Trinidadian Businessman Defends Name After Scam Accusations

Vendors in San Ignacio are speaking up against what they believe was a business scam. Back in December, at least sixty vendors were invited by Trinidadian promoter Irwin Denis, former franchisee of Island Run Delivery, to partner with him for a Food and Soca Tour, designed to encourage businesses to partner with the app and promote its services to the public. However, things took a turn for the worst when the event was abruptly postponed and upon demanding a refund, vendors were told they had to wait. Tonight, Denis is sharing his side of the story, denying that the allegation that the event was a scam. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

If it’s too good to be true, is it a scam? Sixty small businesses are now questioning what went wrong after an event they paid to join suddenly collapsed. Back in December, Irwin Denis, former franchisee of the Island Delivery Run app, began planning a Food and Soca Tour. He lined up artists, equipment, and vendors, charging each booth between fifty and one hundred dollars. The plan was straightforward: visitors would stop by the booths and make purchases through the app. But everything came to a stop when the event was abruptly postponed without explanation. Even Howard Keaton, owner of Mecha’s and listed as a sponsor, says he was left just as confused as everyone else.

 

Howard Keaton, Owner, Mecha’s

“We got to the understanding  that the event was supposed to be one the seventh, which was the concert, eighth and ninth of March, which was the Food and Soca festival. Now each vendor had appeared for a space and booth for the according to my knowledge because I, again, I am in the group and I’m well aware of what’s happening in there. And this guy, everyone was told that the event is gonna be postponed. There was no next availability date given to anyone. And, so that the big red flag. Of course, if someone comes to me and they don’t collect my money.”

 

Denis says he still plans to move forward with the event, but financial trouble forced him to hit pause. He explains that using the Island Run app costs him three hundred dollars a month, and after months of slow business, he simply couldn’t keep up. That’s why he’s now working on his own app, one that won’t charge him a monthly fee.

 

On the Phone: Irwin Denis, Former Franchisee, Island Run 

“They would’ve immediately removed all the clients that I would’ve had on the app. And then by doing that, it raised concerns to some of the clients and it raised concerns to the show. So what I would’ve decided that, given that they would’ve done, that they would’ve reached out to me and said that if I wanted to maintain back the relationship with that and run, I needed to pay the money six months in advance for them to activate back everyone. And that is what came and threw me off mentally on the whole event because the event was catered towards me being able to educate the clients about it, and I would’ve at least had the opportunity of making some money from it to be able to buy my own bikes. Now, when that happened, we decided not that we have to reschedule the show and come out our own app. We could get a different brand in here.”

 

Denis had also been planning a dancehall rave for March seventh with a Jamaican artist, but after the backlash from vendors, that event was postponed too. He says he’ll repay the vendors by the end of the month and still hopes to host both events, this time free for any vendor who wants in. But Flora Choc of Flora’s Kitchen says she grew suspicious when she saw just how many vendors had signed up, and her concern only grew when her refund didn’t come right away.

 

Flora Choc, Owner, Flora’s Kitchen and Catering Service

“First they said they would have it at Falcon Field. Then they later changed the event to Victor Galvez Stadium. We were of the opinion, maybe they changed because it’s a bigger area for the event. But after us contacting the to council, we were informed that they never contacted the Tong Council for neither of the events. We have contacted the police department and they have advised us to take out individual civil suits against them because it is a civil matter and the people of Cayo will not sit back and just take this one. We’ll be filing those civil suits. We’re just waiting on them to come up with our refund because what we want is also a refund. And if they don’t comply, then they will definitely, we will definitely file a civil suits.”

 

Following this incident, businesses have united to organize their own event, called the “Bounce Back Bazaar”. Keaton also encourages businesses to take greater caution when choosing to embark on new business ventures.

 

Howard Keaton

“There  must be somewhere you cross check address for our business before they sign up the actual account. Because when people come to you as a vendor, as a provider or a business provider for an event that they’re requesting your services, the first thing you wa feel at ease is if they provide what business dealing weh legit, it is on social media. They have a banking account with one address that is verified and all that What, make somebody feel at ease and say, okay, yeah, this guy are legit. He have my business, he have this, he have that. That would make anybody feel at ease.”

 

Denis says he’ll cover all repayments and event costs out of his own pocket, and he apologizes to partners for the inconvenience.

 

On the Phone: Irwin Denis

“I would like to say again, I want to humbly apologize to the situation that happened, which I would like for that to be acknowledged to them as well. It was never in our intent for it to reach to this, right? And we are, I  not just, we, I am working digitally to acquire what is needed to have all payments sent back to vendors and so forth. And get this cleared off this month as soon as possible.”

 

Denis invites vendors to participate at no extra charge when the events are eventually hosted. Britney Gordon for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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