A business owner is threatening legal action against Caribbean Airlines’ skybox courier service Jetpak over missing packages.
Attorney Richard Jaggasar, who represents Rehin Burke, owner of cellphone retailer Burke Corporation Technologies Ltd, wrote to CAL’s general counsel and corporate secretary Nalini Lalla on April 4, with a settlement proposal.
He said his client was prepared to accept US$15,576 (to be paid in US currency) and an additional $50,000 for his distress.
“Only in this case will the intended claimant continue to be a loyal customer of the intended defendant.”
According to the letter, in October 2022, Burke bought three boxes of cellphones online. He notified Jetpak of the intended shipment. He received notification that his packages had been shipped to Trinidad and would be ready for delivery in two business days. The fees for each package were: $277.20; $209.95; and $743.07. He paid $1,230.22 in total.
The letter said two of the boxes contained 27 cellphones at a cost of US$11,682 from one supplier and the third was from a different supplier.
Burke received an e-mail from Jetpak that one of the boxes was ready for collection. But when he inspected the box, he allegedly discovered seven cellphones were missing from the shipment.
Jetpak told him to file a complaint. However, the letter said the complaint has not yet been resolved. The letter said after several weeks, he received no further information about the other two boxes.
It said Burke was eventually told that Jetpak did not receive the two boxes in Trinidad and were deemed lost. He was again told to make a complaint, which has also not been resolved.
The letter said in the ensuing months, he was told the packages had been received at Jetpak's Miami warehouse, but were lost in transit to Trinidad.
“It therefore accepted full liability for the loss, (regardless of callously suggesting otherwise in later e-mails). Despite accepting full liability at this stage, the intended defendant has taken the untenable stance to propose as a final settlement the sum of US$2,950.50.
“The proposal is refused.”
The letter further described the offer and a subsequent, slightly increased offer as “unreasonable.”
Jaggasar said his client intends to argue at trial Jetpak was in breach of the contract, since Burke paid the required fees for delivery of packages.
“ In this instance, the amount was pre-paid to the intended defendant…
“As of now, the intended claimant has not received the two boxes with a cumulative value of US$11,682. “
Jaggasar also said his client was entitled to damages for his loss, since Jetpak accepted liability.
Burke also intends to seek compensation for loss of income for the time and effort he spent dealing with the repercussions of the missing packages.
He also intends to seek compensation for the “ negligent handling of the shipment by Caribbean Airlines Cargo and Jetpak,” which, the letter said, resulted in significant emotional distress.
“The frustration, anxiety, and disappointment stemming from
