Andrea Perez-Sobers
Senior Reporter
andrea.perez-sobers@guardian.co.tt
Customers are irate with Trinbago Express T&T Ltd as they have not received their barrels from as far back as November 2024, while some have since sought legal action.
Several of them have been visiting the company’s office at the Government Campus Plaza Courtyard on Richmond Street in Port of Spain for months only to be told why their items cannot be collected from the Port of Port of Spain. Over 60 customers are being affected.
Marina Makoul Tucker, who is a Tobagonian residing in Brooklyn, said that she and her sister are building a property in Tobago and in November last year, they sent containers with items in it along with school items to be donated to children in need, along with candy for Christmas to be shared.
Tucker said in all it was eight containers and eight boxes and to date she has seen none.
“Every day it is a story and when you go to the shipping company, they’re still receiving stuff. This cannot be going on so long with no answers. I went several times to Trinbago Express on Liberty Avenue in New York and what is said is that the problem is not from the United States to the US, but from the US to Trinidad. I have reached out to the owner, Pamela Lindsay, and she has no answer for this serious backlog,” Makoul Tucker lamented.
Makoul Tucker said she went to court in Brooklyn and filed a lawsuit on June 11 as Lindsay, who is also Tobagonian, has been getting away for far too long and justice must be served. However, the court said this week that the owners of the company have not responded.
“Perishable things have been damaged. I sent electrical, like my lights and stuff for my property and I had to now pay the electrician to go to Trinidad to buy them and bring them up for my building. A lot of people also complained of items being spoiled. Now all this is happening, who is going to reimburse us? It is alleged that the company is in financial difficulties, but that is not our problem, we need our containers.”
One of the issues Makoul Tucker also pointed out was that when the shipment gets to Trinidad it takes five to six weeks to reach Tobago as enough cargo needs to be on the vessel to head to the island. She said that this needs to be rectified as Tobago should have its own deepwater harbour.
The frustrated woman indicated that Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Farley Augustine had spoken to one of the owners due to several complaints he received and made a deal with her to start to move this stuff off the port.
“Some people have started receiving their commercial bins and containers but there is still a major backlog and no proper explanation.”
Her sister Anne Makoul shipped on November 6, and on January 5, and to date nothing.
“I keep getting a run around that the items are leaving Trinidad and going up to Tobago weekend. This has been going on for several months and must stop.”
One woman, who did not wish to be named, said she had two commercial bins with baby items which were shipped since January 25. “I was told that these boxes would arrive within three to four weeks and we would have paid to expedite the shipping. We would have paid approximately US$420. Given the nature of the items in the box, this amount was paid to ensure that my newborn baby’s items arrive here within three to four weeks because, as we all know, children grow very quickly.
“To date, I cannot receive these items and have to buy everything such as diapers, baby wipes, medication, and vitamins in T&T.”
The woman said every time she calls the Port of Spain office, she is told that there is a backlog on the Port or with the Customs and Excise Division. When she enquired, she was told that that was not true.
She told Business Guardian she called the Port of Spain office recently to express his frustration over the continuous dance around. They received an email from the supervisor which stated “As per my conversation that I had with your husband via telephone and in person, l would like to inform you that I have reached out to my New York office regarding some sort of redress for your delayed shipment.
“Please note that I was informed that upon arrival of your cargo the New York office will contact you to discuss a way forward. Please note that I am awaiting a new arrival date from the shipping line. Our containers will be in the country, rest assured that I will revert all relevant information about the same as soon as it becomes available, I do apologise for the inconvenience caused.”
The woman has since hired an attorney who has sent a pre-action protocol letter to the owner.
Another irate customer Karen Samuel said she was told that her barrels were collected from New York on April 22 and the vessel would sail on April 30 to Tobago.
“Yesterday I found out it was shipped on May 20 and arrived on June 1. I don’t know what to believe in this company. I am tired of calling and asking when I will get my stuff. The local company is saying there might be four containers in front of mine,” Samuel said.
Business Guardian called the company’s head office on Tuesday and the woman who answered said, “When the container is at the port the affected customers will be contacted.”
Pressed further as to why there was a backlog since November, the woman said she could respond to such a question.
Business Guardian contacted the company’s accountant, Steppe Barclay, several times and sent a message via WhatsApp but he did not respond.
Shipping Association response
The Shipping Association of T&T (SATT) said it is aware of the matter.
“Note that Trinbago Express T&T is not a member of our Association and therefore we are unable to validate the issues being reported at this time. Please note that we have contacted the company in question and have not received a response thus far. We suggest that the persons affected can report this matter to the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism,” SATT disclosed.