Government is amending timeshare legislation next year which may include allowing members to own their units for longer periods of time.

Timeshare members at the St. George's Club have complained bitterly that their letters to Government seeking to amend the rules to bring them into line with the United States have been ignored.

They say they are without a voice and have been powerless while management of the club - whose fee structure must be approved by Government - continue to hike up fees.

The group say unless the timeshare rules are amended to extend beyond 25 years - and the rate hikes do not continue - they may be forced into a "mass exodus" which would result in the St. George's Club closing down.

Tourism Minister Renee Webb admitted yesterday that not all letters are acknowledged, but she told The Royal Gazette new legislation is being developed to amend timeshare legislation.

This will look at extending the maximum period a timeshare can be owned to extend it beyond the current 25 years.

And it will also look at updating the legislation to take into account lease back units which a number of hotels such as Lantana are trying to develop, where a customer can lease a room or apartment for part of the year but the hotel must be able to use it for the rest of the time.

Ms Webb said although not all letters to the timeshare members were acknowledged, work was being carried out on reviewing timeshare laws.

In a letter to The Royal Gazette, Abraham Leunissen of the St. George's Club Membership Group, states: "The ignorance of the current Bermuda Government can only be matched by its apparent self-satisfaction with its own operations with regard to tourism, which has floundered over the years.

"Ever since we have been members and owners of several timeshares at the St. George's Club, we have been amazed at the utter disregard for a group of tourists who to any other government in any other country would be considered ambassadors for their tourism industry.

"Instead, we have only met with reluctance by Government to even listen to our complaints or suggestions. Any of our remarks have fallen on deaf ears.

"Government failed to see that we are not asking for any Government handouts, simply its support in avoiding one group of tourists being exploited under the guise of `stimulating Bermuda tourism'. We merely wanted an equal footing, similar to the rules that govern the timeshare industry in the USA.

"In essence, many of us will be forced into a situation where we may sooner or later be forced into disposing of our St. George's Club cottages. A mass exodus will mean the demise of the club, and that does not bode well for Bermuda tourism. "The solutions that the current government has tried to find has lead to more cruise passengers and more hotel closings. Perhaps it is time the Bermuda people need to send their government on a cruise."

Ms Webb told The Royal Gazette: "It sounds like he is frustrated, which is unfortunate, but we are amending the timeshare legislation and we are doing what we can.

"The only complaint I am privy to was about conditions at the St. George's Club and we have inspectors to look at that.

"In terms of whether or not all letters to Tourism get acknowledged, no. That would be totally unrealistic.

"I don't know about blanking him, but we are looking at the timeshare legislation, and it has nothing to do with their letter.

"We are amending the current legislation legislation to bring it up to date and length (of timeshare) is one thing we are looking at."