for taking back the St. George's hotel.

Works and Engineering Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons said officials from the French resort company were on the Island recently "exploring possibilities of whether we would extend'' the date by when it has been ordered to take action on the property or give up the lease.

But Mr. Gibbons said no extension was granted, and he would be skeptical about any late offer by Club Med to reopen the 300-plus room hotel, which closed in 1988.

"I would certainly want to consult with the Ministry of Tourism and my Cabinet colleagues,'' he said.

"They've had five or more years there, and now it's time to fish or cut bait.'' Once the deadline passes at the end of this month, the Attorney General will file a writ in Supreme Court alleging Club Med has breached the terms of its lease with Government, which owns the land on which the hotel is built, Mr.

Gibbons said.

The AG then plans to ask for summary judgment and return of the land, on the grounds that Club Med has no defence to Government's claim.

Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge said he did not meet with the Club Med officials who visited recently, as the matter is in the hands of Works and Engineering.

But a Government source said the Tourism Department would look on any offer by Club Med to reopen the hotel as "a stalling tactic'', and "a lot of nonsense''.

Meanwhile, St. George's Mayor the Wor. Henry Hayward said he met in Bermuda recently with Mr. Joseph Townsend, a Club Med senior vice-president based in New York.

Mr. Townsend requested the meeting because he had heard about the new heritage plan for the Old Town.

Mr. Townsend was "very impressed'' with the plan, and Mr. Hayward told him the future tourism potential of St. George's was so great that the property could be a success "if it was reopened not as a Club Med, but as a conventional hotel''.

Mr. Hayward said he did not get the impression Mr. Townsend was considering reopening Club Med, but that he was looking for information that would help him sell it.

"He said he was talking to several different groups.'' Mr. Hayward said he supported Government's plan to go to court to take the property back.

"Something has to be done,'' he said. "Club Med has had enough time to dispose of the hotel.'' Investors were interested in turning Club Med into a health centre and hospital about three and a half years ago, but the plan fell through, he said.

"Since then, people have been down looking at it, but nothing has happened.

We can't continue to have it sit up on the hill closed.'' Mr. Townsend could not be reached for comment yesterday.