Former faith-based tourism boss Andre Curtis fell massively short of his visitors target — and what he did with more than $130,000 of taxpayers' money remains unknown.

And five events he is said to have organised, costing more than $15,000 in total, failed to attract a single tourist.

Government figures — finally released by Premier Ewart Brown after nearly a year of unanswered questions — show Mr. Curtis' company was paid $345,250 to run the controversial scheme in 2007-08.

Mr. Curtis spent $208,089 organising 12 events throughout the year, according to Dr. Brown's answers to Parliamentary questions from Opposition Leader Kim Swan. The Premier and Tourism Minister provides no accountability for the remaining $137,161.

According to the Premier's responses, a total of 482 visitors attended faith-based tourism events throughout the fiscal year — about one fifth of the 2,200 Mr. Curtis' contract stipulated he had to attract to justify receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayers' money.

The 482 figure includes 170 who attended a Women of Vision event at Fairmont Southampton in February — even though it appears Mr. Curtis had extremely little to do with that event.

It also includes 48 visitors who went to a United Theological Seminar in April and 26 for Weekend Fit For A King in September — although Mr. Curtis did not contribute any funds to either.

That leaves 238 tourists who visited events to which Mr. Curtis directed money.

Dr. Brown and Mr. Curtis both deny faith-based tourism has been used as a method to get cash to Mr. Curtis as a thank you gesture for running the Premier's constituency in Warwick South Central.

Faith-based tourism has come under almost constant criticism for the past 12 months, with Mr. Curtis repeatedly providing inconsistent answers regarding how many events he organised and how many tourists had come.

About half-way through the financial year he said the number of tourists so far was 1,500, although that claim was ridiculed by many members of the church community who called The Royal Gazette.

Mr. Curtis at one stage claimed to have helped organise the Women of Vision event, although when pressed he admitted: "We didn't do much organising other than hotels."

It later emerged that weeks before Women of Vision the organisers had written to Mr. Curtis telling him they did not want his support and instructing him to remove all references to them from his website.

Since last June, Dr. Brown has exercised his right to avoid answering any questions outside the Parliamentary process despite numerous requests from this newspaper regarding the spending of taxpayers' money.

Other than the unaccounted $137,161, the biggest chunk of cash was $70,024 spent on a joint worship service at the National Stadium last October. Bishop John Francis, who flew over from the UK to star at that show recently complained he had been left thousands of pounds out of pocket by Mr. Curtis' failure to pay him.

Another $59,928 went on Gospel singer CeCe Winans concert at Fairmont Southampton, while a performance by Jamal Bryant — another who said Mr. Curtis never paid him — cost $12,330.

Events which failed to yield a single tourist are: Intercessory Prayer in April 2007; Prayer Breakfast in June 2007; Zachery Tims (postponed) in February 2008; College Weeks For Christians in March 2008; and Mount Zion Faith Based Quiz in March 2008.

In the House of Assembly yesterday, Opposition Whip John Barritt demanded more answers from the Premier.

During the Motion to Adjourn, he said: "There are some questions with respect to the answers we were given this morning.

"We were told $374,500 was given in funding to the faith-based tourism initiative over the last fiscal year, of which $208,000 was allocated. What is missing here is, what happened to the other $166,000?"

The $374,500 refers to $345,250 paid to Mr. Curtis' company Harvest Investments and a further $29,250 rent.

Mr. Barritt continued: "I see 482 visitors as a result of spending $374,000. It didn't work out, and I look forward to the Premier responding to that.

"On the face of it, it just doesn't look like it was money well spent, and some of that money hasn't been accounted for."

Health Minister Nelson Bascome then said: "Those were questions answered this morning by written answers. Mr. Barritt can ask those questions at any other time but not today as it relates to the Order Paper."

Dr. Brown said: "Any answers with regards to faith-based tourism should be directed to me and I will find out the answers."

He said the answers given in the House yesterday morning "did not represent a financial statement to faith-based tourism".

He added: "And it may come as a surprise to some that the answers will speak for themselves."