Christmas -- according to the Island's own Housing Minister.

Now Wayne Furbert has appealed to landlords to "have a heart before Christmas'' and not evict tenants during winter.

He said eight people served with eviction notices had already been to see him during the past two days.

Waiting lists at the Bermuda Housing Coporation have swollen to 75 -- with just ten apartments about to become available at the end of this month.

And more and more landlords are opting not to rent out their homes, hanging on for more money or becoming "tired'' of tenants.

But Mr. Furbert said work would start on a project to build 100 new homes across Bermuda within four weeks.

He also promised new laws to tighten security for both landlords and tenants in the New Year.

The Minister, MP for Hamilton West, said he was worried a spate of pre-Christmas evictions could send Bermuda's housing crisis plunging to a new low.

But he said: "Government is doing things to find affordable homes for people.

"What we're now saying to landlords is: `Please, have a heart'. If you possibly can, don't try to free your properties of tenants at least until after Christmas.

"This is a really bad time of year as it is. But things are beginning to happen and the overall picture ought to become much brighter soon.'' He said ten new homes were due to be made available on the Swanson development behind Berkeley Institute at the end of the month.

The two-bedroom apartments will be freed once derelict homes have been renovated and converted. But waiting lists at the Bermuda Housing Corporation already include 75 names, he added.

"The worrying thing is that there are homes in Bermuda which are empty,'' said Mr. Furbert. "There's no real need for people to be in difficulty and we must try to avoid that.

"Some landlords have simply decided they will not rent out, for some reason or another.

"Some are just tired of their tenants and others are hanging on for higher rental incomes. But that's fueling a housing shortage.

"I saw four empty homes as I was walking around Hamilton Parish just the other day. Now I'm just asking landlords to help out their fellow Bermudians until things get going again.'' He said any landlords having difficulty with troublesome tenants should contact the Housing Assistance Programme for help with rent costs.