Government is set to issue work permits to non-Bermudians.

Labour and Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness made the unusual step yesterday of making a public appeal for people to come forward to fill several vacancies.

The jobs -- which are for dry wallers, steel erectors, welders, commercial cleaners, waiters, landscape gardeners and nannies -- have already been advertised but Government is keen to give Bermudians one last chance to apply.

But Mr. Edness said that if no-one comes forward, then he will have to issue work permits to non-Bermudians for the positions, which number between 50 and 60.

"We are under a great deal of pressure to permit a number of people in jobs because they haven't been able to get Bermudians to these jobs. I want to tell Bermudians about these jobs to see if whether or not somebody can come forward to take up one of them,'' he said.

"There is a tremendous demand for these jobs,'' he said. "I want to be sure that there aren't any Bermudians for these jobs before I approve the work permits.'' He added that anyone who was qualified, or believes they have the ability to be trained for positions such as waiters or nannies, should come forward before the end of the week.

"All of these jobs have been advertised, all I am doing is seeing if some competent Bermudians have missed the adverts.'' Mr. Edness said there was currently a construction boom and he didn't want to hold up vital work within the industry.

In addition, he added that small landscape gardeners who hired Bermudians and subsequently lost them during the season, would be given assistance in what was a closed category to outsiders to find new staff.