attending was backbencher Ashfield DeVent although he said it was not because he was against the event. He said: ?I could not afford to go for personal reasons.?

The fundraiser will help the PLP fight the next election which one Government MP predicted last night would come in the summer. Also missing from the Saturday event was former Tourism and Telecommunications Minister Ren?e Webb and former Premier Alex Scott who had warned Government to be careful not to expose itself to charges of corruption by soliciting large donations for the PLP from foreign benefactors.