Allegations by the United Bermuda Party (UBP) that exhibits at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival were sold in Washington DC could not be independently verified by The Royal Gazette.

MP Cole Simons made the allegations last year during a House of Assembly debate on financial overruns in connection with the festival.

He said he had spoken to someone who told him that he had purchased a quantity of Bermuda stone that was used in exhibits at the festival.

Mr. Simons demanded to know whether the money from the sale was now in Government coffers.

Minister Terry Lister, who had overall responsibility for the festival, said he had no knowledge of such a transaction ever taking place.

When contacted by The Royal Gazette, Mr. Simons declined to provide the name and contact details of the alleged purchaser, saying he did not want to get involved publicly.

Nor did the purchaser call this newspaper, as requested of Mr. Simons, to discuss details of the sale.

"I understand what you are trying to do but I have to protect the person.

"He just didn't want to get involved publicly because he's a high profile person," Mr. Simons said.

When pressed he could not provide further details on the transaction such as how much money changed hands, who it was paid to and whether it was a transaction between two private individuals.

"All I know is he purchased Bermuda stone from the exhibits," Mr. Simons said.

Government was a major sponsor of Bermuda's participation in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival last summer.

Vast quantities of exhibits were shipped to Washington DC and it remains unclear whether the items sold were owned by private individuals or Government.

Mr. Simons admitted that it was possible that the items belonged to a private party and not to Government.

"That could happen," he said.

"But it depends on the arrangements the concessionaire had with the Bermuda Government - whether Bermuda Government bought all the stone" or simply paid for it to be transferred.