The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

ENTICED by the promise of low, flat rates and next day delivery, clients of a local shipping firm now say they "were misled and taken advantage of" by a company they claim, "doesn't do legitimate business".

Customers of "Mr Fast N Cheap" contacted The Tribune this week with complaints alleging that the company, despite guaranteeing next day delivery and three flights per week, has failed to deliver their items - in some cases, for more than three weeks.

Floyd Nixon, a self-proclaimed avid importer due to his business, said he was introduced to "Mr Fast N Cheap" by his wife over a month ago. 

He said that, due to his business, he employs the services of shipping companies on regular basis. As a result, Mr Nixon said he noticed that most companies started to include a number of additional charges that he thought were unnecessary.

The 36-year-old marine mechanic said after a quick glance at Mr Fast N Cheap's website and advertisements he decided to try the company's services.

But Mr Nixon said the decision opened the door to the worst experience of his life.

"My wife ordered a couple of dresses for us to test this new company out. She signed up, got all the information together and placed her order. The next day I got an email from this company telling me that they needed a copy of the invoice from the store my wife had purchased the dresses from. I sent it," he said. "Two days later I got a message that said that my package had arrived and I could pick it up on Monday. I couldn't make it on Monday so I went on Tuesday only to discover that this company had issues with not only my items but a number of other customers' items also." 

Mr Nixon said that when he got to the establishment on Bay Street he met roughly six other customers who informed him that they were into their second day waiting for their packages. Leading those claims was Krystel Rolle. 

When contacted by the Tribune, an upset and angry Ms Rolle claimed that she had been misled and deceived for more than three weeks by the management and staff of "Mr Fast N Cheap".

According to the young entrepreneur, her visit to the company's Bay Street site was her last attempt to bring resolution to a matter she could only describe as "horrible". 

In a video obtained by The Tribune, Ms Rolle, in front of two police officers, could be seen and heard telling the store manager that she had been inconvenienced for more than three weeks and would not leave until the matter was resolved.

She is heard saying: "What you need to do, Mr Burrows (the store manager), what you need to do is call your bosses, Johnson, Wellington, McDowell, McKenzie and tell them (to) come and switch places with you because I am not leaving.

"It is been too long and what is in poor taste is none of the persons that own this establishment coming to their customers. This is customer service. We don't have to come here, it is unfortunate, but we don't."

She indicated that in the past three weeks she has heard every excuse possible by the company in their attempts to explain their delay issues.

"At one point they said their plane was delayed, then it went to Customs had issues with the invoices; then to some clients not providing the correct information, and now they are back to Customs being the reasons for the delay,” she said.

However, after carrying out her very own investigation, Ms Rolle said she discovered that "Mr Fast N Cheap" was unknown by Customs and many of the country's top flight services companies.

"I called Customs,” she added. “They don't know this company. Many of the flight companies don't know anything about them. At this point I know something is wrong.”

Attempts made by The Tribune to contact representatives of "Mr Fast N Cheap" on Thursday were unsuccessful. Calls made to the company's phone line resulted in automated messages followed abruptly by a disconnection tone.

On Friday, when The Tribune visited the store's Bay Street site to speak with store managers, reporters discovered a number of customers in a heated argument with Mr Burrows.

In the presence of Royal Bahamas Police Force officers, Mr Burrows revealed he was in fact, Valentino McKenzie, the store's owner. When asked why he misled many of his customers about his true identity, Mr McKenzie indicated that he was only trying to protect himself "in these violent times".

"I am a young businessman and I was trying to protect myself and my life," he said. "I wouldn't tell anyone that I am involved in business. There is a lot of things going on and I was trying to keep myself safe," he said.

When asked to explain the delays with the packages he insisted that the delays were due to Customs issues.

"For the record, you have persons who bring stuff into the country; you have the government of the Bahamas who would like to collect their taxes. The government of the Bahamas would like to have all of their taxes paid, and paid in full".

Mr McKenzie claimed that due to inaccuracies in the invoices submitted by customers, the Bahamas Customs Department held on to many of the packages.

"If people stop lying and be straightforward with the government when they purchase things outside of the country issues like this could be avoided. I am a businessman trying to operate a legitimate business. Customers have to understand that there is a right way to do things," he said.