Disgruntled members warn Bermuda set to suffer By Henry Adderley The exodus of members from an East End timeshare resort is well under way and Bermuda tourism is set to suffer.

The warning came yesterday from St. George's Club member Brackett Clark, who backed a call to revise timeshare regulations in Bermuda.

Mr. Clark said: "Government, in particular Tourism Director Gary Phillips, should be aware that the exodus from the St. George's Club is well underway.'' "Unless Government dramatically revises its timeshare regulations to protect the interval owner/investor, and does this very soon, further erosion of St.

George's Club membership will occur, fewer dollars will come to Bermuda, and worst of all, Bermuda will permanently suffer from yet another black eye relating to the mismanagement and lack of control of its time sharing industry.'' St. George's Club member-investor John Vossler sparked the call for timeshare laws to be revised recently.

It was answered by Tourism Director Gary Phillips who said the regulations governing timeshares were set to be revised by 1999.

Mr. Vossler claimed earlier that recent fee levies at the club had contributed to six percent of the club's members walking away from their membership weeks at the facility.

Current club developer, Alistair Woolf, has levied an additional special assessment fee on members coupled with rising yearly maintenance fees.

Mr. Clark added: "That is relatively minor compared to the much larger loss of tourism dollars resulting from members either trading their units to RCI exchanges -- who often are less likely to spend similar amounts of money -- or more particularly, those of us members who, although we continue to pay the exorbitant maintenance and special fees charged by Mr. Woolf, do not use our units at all.

"Certainly this is beneficial to Mr. Woolf, but only to him, for Bermuda once again loses the tourism dollars that I would spend were I on Island.'' Mr. Clark's feelings echo those of other members including E. Vincent O'Brien.

Mr. O'Brien called the situation at the timeshare resort severe and said: "I am disappointed and amazed at the Bermuda Government's willingness to acquiesce in the intolerable financial situation imposed upon club members.'' He claimed that when he and his wife made their purchases at St. George's Club in 1996, they inquired to find out if any increases in assessments were likely.

"We were assured by representatives of the owner, not once, but several times, that assessments were scheduled for reduction, rather than increases, in the next few years.'' However, within eight months of the purchase, the O'Briens were hit with a special assessment which was larger that their entire annual maintenance fees.

Mr. O'Brien asked: "What is to be done? "If the Bermuda Government is going to allow time share sales, then it seems to me that a minimum level of financial responsibility standards and requirements should be established, with supervision, by Government.

"When similar complaints are received from a number of Bermuda's most loyal visitors, and those complaints and warnings are ignored, Bermuda's Government is risking nothing less than the future of its tourism industry.''