Know
Your
Rights,
Consumers.
Story by Stan Bishop
essential protection and legislation
from businesses that make highway
robbery their business, adding
that consumers are “crying out for
agencies to address their concerns”.
Increasingly the world over,
consumers are clamouring for
their rights to be both protected
and respected. Many complain
about not getting the high quality
of products and services for which
they often fork out their hard-
earned dollars.
In Saint Lucia, the situation is
no different. Which is why the
Government of Saint Lucia enacted
the Consumer Protection Act (No.
9 of 2016). The purpose of the Act
was far-reaching: to provide for
the promotion and protection of
consumer rights in relation to the
supply of goods and the provision of
services; to ensure the protection of
life, health and safety of consumers;
and to establish a Consumer
Protection Board and a Consumer
Protection Appeals Tribunal.
Nevertheless, consumers complain
that some business-places are
using nefarious means to make
a profit -- at the expense of the
consumers’ pockets. Sales gimmicks
and falling short of delivering what
they promise are some of the major
headaches consumers face when it
comes to some businesses.
Strengthening Legislation
Guillaume Simon
Director of Consumer Affairs.
For this year’s World Consumer
Rights Day, observed on March 15
under the theme Trusted Smart
Products, Guillaume Simon, Director
of Consumer Affairs, told Imij Ink
that the most significant threat
today’s consumers face stems from
online purchasing.
“The question of legislation
and redress is impacting (those
purchases),” he said. “How can
they get redress and where do their
rights come into play?”
Simon believes consumers need the
18 SL-YOU | Business, People & Lifestyle
Simon admits that the Consumer
Protection Act does need some
strengthening so as to provide the
best protection for consumers. He
believes there will always be a need
for strengthening legislation and
regulations that guide the conduct
of trade within Saint Lucia so that
consumers are not disenfranchised.
However, he noted that while there
is a perception that prices for goods
and services provided locally can be
lowered, Saint Lucia has control over
various factors involved in pricing,
including the cost, insurance and
freight (C.I.F.), transport and some
margins for suppliers of goods.
“But let’s face it: prices are rising
globally and perhaps what we’re
seeing is just a reflection of the
global price movements,” he said.
As for those companies not
delivering what they promise,
Simon said the matter is “a big
www.slyoumag.com | July-Agust 2019