News
December to usher in greater protection for Consumers says Gov’t
The Consumer is King and the government wants to make sure you know it.
#TurksandCaicos, November 27, 2021 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) is launching a sensitization program to increase public awareness of the Consumer Protection Ordinance. The news came from Lisandra Colley, Director of Trade in a press conference early this month.
Colley emphasized the importance of the move, saying that the ordinance which was passed in 2016 by the previous PNP Administration has gone largely unnoticed and its potential was not being fully utilized. She said, “Many people in the TCI are not aware of their rights as consumers and some businesses are not aware of their responsibilities under the ordinance.”
The government aims to change this and hopes that the sensitization program, a phase of which is dubbed ‘Consumer is King’ will help citizens to become more familiar with the rights the ordinance provides them.
Colley also maintained that the campaign will be monitored closely to gauge its effectiveness in the hope that any necessary amendments to the ordinance will become clearer to the government.
Minister of Finance E.J. Saunders chimed in on the issue, citing consumer protection as ‘necessary’, and highlighting
“There are people who know that there is a demand and they push their prices up… they’re rubbing their hands together during a hurricane thinking that now is the time to make huge profit margins,” he said at the press conference held November 8.
Despite this, he maintained that the government is dedicated to protecting consumers.
“We will use everything within our power to make sure that you don’t price gouge people during an emergency situation.”
Minister Saunders maintained that driving down costs increases quality of life for the consumer.
The ‘Consumer is King’ campaign will incorporate advertisements and brochures and is set to launch in December.
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer