The final monthly cement supply ship has left Bermuda and no more deliveries are on order.

Last night a director of the Bermuda Cement Company called for a breathing space of three months in the dispute between itself and Government to avoid damaging the Island's construction industry.

Once a month the twin silos at Dockyard are filled up by a cement supply ship. The last such delivery was made at the weekend and the ship has now gone.

The cement company has placed no further order as, in 17 days' time, the supply plant will fall silent as the company sets about dismantling its equipment and cleaning up to hand back to landlord, Government quango the West End Development Corporation.

Any disruption to bulk cement supplies that extends beyond 10 days is expected to result in construction industry lay-offs, potentially affecting 1,500 workers, the Construction Association of Bermuda has warned.

Yesterday afternoon the Bermuda Cement Company held its annual meeting and last night its lawyers were reported to be working on a statement, which is expected today.

One company director said: "There is a general feeling that the situation is now so politically charged that there should be a three-month extension to the site lease while things are sorted out."

As reported in The Royal Gazette yesterday, Bermudian Clifton Lambert has announced his newly renamed company Island Cement has entered into a long-term supply and distribution agreement with a "large multi-national cement company."

Mr. Lambert is currently off-Island but intends to make more details known on Thursday.

However, the lack of details regarding Island Cement's ability to step into the breach left by the cement company's imminent departure has left construction bosses unconvinced.

Alex DeCouto, president of the Construction Association of Bermuda, said: "Is this multi-national company he talks about Cemex? Cemex has been the regional supplier for 40 years and other people have tried to circumvent them and come up empty-handed. If this other company is not Cemex then I would not have much faith in it happening.

"Cemex has such a stronghold on this area. If it is Cemex then it is a good thing, and if he (Mr. Lambert) has got the inside track on Government to give backing to buying out the cement company then that would be something. But at the moment we don't know.

"If he has brokered a deal to set up a new facility then that would take 18 months or more to construct. If anything, this has made things more complicated."

Some members of the Construction Association of Bermuda have expressed an interest in buying the cement plant, but at the moment no deal has been made.

Mr. DeCouto said: "I'm putting an effort in to see something like that happen.

"At the moment there is no evidence there will be a seamless transition in the running of the plant."

The crisis has come about after a breakdown in the relationship between the cement company and Wedco.

A number of years ago Wedco requested the cement company vacate its current site, build a new plant nearby and sell 20 percent of its shareholdings, in return for a 21-year lease. Having initially agreed to the idea, the cement company is now resisting after estimating a new plant would cost up to $15 million.

Wedco is putting the blame for the current crisis on the cement company for going back on previously agreed terms at the last minute, causing it to call an end to "good faith" lease extensions it has been granting since December 2005.

The cement company's latest lease now ends on December 31. The company is currently up for sale. Government has bid $250,000 for its equipment and supplies in response to the company's own estimates about the value of such items.

However, BCC has since stated that the company is obliged to get the best value for its shareholders, meaning it will entertain all offers for the company and/or its equipment.

Company president Mr. Butterfield has estimated the total value of the company is $1 million.