Calls for refund from Cruise Ship recruiter

Several irate persons who had been desirous of working on cruise ships are now demanding that they be refunded money paid to cruise line recruiter Pauldric Moses.{{more}}

Moses, the proprietor of East West Ship Service, has been recruiting Vincentians to work on cruise ships for over two decades, but in recent times, the company’s premises at Campden Park have been swamped by angry clients.

SEARCHLIGHT understands that last week Friday, an angry mob threw chairs and broke bottles in an effort to get the attention of the East West Ship Service authorities.

However, when SEARCHLIGHT visited the office on Wednesday afternoon, only a small number of persons was present.

They, however, did not hold back their emotions.

“I have been waiting for six months,” one disgruntled man told SEARCHLIGHT.

He said that he is owed $2,800.

“They say they been trying to call, but they getting no answer. I live Diamonds and I have to pay $12 a day – it has been six months since I have been trying to get it back,” he continued, saying that two years have passed since he first contacted the agency.

Another former client said that 8 months have passed since he has been trying to get his refund.

“Every time I come, they keep saying next week, next week – so many weeks have passed, it getting over bearing now,” he explained.

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT two months ago, Moses explained that some persons who want to go sailing refuse to wait.

“There are people who want to go on a ship on their time, but there is a procedure that has to be followed,” Moses said.

The deposit is usually taken to pay for the travel expenses of the cruise ship workers when they are called up for a job, he had explained.

“We don’t rob nobody. We don’t thief no one,” he said in the interview in May.

“if you want a refund, you bring your receipt and we will give you your refund,” he said.

But the numbers of dissatisfied customers continue to grow.

One man, in a telephone interview with SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday said that he is fed up of being pushed around.

“Is like them turning people fools,” he said.

“I prefer to be told that they don’t have the money, rather than when I show up, they saying I have to come back,” the man explained.

However, Assistant Manager Jimmy Moses, son of Pauldric on Wednesday refuted claims that persons have been having a hard time getting their refunds.

He explained that there is a procedure in place to deal with the issue of refunds.

“We don’t keep cash at the office so we take the name, address and contact number,” the younger Moses explained.

He contended that eventually everyone will get back their money, but some persons were just walking into the office and demanding their money.

“There are persons who have changed their minds, but they have to wait.”

“Persons come down and demand and expect to get it (refund) one time,” he added.

Moses said that persons will get their refund within 30 working days, once the proper procedure had been followed.

In our report in May, Moses senior refuted claims that Royal Caribbean Cruise lines had stopped recruiting Vincentians because of unethical business practices. (DD)