The Prime Minister of Dominica has publicly severed ties with a Bahamian businessman who claimed he was bringing a host of stars to Bermuda for an awards ceremony.

Roosevelt Skerrit announced in parliament that he had terminated the Government?s relationship with Dr. Rudolph King, chairman of the King Humanitarian and Global Vision Foundation, which is believed to have folded.

Dr. King hit the headlines in Bermuda in March after claiming he was bringing Hollywood actors Halle Berry and Will Smith and South African Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu to the Island for a glittering event at the Fairmont Southampton.

His credentials were called into question after checks by revealed that many of the big-name guests knew nothing about the ceremony and had never heard of Dr. King.

Mr. Skerrit made a statement about Dr. King, who had pledged to provide Dominica with a new library among other promises, in parliament earlier this month but did not say why the relationship had ended.

He later told the Commonwealth country?s The Sun newspaper that the decision was based on information that Dr. King had amassed a large unpaid bill at a local travel agency and was involved in dispute in his country with a contractor.

Dr. King?s lawyer told the paper he did not owe money and Dr. King himself said: ?I don?t have a relationship with the prime minister.?

Dr. King was declared bankrupt in the Bahamas Supreme Court in March ? the result of an unpaid debt on house renovations.

A Bahamian tabloid reported the following month that he had resigned as chairman of his own charity and was taking a year off to sort out ?several legal headaches?.

Dominica Government press secretary Sean Douglas told this newspaper that Dr. King was a friend of Mr. Skerrit but was unable to confirm a claim by the businessman that he was an ambassador for Dominica.

Dr. King?s organisation had previously presented Mr. Skerrit with a Salute to Greatness Award to honour the prime minister?s ?contribution? to education.

Mr. Skerrit said he would not return the award he received about a year ago.

?There is no basis for returning it. My concern is about future engagements, that?s why we are saying any future (relationship) must come to an end.?

Mr. Skerrit said Dr. King ?never was and never will be? a Dominican ambassador.