The head of Bermuda's public golf courses said accounting practices are now in line with industry standards and denied that previous trustees had mismanaged public funds.

Wendell Brown's comments came after Opposition MP Patricia Gordon-Pamplin accused former trustees of mismanaging funds based on financial reports from 2002-2005, which were tabled in the House of Assembly at the end of 2009.

Mr. Brown became chairman of the board of trustees that oversees management of the Island's public courses, in 2007.

The statements appeared to show the courses — Port Royal, St. George's and Ocean View — went from a $1.4 million operating profit in 2001 to an operating loss of $237,000 in 2005.

Former Auditor General Larry Dennis said he was unable to give an opinion on the reports because of "serious deficiencies in the accounting records of the Board and in the system of internal controls" in his Auditor's Report finished in 2007.

Yesterday Mr. Brown said he believed it was inaccurate to accuse the former trustees of mismanagement.

"Prior to this current board there was an issue with the golf courses' accounts," he said. "The accountant that was administering the accounts was deemed to be inadequate and replaced by a local accountant firm.

"Our management accounts are currently up to date to December 31, 2009 and we await audit of past financial years."

And, Mr. Brown said, the 1.6 million drop in profits during the four-year period in question was not the trustees' fault.

"During that period the rounds of golf played in Bermuda trended downward and this is largely attributed to the reduction in the number of air arrival tourists that came to the Island during that time frame," he said. "All golf courses in Bermuda would have experienced a similar reduction in rounds played."

Mr. Brown also said he supported the former trustees' performance and said one of their mandates had been to develop Port Royal Golf Course, which was completed last year and later hosted the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

He said the current board is facing the same financial hardships previous boards did: "This current board has faced challenges of reduced rounds of golf played at our courses and has acted proactively by cutting cost where appropriate, while at the same time trying to maintain a high standard of service and good course maintenance.

"All golf courses, in Bermuda and elsewhere in the world, are challenged by the current recession."