Premier Ewart Brown has vowed the Progressive Labour Party will continue to accept large donations from foreigners ? even if it leads to allegations of corruption.

This week former Premier Alex Scott warned such donors could want sweetheart deals in exchange for hefty cash gifts.

But Dr. Brown said not everything offered would be taken.

Asked if donators would be vetted he said: "Leaders have to have the ability to just say 'no' to people who are not considered to be upstanding.

"But you don't turn down financial assistance because people might accuse you of things and accuse you of wrongdoing.

"We are going to accept donations from friends, regardless of the UBP or any other detractor."

The Premier is hosting a four-day gala fundraiser in January with top packages priced at $25,000 - with publicity being pitched both here and overseas.

Asked if accepting such donations would leave the Government continually open to people pointing the finger if that donor benefited down the line Dr. Brown said: "One must always be willing and able to say 'no' whether one accepts a financial donation or not.

"Now the UBP, I assume, did not allow the Bank of Bermuda to run the Government in the 1980s and 1990s, even though the Bank of Bermuda contributed to the United Bermuda Party campaign. And there were other contributors.

"Both parties have had contributors who have made sizeable contributions and some of them have won a government contract or something later.

"But that doesn't disqualify them. It doesn't mean they bought it either."

Asked if he was worried the fundraising risked disillusioning traditional PLP supporters he said: "Not at all. There are some people who think because you represent poor people you have to be poor.

"I don't share that view. And there are some people who think the PLP should be assigned to bake sales for raising money. I don't take that view.

"I take the view that in this modern world there are people who would love to assist us on our mission.

"They come from all parts of the world and we will accept their contributions as long as we believe they are being made in earnest and there is no promise made because of a donation."

Earlier Bermuda was among other Overseas Territories which agreed to implement the UN convention against corruption.

Dr. Brown said: "Bermuda leads the way in those areas. There was no association at this meeting between Bermuda and corruption."