Hamilton Deputy Mayor Donal Smith last night hit back at continued accusations that he has a business stake in building a hotel on the Par-la-Ville site.

“I have nothing to hide,” he said.

Up until yesterday, the City's website was still showing Mr Smith as “co-founder and executive vice president of Par-la-Ville Hotel & Residences Ltd. which will develop the proposed hotel — St Regis Bermuda — in the City of Hamilton”.

This prompted allegations of a conflict of interest — even though Mr Smith insisted he left the company before taking office.

However, by yesterday afternoon, all reference to the Par-la-Ville company had disappeared from his biography on the site.

“We have been asking and asking for the website to be adjusted,” Mr Smith said. “Last week, former Mayor Gosling's face was taken off. I really don't know what the problem was. We have been asking for ten months and for some reason, whether it's a technical difficulty or not, it has not been done.”

Developer Michael Maclean now heads the company seeking to build the city hotel.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Economic Development confirmed that Government was in talks with the developer.

“As discussions are ongoing, it would be imprudent to comment on the proposed Par-la-Ville development,” he added.

Useful website: www.cityofhamilton.bm.