The Bermuda College insists that its controls over credit card charges are adequate but refuses to clarify the circumstances surrounding charges made by its vice president during Hurricane Fabian.

Then financial controller Jane Smith had questioned the charges for accommodation at Stonington Hotel in the aftermath of the storm.

The College initially responded with a Press statement saying that the matter was dealt with appropriately and that Ms Smith was a disgruntled employee who had been disciplined for unprofessional conduct.

The College added that vice president Larita Alford had reimbursed the funds within a week of the charge ? a statement which contradicts Ms Smith?s contention that they were reimbursed after she raised the alarm over a month later.

Ms Smith had also claimed that College management were allowed to charge up to $2,000 without documentation.

Asked to clarify its credit card policies, College spokesperson Evelyn James Barnett said that credit card policy was the responsibility of the financial controller and that no charges at the College are undocumented and that employees are required to submit a form explaining the nature of the charges when the monthly statement arrives.

?Credit card polices were reviewed around the same time the Government directive to curb spending was distributed,? she said when asked what the personal use policy was.

?An employee may use the card for personal items when circumstances would make it difficult to do otherwise (e.g. when on official travel and paying a hotel bill that contains both business charges, i.e. the room rental, and personal charges).

?The amount must be reimbursed to the College within the same billing period when the charge is made.?

But the College would not say when, precisely, Dr. Alford reimbursed the College.

Nor would it respond when asked what the credit card limit was or how much of Ms Alford?s Stonington charge was for business reasons and how much was personal.

?Dr. Alford reimbursed the College in accordance with the procedure noted above.?

It added: ?The College encourages all its employees to be accountable, and this was recently affirmed in an article in your newspaper that contained board chairman, Senator Raymond Tannock?s statement that accountability is considered a number one priority at the College.

In the case of credit cards, the College already exercises sufficient control; there was no reason to do anything out of the ordinary in this case. It was handled in the normal and appropriate way.?

One College staff member criticised the credit card policy, saying: ?Why would a College executive who earns over $100,000 and lives rent free need to borrow money on the College account??

The College had no response.