abandoned 11 Club Med workers who believed they were entitled to severance pay.

He said he had instructed his lawyer to open a writ against Government to get the surviving ten workers, and the family of their male colleague who died last weekend, more than $90,000 that had not been paid to them.

Mr. Russell was responding to comments by one of the workers in yesterday's Royal Gazette , who said: "Raymond Russell collected $50 from each of us.

Huh! Where is he? He came around a couple of times and we keep losing in this.'' But Mr. Russell said yesterday: "Yes, I'm going after Government. I don't care which Government is in. They must look after the workers.

"I banked my integrity and character on resolving this. I was so sure a PLP Government would have immediately paid these workers.

Gov't to be sued over Club Med claim "I can assure the other ten workers that are still living that I have asked my lawyer to proceed with legal action against Government. Now it's all out in the open, very much in the open.'' Two years ago, the group sued Government for compensation because, according to Mr. Russell, it did not push Club Med to pay compensation to the workers who were made redundant in November, 1997.

The group were the only hotel staff kept on after the hotel closed in 1988 and worked as security guards.

Local hotel industry standards for redundancies is four weeks pay in lieu of notice and severance pay based on two or three week's pay equaling one year's work.

The last UBP Government found there was no legal redress against Club Med after the company's managers left the Island.

The PLP's response to the UBP's last budget in February, 1998, said: "Where is the `sensitivity' when we see the UBP Government turning a deaf ear to the pleas of workers at the former Club Med who have been unceremoniously terminated without back pay and severance pay owed?'' When asked what he would say to the woman, Mr. Russell said: "I understand your frustration.

"I hope you get in contact with the other six or seven workers who signed that I did indeed retain a lawyer and it is being worked on,'' he added.

And when asked if he was going after the PLP as a party or as Government in general, Mr. Russell, a labourite, paused before saying: "A change of Government came because the voters were expecting some more social consciousness to be applied.

"And for reasons unbeknown to me this hasn't happened,'' he continued. "They had a moral obligation to see these workers were taken care of and it seems they are looking for a legal way out. It appears that's the same thing the UBP was looking for.'' He explained his actions: "It's now moving forward. It's possible that this action could cost me my membership on the (Immigration) Board.

"But it would be worth it to see that justice is remaining for these remaining workers,'' Mr. Russell continued, "and hopefully the other man's family would receive the compensation he would have gotten if he had remained alive.'' Mr. Russell said: "To Government I would say it is time the matter be put to rest. I haven't lapsed in my diligence with these workers. I've been in this since the beginning and I'm trying to get justice for these workers.'' GOVERNMENT GVT