More than 400 delegates from around the world are expected to attend a conference of black mayors hosted by the Corporation of Hamilton in October, according to organisers.

But officials from the National Conference of Black Mayors — the US group that is organising the conference — have failed to explain how $100,000 of Hamilton ratepayer money will be used to promote the event.

And at a press conference yesterday, NCBM president Michael Blunt also acknowledged that there is no mention of the conference on the NCBM website — even though the NCBM agreed to hold the conference in Bermuda four months ago.

The NCBM represents more than 650 mayors across the US, but Mr Blunt said that he expected few of these — between 75 and 100 — to attend. Instead, he claimed, mayors from Africa, China and the Caribbean will be invited.

The Corporation of Hamilton has agreed to provide the NCBM with $100,000 to promote the event — even though the leadership of the organisation is currently split and the subject of court proceedings. Hamilton Mayor Graeme Outerbridge had earlier confirmed the donation, but said he did not know how the money was being allocated.

And asked by The Royal Gazette yesterday how those funds will be spent, Mr Blunt avoided talking in specifics.

“To have a convention here, there is costs that we have to incur — promotions, getting staff ready, talking to travel agents, getting speakers together, so there’s a lot of things — that is part of that,” he said.

He added that the NCBM normally charged $250,000 to organise its own conferences, “so we went less to come here to Bermuda, and I think it’s a great thing”.

He then questioned why he was being asked to account for the funds, saying: “When you do tourism promotions, and you’re sending out videos, and getting videos being made, and letting people know all around the world about Bermuda, have you ever asked the question, how much did it cost to do that? Do you know how much it costs?”

Alderman Carlton Simmons, who was also at yesterday’s conference, stepped in saying that Mr Blunt did not have a responsibility to answer questions.

“Any ratepayer that wishes to find out that information, separate and apart from The Royal Gazette, can find out that information,” Mr Simmons said. “Given the tone of previous questions, and the way you’ve handled the Corporation, we’re not too keen on talking to you at this moment. That’s of your own doing, but the rest of the media, or anyone else who wants that information, will get it in due course.”

Asked why there was no reference to the conference on the NCBM website, Mr Blunt replied: “I think that that probably next week it’s going to be there.

The conference is not until October. We talk business with China and our contacts in Africa on an ongoing basis, it’s not just because of this conference. When you’re conducting business yo have to talk to other countries about different things.”

And asked how many of the NCBM’s 650 US-based members he expected to attend, he replied: “I’m looking at about 75 to 100.

“They’re going to have to spend a little bit of money. Some people are in election mode. That’s just from America. We’re not talking about Senegal, we’re not talking about Africa, we’re not talking about Colombia, we’re not talking about China.”

Deputy Mayor Donal Smith defended the cost of the conference, claiming that it would bring business and international exposure to the Island

“This is the 40th [NCBM] conference, and I’ve been busy working my business and my contacts in the Caribbean, and you’re going to see, if not all, you’re going to have most of the heads of governance throughout the Caricom region attending, along with mayors of the regions,” he said

“And so they don’t just come to come, they come to enjoy our retail, they come to enjoy our restaurants, and they come to enjoy our hotels. And with that, that costs money, and so the uplift, and the uptake, is that they will be putting down money, and that’s what Bermuda needs.

“We need to do more of these types of conferences, not because it’s a black mayor’s conference, but more conferences wherein large groups can come to Bermuda, and enjoy us, and enjoy our hospitality. We introduced resort tourism to the world, and it’s about heads for beds, and that’s why we’re doing this.

“We are looking at right now a minimum of 400 attendees, and those attendees are not just mayors there are people who support mayors. They range from anywhere from Africa, we’ve got Uganda interested, we’ve had Nigeria interested, Senegal, Brazil, even the Chinese have now contacted the president of the NCBM, and they’re interested, so we’re not just talking about black mayors, we’re talking about latino mayors from all throughout the South America, and the African diaspora.”

Deputy Mayor Smith first put forward the idea of hosting the conference after he met with NCBM officials at an international mayors’ conference in September last year.

“It wasn’t until I met with the directors of the conference last year that I got a real sense of understanding that Bermuda could host this conference — and why not,” he said.

“And so we set out to do our negotiations with the directors of the NCBM and now we’re here.”