reputation, a member of the facility warned.

R.L. Abraham Leunissen, a doctor in Pennsylvania who owns six weeks at St.

George's Club with his wife Dorothy, called on Premier Pamela Gordon to step in and resolve the situation.

In a letter to the Premier, which was forwarded to The Royal Gazette , Dr.

Leunissen said: "We are very concerned that some of the events at the club might be reflecting badly on Bermuda and specifically on the Bermudian tourist industry.'' And the cause of this taint, he continued, was the actions of St. George's Club developer-owner Alistair Woolf.

Dr. Leunissen wrote that he and his wife had been members at the club since 1984.

"The club, as it started out, was a grand, luxurious time-share condominium resort. Initially, everything at the club was done in style.

"Unfortunately, over the years, what once was a grand undertaking has now become somewhat mediocre. Much of this occurred with the advent of Alistair Woolf taking control of the management and development of the club.'' Dr. Leunissen noted that some services had become unavailable, yearly maintenance fees had jumped and an extra assessment charge of approximately $1,000 a week had been lumped on members' bills also.

"While the membership fees have risen and an extra major assessment was charged, we have not seen anything positive develop.'' This extra maintenance assessment was to pay for Mr. Woolf's failed attempt at running the Margaret Rose which closed in 1997 without any consultation with the membership at large, claimed Dr. Leunissen.

"The Margaret Rose restaurant with Alfred Konrad as its chef was the crown jewel of the resort. It had been managed by another organisation, but was closed in November, 1997, after Mr. Woolf, as a true entrepreneur, took it over and tried to run it.

"After a short while he decided that he couldn't do it and presented the membership with a bill -- the extra maintenance assessment -- in essence making us pay for his failed entrepreneurship.

"We have now a luxury condominium resort that does not have its own restaurant; this is amazing!'' The restaurant is now being turned into offices for the developers, stealing the resort's best view from the members, said Dr. Leunissen.

He appealed to the Premier: "We have been pleased with Bermuda; we love it.

We hope to continue our vacations there, but we are afraid that Mr. Woolf by increasing the fees will drive us and many other members off the Island.

"We believe that the Bermuda Government will be able to prevent its tourist industry from getting a tainted reputation.'' US timeshare developer Great Vacations Resorts was on the verge of taking over the club in February but the deal fell through due to financing issues.

TOURISM TOU