Faith-Based Tourism project manager quizzed
A project manager for Faith-Based Tourism [FBT] was quizzed by prosecutor Kirsty-Ann Kiellor yesterday over events run during a Government contract.Henry Campbell worked as a project manager at FBT for Andre Curtis, who was handed a $400,000 deal to organise ten faith events and attract 2,200 tourists to Bermuda between April 2007 and April 2008.According to evidence earlier yesterday from the Department of Tourism’s financial controller, Richard Scott, Mr Curtis failed to provide evidence that he brought that number of tourists in.That resulted in Government refusing to pay him the last installment of his contract [see main story.]Quizzed over the events, Mr Campbell, who was being paid $1,000 per week, admitted some of them were not well attended and he had hazy knowledge of others.He recalled that it was hard to get sponsorship from companies, as most exempt companies are not allowed to sponsor religious events.Opposition MP Wayne Furbert had also begun to ask questions about FBT in Parliament.“We got a lot of cold shoulders,” recalled Mr Campbell.Mr Curtis told Government he had arranged a series of events, although Mr Campbell said it had been tough to verify details about them.Asked by the prosecutor about each listed event in turn, Mr Campbell, who worked for FBT from April to September 2007 said:n SECOND ANNUAL JOINT WORSHIP SERVICE: “That was with Bishop Francis at the National Stadium … I did not attend it.” Mr Campbell described the event as “an international service type meeting”. He could not say how many overseas visitors attended.n A NATION AT RISK: Mr Campbell said this was at the Hamilton Princess Hotel and featured motivational speaker Cindy Trimm. “It was more of a speakers’ conference,” he recalled, saying there “weren’t many” overseas visitors. “I don’t recall. I probably saw ten or 12 (listed) on a sheet.”n CE-CE WINANS CONCERT: Mr Campbell said he organised and attended this event in November 2007, describing Ms Winans as “a vocal gospel artist”.He said: “Again, I can’t really recall exactly how many (international visitors) there were, but there were not that many.” He added that it was “mostly locals that were there”.n TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL: Mr Campbell said this featured Jamal Bryant. He explained that his role was to confirm the contract and hotel accommodation.n DARIUS BROOKS AND DONALD LAWRENCE CONCERT: “I don’t remember that taking place,” said Mr Campbell. “It may have been on a schedule but it may not have happened.”n WOVEN: Mr Campbell said this featured “Pastor Lambe” but he left the FBT office to move to the Bermuda Housing Corporation before the event happened.n REVIVAL IN THE LAND: Mr Campbell said he was involved in setting this up, but did not attend.n SAVING THE YOUTH: Mr Campbell said that “to the best of my knowledge, that didn’t happen”.He thought it may have involved someone named Lakita Garth. When prosecutor Ms Kiellor suggested it was in fact Joseph Jennings, he said: “That does not ring a bell.”n COLLEGE WEEKS FOR CHRISTIANS: “That did not happen,” said Mr Campbell, before adding that “maybe I got mixed up,” between this event and Saving the Youth.n ALL-STAR CELEBRITY EASTER WEEKEND: “I do not remember that,” said Mr Campbell.n YOUTH CHOIR EXTRAVAGANZA: When the name of this event was read to him by the prosecutor, Mr Campbell simply replied: “No.”