The Bermuda Tourism Authority spends $18,617 a month on its Washington Mall offices, Tourism Minister Shawn Crockwell told MPs in response to parliamentary questions.

The organisation has met 11 times thus far, Mr Crockwell added.

He said payments for the BTA’s premises commenced on August 1, 2014, after four months rent free.

The BTA’s lease on the office will run until January 31, 2020. The office is $10,806 for rental; storage costs $404 a month, and car parking is $300, which service charges are $5,427 and tax is $1,680.

The offices cost the BTA $178,000 to furnish. The Authority spent $52,000 on a telephone system, $38,000 on printers and $65,000 on IT. Contracts in excess of $50,000 were not put out to tender, Mr Crockwell told Shadow Minister of Finance David Burt.

Parliament also heard that the BTA loaned $180,000 to the entertainment company Whitfield Group to repair the tent at Pier Six, which was damaged by Hurricane Fay last October.

The principal sum of the loan is due back in 12 months’ time, although Mr Crockwell said he was not privy to details such as interest that might have been charged. The BTA has also paid $110,000 to manage Hamilton’s visitor information centre, while $96,000 a year has gone to manage the St George’s centre.