Mischief at the Port Authority?

THE EDITOR: Recently I tried to travel to Tobago using a ticket for date which had passed as tickets are valid for a year. I was informed by the cashier that the ticket was already used.

Quite embarrassed and shocked I informed her that the ticket had not been used, to which she responded that the system said it was used and there was nothing she could do.

To not further hold up the line I bought another ticket. Speaking among friends on the ferry, one showed me two tickets for herself and her vehicle which she too was unable to use, having been told they were used already.

On my from Tobago and mentioning the situation to some friends, one young woman said she attempted to change a ticket date at the agency where she bought it, only to be told it had been used.

With these questionable occurrences, I have a few questions for the management of the Port Authority:

Is it that once the date has passed you can no longer use your ticket, even though it says valid for a year?

Is this some technical error (as I am sure I would know if I had travelled to Tobago)?

Or is there some mischief at play wreaking of corruption?

A ABRAHAM via e-mail