Former UBP leader Grant Gibbons last night challenged the Finance Minister to stop ?ducking the issue? of pay-to-play lunches surrounding the Bermuda pension funds.

Dr. Gibbons, speaking in the House of Assembly, asked Paula Cox whether a review into ?serious allegations about impropriety? had been completed and what the results were.

?There are serious allegations of pay-to-play and other issues,? he said. ?On this side (of the House) we are certainly not happy about the whole ducking the issue of pay-to-play and some other serious allegations about propriety.?

The allegations first surfaced when it was revealed that Government?s pension fund consultant Tina Poitevien had arranged what has been termed a luncheon for Deputy Premier Ewart Brown.

Guests, who were allegedly all money managers or consultants either connected with or potentially connected with the Bermuda pension funds, were asked to pay $2,500 to attend the luncheon, cheques reportedly being made payable to ?Dr. Ewart Brown (PLP)?.

Dr. Brown, who was Transport Minister at the time, termed the luncheon a ?fundraising? event, saying that the funds then went into his personal election campaign in the 2003 General Election.

Others ? Dr. Gibbons included ? described the luncheon as a ?shocking example? of pay-to-play, the practice whereby money managers pay money towards those in power in order to ?play? or do business with them later.

Dr. Gibbons told MPs last night that it was their responsibility to ensure those involved were held accountable.

He has been asking for the review into the Island?s pension funds ? carried out by consultant Al Kiel of Canadian firm Morneau Sobeco ? to be made public since it was announced by the Government last year.

Ms Cox did not respond to his comments in the House last night. Dr. Gibbons later criticised the Minister for failing to answer his question. ?We want to know has it been completed and what are the results?? he said.

Ms. Cox?s Public Funds Amendment Act 2006 got its second and third readings in the House last night and was passed.

The legislation will increase the size of the Bermuda Public Funds Investment Committee, which advises the Minister on how to invest funds from the Government employees? pension fund and Bermuda?s general contributory pension fund.

Ms Cox said increasing the size of the committee to not less than five but not more than seven members would improve its efficiency and effectiveness by drawing on more expertise from the private sector.

She reported that by the end of 2005 the Island?s contributory pension fund had grown by almost $93.37 million to $1.03 billion, with investment gains of $83.12 million.

The Government employees? pension fund rose by more than $24.8 million to $358.2 million.