Andre Curtis is now facing criticism from both sides of the Atlantic after an American pastor revealed the former faith-based tourism boss failed to pay him for his performance.

Baltimore-based Jamal Bryant flew over for the two-day Taking It To The Next Level show at St. Paul's AME Church last November. But even though Mr. Curtis received hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars to run the controversial scheme in 2007-08, Dr. Bryant says he has not been paid for his efforts.

His claims come a few days after British-based Bishop John Francis told The Royal Gazette he had been left thousands of pounds out of pocket by Mr. Curtis following his appearance at the National Stadium last October. Mr. Curtis runs Premier and Tourism Minister Ewart Brown's Progressive Labour Party constituency in Warwick South Central.

Both deny faith-based tourism has been used as a method for Dr. Brown to get cash to Mr. Curtis as a thank you gesture.

Marlinda Henry, executive assistant to Dr. Bryant, told this newspaper: "Pastor Bryant is upset that he has not received payment from Andre Curtis and faith-based tourism. It's pretty much the same as Bishop Francis. Dr. Bryant did come out of pocket. I can't disclose the amount — it is what it is. We don't base everything on money, but this is how Pastor Bryant makes his living."

Asked whether Mr. Curtis had made promises that he would be paid, she replied: "We were told that was going to happen — there's several e-mails — and we never received it at all. It never showed up."

To justify his $400,000 payment, Mr. Curtis was supposed to organise ten events throughout the year, bringing 2,200 tourists to the Island.

Mr. Curtis has given inconsistent answers when asked how many events he actually set up. Dr. Brown and the Department of Tourism have refused to answer questions over how many visitors have been attracted but Opposition MP Wayne Furbert, a vocal critic of Mr. Curtis, maintains the figure is 100 at the most. Depending on which of Mr. Curtis' versions of events you believe, Dr. Bryant's show was either the fifth or sixth faith-based tourism gathering of 2007-08.

When this newspaper turned up to review its first night, door staff pointed to row after row of empty seats and said it was likely to be cancelled.

The Royal Gazette's A Right To Know: Giving People Power campaign is calling for Government and other public bodies to answer questions about their activities unless they have sound and irrefutable reasons not to.

Dr. Brown describes A Right To Know as "a campaign without opposition" and says he is committed to modernising Government by introducing public access to information.

For the past nine months Dr. Brown and the Department of Tourism have refused to answer this newspaper's questions about faith-based tourism. The Premier has been exercising his right under Bermuda's existing laws to only answer questions through the Parliamentary process: when posed by MPs when the House of Assembly is sitting. Mr. Curtis did not respond to our message over the weekend and was not answering his phone yesterday.

Are you awaiting payment from Mr. Curtis? How many visitors do you think came to the Island for faith-based tourism in 2007-08? E-mail tsmith@royalgazette.bm