By Yasmin Popescu

Freeport News Reporter

yasmin@nasguard.com

After some six weeks of investigations the Royal Bahamas Police Force has released a wanted poster for Eunece Morris of Morris Travel.

According to police the local businesswoman is wanted for fraud here in Grand Bahama, where during the month of July, 2011, three complaints were made against Morris, who police said collected funds in the amount of some $60,000.00 for payment of a vacation cruise for three large groups.

It was discovered that the funds were never paid to the cruiseline on their behalf.

It was back in mid July, of this year, when the Edden family of Smith's Point, went through what they described as a "vacation from hell."

Some family members were left stuck in Miami because reservations were not made for the entire group. Those who did go on the cruise went through even more hardship when the cruise line discovered that the credit card used to book their cruise was fraudulent. The group was almost arrested for fraud.

Intervention by a former Member of Parliament David Wallace and other friends, kept the group from being arrested or being held on the ship and finally completing the cruise. Immediately upon their arrival back home to Freeport, the family filed a complaint to the police station and retained the services of a lawyer to try and recoup their funds for the cruise.

Managing Director for the travel agency, Eunice (Eunece) Morris, in an interview with The Freeport News said that there was a mix-up with the funds getting to Carnival on time and she promised to "make things right" for the family.

However, according to reports, the family has not heard from Morris since returning to Freeport.

Now, another group of proposed vacationers are wondering what to do after learning from Carnival that their cruise, set for mid-August, was not booked. They say that Morris' Agency was responsible for the booking.

It was last year when The Freeport News reported on a special expo held by Morris Travel Agency which offered clients, in collaboration with Carnival Cruiselines, special cruise rates. The one day Cruise Expo was held June 23, 2010 to encourage the sale of inclusive vacation packages to the Grand Bahamian market.

It was held at Morris Travel Management Services at The Millennium Mall, on West Atlantic Drive from noon until 4 p.m.

Morris was then quoted as saying that the invitation was sent for Carnival's participation to give residents an opportunity to view the variety of services Carnival had to offer when planning a cruise vacation.

The expo gave attendees information on how to plan in advance to receive the early saver specials, how to plan a wedding cruise, how to get on a payment plan program, as well as the cruise gifting program and other elements of cruising that will be beneficial to the consumer.

"What we are attempting to do during this period of economic hardship is to encourage persons to book early, giving themselves a lead time and entry to the payment plan programs, " Morris said last year, while organizing the Expo.

"We want to target the group market and educate them on the various aspects of groups sailing, from weddings, to family reunions, to singles cruising to conferences and special celebrations. It is our hope that at the end of this event, persons will have a better understanding of cruising and all the benefits that it offers."

Attendees to the event were expected to receive givea-ways, and brochures for the new year.

However back in December 2007 The Freeport News also carried a story with a picture of the Travel Agent with this story:

"Two days ago, Kathy Nixon reported to The Freeport News that she too was a victim of a cruise vacation gone bad in 2007, which was handled by Morris' Travel Agency. She took her matter to court and the Agency was ordered to reimburse Nixon, who revealed that it was not until December 2010 that she received her repayment from Morris."

However while the Edden family was feeling the effects of being wronged another group reportedly filed their complaint with the police about their trip that was pending at the time.

This group was from a local primary school, where some 20 plus persons said they have already paid for their cruise which was to set for August 13.

After reading about the Edden family they fear leaving this island to find themselves like members of the first family left standing at a cruise port watching their cruise ship sail away, when it was discovered that at least 10 of the group were not booked on-board the ship.

Deciding to be safe rather than sorry, the latest group of 20 plus persons called Carnival Cruise Line to make sure that their reservations were secured.

It was a phone call that delivered only bad news. According to a spokesperson for the group they were told by Carnival Cruise Lines that the credit card used to book their cruise was declined.

The police are now circulating a wanted poster with Morris' picture stating that she is wanted by the Central Detective Unit for Stealing by Reason of Service.

This was not her first time being taken to court for such matters and on both accounts she was given time to repay. The last one she finished repaying in December according to her accuser.

Interestingly enough, all previous stories about these matters are no longer found on Google search engine. Morris' Facebook account had been closed for a month but now is back up.

Her whereabouts are still not certain at this time, but police say with their connections through interpol she cannot escape the long arm of the law.

The Edden family is being represented by attorney Jacy Whittaker.