David Burt has declined to explain why his Butterfield Bank account is no longer operational.

The Premier has been given multiple opportunities to address the matter after a money transfer to his account from The Royal Gazette did not go through last week.

Mr Burt had previously made a public point of insisting he maintained an account with the bank in the wake of controversy sparked when a senior government MP said in February that the institution was shutting down four accounts including those of two Progressive Labour Party premiers.

Asked at the time whether he was one of the two PLP premiers that Derrick Burgess said were being “kicked out” of the bank, Mr Burt said that he would make a money transfer to a staff member of The Royal Gazette to prove he still had a financial relationship with the bank.

When questioned at a press conference on whether he was one of the premiers referred to, Mr Burt said: “We are here to talk about the Budget. I am not going to talk about individual comments that are made by individual members of the House of Assembly, otherwise we will be here all day.”

The $20 was transferred nine days later on March 3 from an account and then returned.

However, when The Royal Gazette again tried to pay money into the same account last week, it was unable to do so.

The Royal Gazette understands the people Mr Burgess originally referred to were given three months’ notice by Butterfield Bank that their personal accounts would be terminated on February 15.

It was further understood that other accounts, such as corporate ones and asset management facilities, would take longer to wind down.

Despite questions being put to Mr Burt himself, the Government’s information service, and the Progressive Labour Party, no explanation for the situation has been offered.

Butterfield Bank has declined to comment on the matter.

After Mr Burgess’s remarks in Parliament in February, the bank said: “Butterfield conducts ongoing reviews of customer account balances and transactional activity to ensure compliance with applicable local and international laws and regulatory standards.

“Any decision to terminate an account is consistent with Butterfield’s general terms and conditions and within the bank’s contractual right.”

Mr Burgess, Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, told MPs that Butterfield had terminated the accounts of four people, including two PLP premiers, without giving them a proper reason.

Referring to Butterfield, he told the House of Assembly: “They are now kicking people out of the bank. And sending them letters — you have got ’til February to get out, and really giving no reason.”

He added: “Those four people that I know of include two premiers of this country.

“It is not right, and I am talking about premiers in the Progressive Labour Party. I don’t know if this has affected others on the other side [One Bermuda Alliance].”

Alex Scott, who was PLP premier between 2003 and 2006, said the situation did not involve him.