THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS CONTINUES TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHTS OF ALL CONSUMERS ARE RESPECTED AND PROTECTED.

The Department of Consumer Affairs in collaboration with the National Consumers Association (NCA), have planned a number of activities in observation of World Consumer Rights Day.

Guillaume Simon, Director of the Consumer Affairs Department, stated that the initiative is in keeping with the mandate to ensure that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against those market abuses and social injustices that undermine those rights.

“On World Consumer Rights Day, we’ll have a live panel discussion where we will discuss the issues, the opportunities and the challenges that consumers face in the digital age,” Mr. Simon said. “We also will be going out into the communities during the month of activities to meet with consumers to discuss some of the areas they want us to focus on. The minister will be addressing the nation on World Consumer Rights Day on government policies, and of course we will have a number of joint radio programs with the NCA to make consumers more aware of their rights.”

As of March 2017, Saint Lucia has a record rate of 109, 370 internet users, a 58.2 percent penetration rate. Mr. Simon said that while the internet created new opportunities for consumers, it exposes consumers to a number of risks.

“Essentially, the World Consumer Rights Day theme, Trusted Smart Products, speaks to the pervasiveness of smart products in the society that we live right now. Everything that we do deals with smart products. There are opportunities for consumers in terms of leveraging their quality of life, but there are also numerous challenges that we need to be aware of, operating in a digital age.”

World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated annually on March 15. The Director of Consumer Affairs made an appeal to all businesses to show appreciation for customers in commemoration of World Consumer Rights Day.