She went back to college, but now wants a refund

Tell Claudienne

with Claudienne Edwards

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Dear Claudienne

I attended The College of Arts Science and Technology (CAST), now UTech, in the 1990s. Now that UTech has opened a Western Campus in Montego Bay, I decided to complete my course and get a degree.

However, I was not pleased with how their processes were managed, as although I was supposed to be matriculated for year three or four, they still classified me as a year one student. Furthermore, after waiting for over a month for the course to begin so that I could at least go to classes while they sorted it out, the classes also began up to a month after the scheduled date.

I therefore requested a refund of my payments. I paid $12,000 at the bank and $98,540 online using my credit card. The lady at the Western Campus, who helped me to apply for the refund, made a photocopy of the bank slip as well as the e-mail I received after making the online payment and sent them to the main UTech campus in Kingston.

I visited the UTech Western Campus office regularly to get an update on the status of the refund, and when I went the lady would call Kingston. She was told that it was approved but that the cheque was not yet drawn. It was not until December when the clerk visited the main campus that she was told that in order for the request for the refund to be processed I would have to submit the original copy of the bank slip for the $12,000 I paid. I am not sure that I will be able to find it, but the bulk of money was paid using my credit card and the payment was confirmed by the e-mail that I got. I gave the clerk at the Western Campus a copy of this e-mail

Would you be able to assist me to get this refund. I requested the refund before the course actually began.

Dear MW

We spoke with the clerk who dealt with you at the UTech Western Campus and she confirmed that you had agreed to forego the refund of $12,000 as you could not find the original bank payment slip. In regard to you being refunded the $98,540 payment you made using the credit card, she told Tell Claudienne that she would ask the main campus to clarify why you had not been refunded the amount. When she called the main campus she was told that you needed to present the confirmation note that you got when you made the payment online.

Apparently there was a misunderstanding on your part as you thought that the e-mail you received after making the payment online was the confirmation note. However, what UTech wanted to see was the credit card report from the bank. We see that on Friday, February 10, you gave the clerk at the Western Campus the credit card report from the bank. She has sent it to the main campus in Kingston for the refund to be processed. She has assured us that you will get the refund shortly and we will follow this up.

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne

My mother and father both worked at St Catherine Textiles in Twickenham Park some years ago. My mother said that some time ago she applied for a NIS pension but she did not get through.

In the meantime my father died in July 2011 and my mother applied to the NIS for her widow's pension, She has been told that it is still being processed.

Could you kindly find out what is happening as my mother needs it to take care of her daily needs.

Dear NO

According to the NIS, in 2005 your mother was sent a letter that advised her that her pension claim was disallowed because she did not have enough contributions. In the matter of the widow's pension, the NIS told Tell Claudienne that her claim has been approved and is currently in the Accounts Department for the cheque to be prepared and dispatched. She should get a registered slip shortly.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.

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She went back to college, but now wants a refund