A call has gone out for Bermudians seeking work in the hotel industry to step forward now to fill a staff shortage on the Island, otherwise it will be necessary to cast the net wider to attract overseas workers.

There is a particular high level of vacancies within housekeeping departments in the Island's hotels and unless more Bermudians take up the jobs soon it will be necessary for hoteliers to start to look elsewhere for the staff they need.

A recent jobs fair held by the Bermuda Hotel Association and the Bermuda Industrial Union to find home-grown staff to fill housekeeping roles attracted 30 people despite there being 80 situations vacant, according to BHA chief executive John Harvey.

"For many months hotels have been challenged to provide enough housekeepers in particular. Even after the jobs fair we are short. We have been creeping along bringing the best possible service we can, but if we can't find enough Bermudians to fill the vacancies then we are going to have to look at other sources," he explained.

Mr. Harvey said that if there are any Bermudians able and willing to work within hotel housekeeping departments immediately then they should contact either himself of Laverne Furbert at the BIU.

Likewise, Mr. Harvey is updating his database of Bermudians who are working at hotel management level around the world.

Every three or four years the BHA chief issues an appeal for information about any Bermudians who are known to be working hotel management on the Island and overseas. By having a database of such talent it is possible to make high-flying hotel sector Bermudians working overseas aware of top opportunities in the Island's hotels as and when they arise.

The BHA has also appointed as its new president Frank Stocek, who is the general manager of Elbow Beach Hotel. He will serve as president until 2008. Former president Michael Winfield is now chairman for the BHA.

Any members of the public interested in working in the housekeeping departments of Bermuda's hotel industry should either contact Mr. Harvey on 295-2127 or Laverne Furbert at the BIU on 292-0044.