Government will not be buying a unique collection of 18th century convict carvings salvaged from Dockyard waters by diver Mr. Chriss Adams.

Finance Minister the Hon. Dr. David Saul yesterday said while Government had not formally turned down the offer, no funds had been set aside in the Budget to purchase the carvings.

"There is nothing in the Budget for the purchase of anything like this,'' he said.

He added Government had been approached ten years ago with an offer for the collection, but turned it down.

"At that time Government said they were not interested in purchasing them,'' he said. "I said I did not see any change.'' In a meeting with collection owner Mr. Chriss Adams, Dr. Saul together with Cultural Affairs Minister the Hon. Wayne Furbert, Cabinet Secretary Mr. Leo Mills and Cultural Affairs director Mr. Henry Douglas, advised Mr. Adams that Government would not be buying the collection for the time being.

But Dr. Saul would not specify the size of the offer. Nor would Mr. Douglas, who claimed he was "not sure'' of the asking price.

Dr. Saul claimed the real issue for Government was not just the cost of the carvings but what to do with them.

Yesterday, Mr. Barry Capuano of Capcar Enterprises, a promotional firm employed by Mr. Adams to sell the collection, said Government had turned down their offer.

"They said they wouldn't buy it outright,'' he said.

He also refused to name his asking price, except to say it was "very reasonable''.

He added an evaluation made New York company, O'Toole and Ewald Art Associates had been used as an asking price.

But in light of Government's decision, Mr. Capuano said three options were now being considered by his client -- the most favoured being the West End Development Corporation's offer to house the collection in a special hulk replica at Dockyard.

But Mr. Capuano emphasised there was no question of the collection leaving the Island in spite of generous offers from overseas buyers. One London buyer had offered to buy the entire collection for more than the asking price, he said.

"It is tough when there is someone willing to pay the price to turn them down,'' he said. "But both Chriss and I both feel the carvings belong here ... one way or the other they will stay here,'' he said.

Two other non-government proposals were also being examined, Mr. Capuano said.

But both he and his client hoped to see the collection go to Wedco.

"The collection was found at Dockyard -- therefore it seems natural it should go there he said. It would not be right to have it in St. George's for example,'' he said.

Discussions, he said, were ongoing with Wedco which has not offered to buy the collection but to house it.

"We are looking at all our options,'' Mr. Capuano said. "A lot of people want bits and pieces.'' But he admitted that if no private buyers come forward, the collection could be up for auction.

"We would have to decide whether to break it up although we don't want to,'' he said.