Bermuda's big two political groups do not want the voters to know where the parties get their cash.

Progressive Labour Party Leader Jennifer Smith refused to comment on donations.

Instead, she passed the buck to a public relations officer -- who refused to discuss funding.

And Premier David Saul, leader of the United Bermuda Party, said: "We don't give out that information at all.'' He explained: "People who make donations don't want their names all over the place -- it's as straightforward as that. We don't even talk about it.'' And he said as far as he was aware there had never been any suggestions that donations be made public.

The UBP, however, is believed to be supported by big business, both Bermudian and non-Bermudian, to a much greater degree than the Opposition.

The PLP is understood to rely heavily on personal donations of money and time from the party faithful.

But the Opposition -- which recently mounted a charm offensive aimed at international business -- has also launched a fundraising drive aimed at pulling in $600,000.

And a radio news story last month claimed that business interests on the Island had chipped in to pay off the mortgage on the party HQ, Alaska Hall.

The story, however, was later denied by party chairman Victor Fishington.

PLP bosses were asked about the response from the business community to their latest fundraising drive and what the proceeds might be used for.

But the party spokesman said: "The PLP policy has always been not to discuss the details of its fundraising, for all of the proper reasons, including the fact that on the matters of private donations, some are typically made on a confidential basis.'' He added that the party's policy was not to disclose details of its treasury matters.

A spokeswoman at the British Labour Party's London HQ said all donations over 5,000 ($8,000), whether from individuals or companies, are listed in the National Executive Council's annual report.

She explained that a string of allegations of sleaze against the ruling Conservative Party, which led to a special committee being set up, had prompted the move.

The spokeswoman added: "We thought it was best to come clean and make public where our money was coming from. We don't want to hide anything.'' A spokeswoman for the British Conservative Party, however, said it was not party policy to discuss donations.

She said: "We never talk about funding. It's a private matter concerning whoever wants to donate to the party.'' But in Britain, the election expenses for individual candidates are limited by law, there is a register of interests for MPs, and many companies publish political donations in their annual reports.

In the Cayman Islands -- often compared to Bermuda -- there is no real party system in the legislature and donations do not have to be made public.

Source of funds to stay a secret But the islands' parliamentarians recently introduced new laws to limit the election expenditure of individual candidates and enforce strict accounting.

In the US, the Democratic Party has returned nearly $3 million in 1996 campaign donations which were considered "illegal, inappropriate or questionable'' after fears over potential attempts to influence US policy.

The National Liberal Party in 1985 promised to pass legislation forcing political parties to publish their accounts -- if they won an election.

The NLP also made an election pledge in September 1985 to open up their own books. But the plan was later dropped because it was "not in the best interests of the party.''