The English charity behind last April's 20-20 World Cricket Classic has gone bust ? leaving many local businesses still owed thousands of dollars by the Get Fit Foundation (GEFF) wondering if they will ever see their money.

In a short statement released yesterday morning, GEFF director Steve Blackman said that despite the Foundation's "best efforts", Government ? which put up $1 million towards this year's event ? and the corporate sector had shown "no interest" in supporting a 2007 tournament and as such, the company could not afford to pay its bills.

"As a result, the GEFF directors have no alternative than to work with legal advisors with a view to placing the company into the hands of the official receiver," the statement concluded.

The 20-20 World Cricket Classic took place in April at the National Sports Centre and involved teams of former professional cricketers from Australia, New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka, England, the West Indies and South Africa ? with the Bermuda national team also permitted to take part.spokewith seven local business owners yesterday who claimed they are owed large sums of money by GEFF for services provided, including signage, printing and transportation ? although they all wished to remain anonymous until legal advice has been sought.

It was confirmed, however, that all those affected would be holding a meeting over the course of the next few days to decide on the way forward, while it is understood that they will also be seeking an audience with Sports Minister Dale Butler.

Figures released recently by GEFF indicated the Classic made a loss of almost three quarters of a million dollars and that only half of the tickets available were ultimately sold.

The tournament cost just under $2.6 million to put on and generated only $1.9 million in revenue ? although it was not clear from GEFF's figures whether the latter amount was inclusive of Government's grant, which originally consisted of $750,000 cash and $250,000 for "services in kind".

The final between Bermuda and South Africa on April 29 was a sell-out, but many of the games played on the weekday afternoons attracted only a few hundred spectators ? while two large tents erected for corporate hospitality were noticeably empty for the entire week.

A source close to the situation also revealed yesterday that GEFF has not paid the entire cost of renting the North Field at the National Sports Centre, although chairman of the NSC Trustees Dr. Gerard Bean would not comment when asked for confirmation last night.

"It is not our policy to comment on what is or what is not owed to us by anybody," he said.

Mr. Butler, meanwhile, said he was "surprised" by the timing of GEFF's announcement, particularly as Government had not yet revealed whether it would approve GEFF's recent request for a $3 million grant.

"I think they were certainly getting a little impatient with the length of time it was taking the Government to reach a final decision on the matter," he said. "I know they were under a certain amount of pressure from their creditors to pay up, so they were certainly in urgent need of funds. We had not yet told GEFF whether or not we would be willing to support them next year, so their announcement today certainly comes as a surprise.

"I haven't got anything else to say right at this moment. The Government will assess the matter over the course of the next few days and only then will I be in a position to comment further."

GEFF chief executive Keith Pont did not return phone calls yesterday, while John Kane ? head of the World Rugby Classic group who are GEFF's local partners in the venture ? was also unavailable for comment.

Pont had made it clear in previous statements that GEFF expected to make a loss on the Classic in the first year, but argued repeatedly that any investment would be more than worth it in the long run and that the tournament would eventually become the focal point of the sporting calendar.

Government, however, insisted from the outset that there was no guarantee it would continue to invest, particularly if GEFF failed to meet its targets in terms of visitors attracted or if the Classic made a significant loss.