Premier Alex Scott has refused to respond to a request from for a face-to-face interview on the as yet unanswered pay-to-play allegations involving Deputy Premier Ewart Brown and Public Funds Investment Committee (PFIC) chairman Calvin White.

The request and a list of accompanying questions was submitted to Government Communications director Beverle Lottimore last week, with Ms Lottimore confirming she had forwarded them to Mr. Scott (pictured). She said she had ?no idea? when or if the Premier would reply.

Late last week, Finance Minister Paula Cox admitted that the ongoing review of the administration of public pension funds had been commissioned because of the allegations, although she also confirmed that the review had not investigated them directly.

Ms Cox said it would not be ?appropriate, desirable or wise? for her to comment on the alleged activities involving Dr. Brown and Mr. White, while insisting it was not the Minister of Finance?s responsibility to examine their behaviour.

Instead, she said her remit only allows her to review and ?enhance? the processes and procedures of the administration of public pension funds to ensure ?best practice? and the eradication of conflicts of interest.

Ms Cox added that she had no intention of firing Mr. White, instead praising him for volunteering to take a leave of absence from his post while the review was being conducted.

Armed with these comments, has been attempting to contact the Premier for three consecutive working days to uncover whether Dr. Brown?s and Mr. White?s alleged indiscretions have been investigated in any form. There has been no response, however, despite repeated e-mail requests and phone messages through the Department of Information and Communication.

The pay-to-play controversy first came to light in April when it was alleged that current or prospective money managers of Bermuda?s public pension funds dished out $2,500 to have lunch with Dr. Brown in Washington, DC ? an occasion designed to raise money for the Tourism Minister?s personal election campaign.

The 15 guests included some of Bermuda?s pension fund managers and stockbrokers who traded with them and were invited by Government pension fund consultant Tina Poitevien.

Dr. Brown has denied he used his position to generate funds from people who profited from their relationship with the Government and the PFIC while Ms Poitevien has characterised the lunch as a meeting of close personal friends. It was subsequently discovered, however, that most of the invitees had never met Dr. Brown or only knew him slightly.

Suspicions that something was amiss were further raised when it emerged that Mr. White had been responsible for inviting 47 American money managers to a Progressive Labour Party fundraising golf day in May, 2003.