One of the Bermuda Department of Tourism's local vendors has been notified it could be struck off the Registrar of Companies for failing to pay fees.

On August 14, the Registrar of Companies filed a notice that Oxford Communications could face being dissolved as the Registrar had reason to believe it was no longer in operation.

The company was responsible for running the 2009 Love Festival. It proclaims itself to be "Bermuda's premier advertising agency".

The notice, which listed the company as one of many that faced being struck from the register, stated: "The Registrar of Companies has reasonable cause to believe that the companies specified in the schedule hereto are not carrying on business or are not in operations; accordingly notice is hereby given that at the expiration of three months from the date of publication of this notice the companies listed in the attached schedule will, unless cause is shown to the contrary, be struck off the register and dissolved."

An employee at the Registrar of Companies said fees to keep up-to-date on the register can range from $650 to $18,000, depending on the size of the company, and confirmed that as yet Oxford Communications had not paid.

Once a company is struck off the register it cannot do business in Bermuda.

Oxford Communications was incorporated in November 2007 and listed Bermudian Dennis Burgess as owning 60 percent of the company, American James Kerwin as owning 39 percent of the company and Canadian Charmaine Burgess as owning one percent of the company.

Requests for comment to Mr. Kerwin via a PR agent responsible for the company's international press releases and the company's e-mail went unanswered. A spokeswoman for the Bermuda Department of Tourism said she was unable to make contact with Mr. Kerwin yesterday.

The Royal Gazette was unable to reach Mr. Burgess.

Oxford Communications was paid $150,000 to produce the Bermuda International Love Festival, which brought 98 visitors to the Island.

The event, hosted by Premier Dr. Ewart Brown and his wife Wanda, was designed to attract couples from all over the world and saw R&B legends Earth, Wind and Fire perform.

The company was responsible for all additional sponsorships for costs associated with the artists, professional fees, travel, accommodations, food and drink, entertainment, transportation, marketing and communications, invitees and personnel.

Oxford Communications has also been involved with Dr. Brown's charity, The Bermuda Health Foundation. The company was the primary sponsor of the charity's award luncheon and celebrity golf tournament this June. It is the second year running they have sponsored the event.

A press release issued by Oxford Communications said the company coordinated the activities for the event, provided goodie bags and held a raffle during the luncheon. Mr. Kerwin also donated $12,500 to the charity which provides scholarships and opportunities for Bermudian students who wish to pursue a career in the medical field.

Mr. Kerwin is also involved in the New Jersey advertising company Kerwin Communications. That company was paid $15,000 by the Department of Tourism to "increase visitation" by organising a Diamond Promotion Conference at the Fairmont Southampton in March. The hotel would not comment on the nature of the event, because it did not organise or run it. A request for information about what the event was and how many visitors came to the Island for it was not answered.

Answers given to parliamentary questions in March stated that Kerwin Communications and Cornerstone Media were paid $539,147.52 in commissions by the Department of Tourism for advertisements in international magazines, trade magazines and overseas signage. The answer did not state how the money was divided between the two companies and Mr. Kerwin is not involved in Cornerstone Media.

Rock Media, which is locally registered, is another company Mr. Kerwin is involved in. It was incorporated in February 2006 and listed Bermudian Calvin White as being the sole shareholder. The company proclaims itself to be Bermuda's foremost out-of-home media company. It is responsible for all advertising signage in Bermuda's bus shelters as well as all display signage in Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport.

Last week Rock Media launched a visitor-oriented publication, 'It's A Bermudaful Day'. A press release issued by the company said Mr. Kerwin hosted the event. The magazine will be published six times per year: May, June, July, August, September and October.