Concerns have been raised that anti-gang organisation CARTEL is not a registered charity, despite winning a Government lease to use White’s Island for “charitable purposes”.The organisation does not feature on the latest list of registered charities issued by Government on July 12.Government has specified that CARTEL (Challenging and Reclaiming the True Essence of Life) must use the island, in Hamilton Harbour, for “adventure training activities for the betterment of the people of Bermuda”.However, a 75-year-old man has complained that the venue was recently used for a series of noisy late night parties, which kept Harbour Road residents awake.Inquiries by The Royal Gazette revealed that CARTEL gave permission for the company Party People Entertainment to use the venue for the Fantasy Island Weekend series on July 13, 14, and 15.Opposition politician Mark Pettingill said both pieces of news should prompt inquiries by Government into the issue of the lease.“CARTEL is supposed to be keeping people on the straight and narrow and yet they are allowing raves to go on there. That’s interesting,” said the Shadow Public Works Minister.“And if they are not a valid charity, is the lease valid or does it need to be set aside? Did they get the lease under false pretences if they are not a registered charity?”The Royal Gazette reported on July 27 that CARTEL was given a rent-free lease for White’s Island by Government — and has been charging another charity to use the land.The lease was not tabled in the House of Assembly for approval by MPs.Leases of public land for 21 years and longer need parliamentary permission, but the one given to CARTEL was for one day shy of 21 years, meaning no approval was required.Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) is now being charged a fee by CARTEL to use the land for summer camps for children.In response to inquiries from this newspaper, a spokesman for the Ministry of Government Estates said last week: “On September 28, 2010, the Government entered into a 21 years less one day lease with CARTEL for the latter’s use of White’s Island as ‘a facility for adventure training activities for the betterment of the people of Bermuda’.“The White’s Island lease is rent-free, as the Minister with responsibility for public lands [the Minister of Public Works] was satisfied that the island would be used for charitable purposes.”Mr Pettingill said: “The words ‘charitable purpose’ infers that CARTEL is a charity, which is misleading. The lease for the land has to be in writing and it has to be in the name of a legal entity — a company, a person, a charity or a corporation.“Whose name is this lease in? If the lease is granted for a particular purpose, that becomes a term of the lease and it [the island] has to be used for that purpose.“If it isn’t being used for that purpose, there needs to be an inquiry as to why and who is benefiting from that. It seems to me if people are having parties out there that’s not part of the charitable intent of what it was set up for.”The local resident affected by the noise told The Royal Gazette the parties went on until around 3am and featured the use of loud amplifiers.“My concern, in light of the news that broke about CARTEL, is are they renting this [island] out for parties? They are supposed to be using this for some sort of rehabilitation,” said the man, who asked that his name not be printed.Mr Pettingill said the One Bermuda Alliance will table parliamentary questions over the lease when Parliament reconvenes.Inquiries by The Royal Gazette prompted a response from Keidric Smith, the organiser for Party People Entertainment, which hosted Fantasy Island Weekend.He said the first such weekend was held two years ago with permission from the Department of Youth and Sport. It was held this year with permission from CARTEL.“This event was not a collaboration between CARTEL and Party People Entertainment, but because of legacy issues, was allowed by (CARTEL founder) Mr (Leroy) Bean,” he said.Mr Smith said his company paid a “nominal fee” to CARTEL for cleaning the bathrooms and providing transport to and from the island.He added that Party People went through the “proper procedures to obtain all the permits needed to host the event, which include the noise permits”.He acknowledged there were complaints from “a few Harbour Road residents” which, he said, meant the company reduced the noise levels on all three nights.The Royal Gazette has repeatedly asked Government for a copy of the lease since July 23, to no avail. No response was forthcoming in response to questions about CARTEL’s charitable status and the use of the island for parties.Efforts to reach Mr Bean, the PLP’s election candidate for St George’s South, proved unsuccessful.