Attorney General Dame Lois Browne Evans yesterday dismissed as "preposterous" Opposition claims she has been trying to interfere politically in criminal prosecutions.

United Bermuda Party (UBP) leader Grant Gibbons is to meet Governor Sir John Vereker to discuss information he says his party has received that Dame Lois has tried to persuade the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to halt or delay the criminal prosecution of alleged tax-dodging companies.

Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister John Barritt said it would be extremely worrying if the information he received was true because the Attorney General, as a political appointee, is responsible only for civil matters, not criminal prosecutions.

But yesterday, Dame Lois dismissed the UBP's claims as "electioneering" and said Mr. Barritt had never been able to accept there could be a proper separation between the DPP's office and the Attorney General's chambers.

"It's ridiculous. I regard all this that the UBP is doing as electioneering by a very scared party who have nervous reactions that they might not win the next election," she said.

"It's preposterous. It is not the first time that John Barritt has accused me of that. He doesn't believe there can be a true separation between the DPP and the AG.

"I've told him before in Parliament he ought to be ashamed of himself accusing another lawyer of this.

"Politically, he doesn't like the idea of a political AG, but he doesn't have to sink that low.

"I used to get annoyed by this, but now what the UBP say just runs off my back. Where is this information coming from?

"I'd like to know how many leaks or information that they give you lot (the media) and you don't start checking."

The controversy arose on Monday after The Royal Gazette revealed that Tax Commissioner Heather Matthews had written to Dame Lois asking her to change her mind about how to pursue companies which owe large sums of money to Government.

She said Dame Lois did not want to sue three companies which allegedly owe more than $1 million until after they had been tried criminally.

Ms Matthews said they should be sued civilly at the same time to ensure the money is recovered.

She noted that companies which pleaded guilty in civil court had reached an agreement to pay the monies owed and it would be "embarrassing" if Government did not appear to be interested in recovering money from companies which had elected to go to criminal trial.

Dame Lois said she had been "misunderstood". She said she did not believe in criminal prosecutions for non-payment of taxes and believed the companies should be sued in the civil courts quickly.

Darrell Contracting Services is being prosecuted criminally over an alleged tax bill for $239,590, Cedarberry Limited is charged with non-payment of $414,061, and Triple Crown Racing Limited is alleged to owe $670,145.

The Royal Gazette reported yesterday that Dame Lois did not return a call when asked for comment. The newspaper accepts that a message left at Dame Lois's office was not passed on to her.