Your readers should be aware of a company operating in Malta by the name of Platinum Resorts International (Malta) Ltd. This is a company registered in Malta and apparently majority owned by a Mr Mike Tolan, a foreigner resident in Lebanon.

This company markets holiday timeshare called World Class Vacation Club. The reason I am writing this letter is to make your readers aware of the dealings of the company which my wife and I personally experienced when we came to your beautiful island last May, having been offered positions as managers with the company in Malta by Mr Tolan's director Mr Bassam Nakad (based in Lebanon).

Part of this offer included a promise by the company that our return airfares from Australia, where we live, would be refunded to us after 30 days. When the 30 days passed we were told by another of Mr Tolan's directors, Mr Gary Elvy (based in England), that the company could not pay us that considerable sum of money.

Further, when we were offered the jobs we were told that the company was running a very large and successful operation in Malta and we were promised very lucrative salaries and commissions to work for the company. We knew that this would involve a lot of hard work, which we did, and were happy to do. Neither the salaries nor the commissions were paid in full because (as we were told by one of the directors) the company was not solvent and could not afford to pay us what we were promised.

Further, when we were offered the positions we were told that we would be granted work visas soon after arriving in Malta so we could work in your country legitimately. This did not happen. Shortly after being in Malta for the 30 days, we had no choice but to leave Malta on the return tickets we held, because we did not have enough money to survive beyond that. Moreover, we were being expected by the company to work illegally, as we were in Malta on tourist visas.

Since leaving Malta we have been advised by two of the current Maltese employees of the company that since we left Malta the company has either short-paid them or has paid them by cheques which were not cashed by the bank because there was no money in the company's account.

Our big fear is that anyone who purchases holiday timeshare with World Class Vacation Club may not receive the benefits of club membership as promised by the company and we would strongly advise your readers who may have joined the club over the past few months to thoroughly check out exactly what they will receive for their money.

In addition. we would suggest to your readers that if they attend a sales presentation by this company, they should look very hard and investigate the state of the company before paying out any money for membership in the club.