Deputy Premier Ewart Brown did not declare the proceeds from the Washington luncheon in the Register of Interests ? but, according to Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister Trevor Moniz, he should have. The only MP to have declared anything under any of the three categories labelled ?Sponsorship?, ?Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality?, and ?Overseas Benefits and Gifts? currently is in fact Mr. Moniz, who meticulously noted that he receives sponsorship from the United Bermuda Party.

Mr. Moniz noted yesterday, however, that the only declaration he is aware of that should have been made under those categories would have been the proceeds to Dr. Brown?s personal election campaign derived from the 2002 Washington luncheon.

Despite repeated calls from Mr. Moniz for MPs to maintain the Register, it is clearly still not up to date, with several glaring holes in the recorded information which should be filled.

The most obvious is Shadow Education Minister Neville Darrell, who is still listed as being a Senator (he left the Senate when he was elected to the House of Assembly in 2003) and, according to the Register, is currently unemployed. The last time Mr. Darrell updated the Register was in 2002. As for Dr. Brown, the seventh category on the Register, ?Overseas Benefits and Gifts?, states: ?Have you, or your spouse to your knowledge, received any gift of a value greater than $500 or any material advantage of a value greater than 0.5 percent of the current parliamentary salary from or on behalf of any foreign Government organisation or person which in any way relates to your Membership of the Legislature??

In November, 2000 Dr. Brown indicated ?NO?. According to the Register, Dr. Brown?s information has not been updated since that date.

However Mr. Moniz said the proceeds from the 2002 Washington luncheon, where guests paid $2,500 in cheques payable to ?Dr. Ewart Brown (PLP)? to lunch with the then-Transport Minister with the proceeds going to his personal election campaign in the run up to the 2003 General Election, should have been declared under that category.

?If he was fundraising, that is declarable under the Register in my view. He should have declared it. The political parties don?t have to declare funds they have raised. If the money goes to an individual, it?s declarable.?