Creditors of closed-down local company IT Bermuda - with estimates of debts close to $200,000 - could have their day in court next month when the petition for the winding up of the company comes before the Supreme Court.

Former employee Tina Stockdale, who is owed more than $6,000 in back pay and commissions from work done as an employee of the firm, has led a petition to wind-up the firm.

Mrs. Stockdale, who now works for another company on the Island, filed the petition to have the company wound up on the basis that it had not honoured its monetary obligations.

This was one of numerous legal actions taken against the company - including by other former employees who were also reportedly not paid wages owed. Although judgements have been made against the company, creditors report they have been unable to recoup the monies owed them.

The company - an information technology company - was owned by Richard Kempe who is also the owner of Office Cabling Technologies, and run by expatriate worker Nathan Gentry.

Now the petition to wind-up the company is slated to come before the Supreme Court. A legal notice this week read: "Notice is hereby given that a petition for the winding up of the above-named company (IT Bermuda) .... presented to the court by Tina Stockdale. And that said petition is directed to be heard before the court at 9:30am on 7 June, 2002 and any creditor or contributory of the said company desirous to support or oppose the making of any order on the said petition may appear at the time of the hearing by himself of his counsel for that purpose, and a copy of the petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge of the same."

The notice however said that any party intending to appear on the hearing of the petition would have to state their intention in writing before 4pm on 6 June, 2002.

In March, Mr. Kempe told The Royal Gazette the company had gone into liquidation. When asked if he would pay outstanding debts to IT Bermuda creditors, he said the company was not in a position to pay the creditors, and added: "This is why it has gone into liquidation." He also said it was normal for a company that cannot pay its creditors to go into liquidation. A number of employees out of wages have said Mr. Kempe indicated to them that he will not make good on the debts owed.

The Royal Gazette understands that as much as $75,000 in wages and benefits may be owing to former staff.