The woman at the centre of an eviction row involving a would-be Opposition MP has had to take time off work to hunt for a new home.

Sharon Williams -- who works for XL Insurance in Hamilton -- will not be back at her desk until Tuesday, according to colleagues.

One said: "She is really upset and distressed about this whole thing -- she's been through a lot over this.

"I don't know exactly what all this is about, but nothing's worth the state she's in at the moment over this.'' Ms Williams was booted out of her home in Spring Hill, Warwick, by Progressive Labour Party hopeful Rodney Smith.

It was alleged that he evicted Ms Williams without a court order and left her belongings outside the apartment in the rain.

And on Wednesday night, PLP chiefs held an emergency meeting to carpet Mr.

Smith over the allegations he had illegally evicted his tenant.

The party has pushed affordable housing for Bermudians and a sensitive approach to the problems of the homeless as a major plank in their pre-General Election campaign.

Party leader Jennifer Smith refused to comment on whether the party was embarrassed by the row on Wednesday.

And yesterday -- after the meeting at PLP Headquarters -- she was staying tight-lipped.

Ms Smith said: "We addressed it by stating that we unequivocally support the idea that tenants and landlords have rights under the law.

"The party did hold a meeting with Mr. Smith and I believe we are working towards some sort of solution.'' But she refused to say what sort of resolution of the row was being considered.

Ms Smith said she would say no more "without going through the processes we have to go through within the party.'' Developer Mr. Smith -- who holds degrees in social work and theology -- has been unavailable for comment since the war of words erupted earlier this week.

There was no answer to telephone calls to his Warwick home last night.

Last night, Coalition for Affordable Housing spokeswoman Rosemarie Pedro said that if Mr. Smith had not sought a legal eviction order, then he had acted unethically.

But she also took a swipe at Housing Minister Wayne Furbert, who criticised Mr. Smith earlier this week, claiming the Housing Corporation has left an apartment in Prospect vacant for three months.

"I have to question if Mr. Smith did he go through the proper legal procedures and ask her legally to leave,'' said Ms Pedro, who said she had been trying in vain for two days to talk to Mr. Smith and Ms Williams. "If he did not, it puts her and whatever family she may have at risk. I do think ethically it could gave been done a little better and a little more compassionately.'' But Ms Pedro said Mr. Furbert was wrong to criticise Mr.Smith when she the Housing Corporation was also leaving homes vacant.

"There is a house up in Prospect owned by Government which is just sitting there vacant for three months,'' she said. "It's the pot calling the kettle black.'' Ms Pedro said Mr. Furbert told her yesterday that he was unaware of the house being vacant and The Royal Gazette was unable to secure independent confirmation that the home was vacant.

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