Move Afoot To Establish Consumer Protection Laws

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BVI Platinum News
Hon. Marlon Penn, Junior Minister for Trade and Investment Promotion

(PLTM) - Better late than never as the BVI is finally taking steps to bring consumer protection laws, as residents continue to be relentless in their complaints over high prices. Hon. Marlon Penn, Junior Minister for Trade and Investment Promotion disclosed in the House of Assembly that a committee has been set up to move it forward. He said they will be working alongside Caricom, who is developing a draft model legislation. "We are also looking at the issues of consumer protection and consumer affairs. We had a visit this last week from a group from Caricom, who is actually drafting a model legislation on consumer affairs and consumer protection issues. We are having discussions," he disclosed. The Eighth District Representative said that the group met with stakeholders during their visit, and a meeting is planned in the next weeks in St. Lucia, where they intend to go over all the proposed recommendations and draft legislative framework. "So that we could then use that as a guide for us as we strengthen our consumer protection and consumer affairs legislative framework. The view is to have that looked at by the same committee (for) the whole overall restructuring of our trade legislation." Hon. Penn also noted that work needs to be done as it relates to anti-competitive behavior. "And having an anti-trust legislation that we currently do not have under our current framework, and those are some of the key areas we are going to look at as we do our review and assessment," he related. The National Democratic Party (NDP) administration has been called upon on several occasions to put a consumer protection agency in place. Premier and Finance Minister, Hon. Dr. Orlando Smith has been previously called out publicly over people suffering in the country over high prices for goods. The issue was also prominent in the 2015 June general elections campaign trail. Mr. Preston Stoutt, who ran as an independent candidate in the First District, had stated that he was prepared to take on banks and other businesses while seeking to implement consumer protection laws in the Virgin Islands. He questioned where has the government been when it comes to protecting consumers. The main opposition Virgin Islands Party (VIP) had also promised to establish a consumer protection unit within 60 days of taking office. Fifth District candidate under the VIP, Ms. Zoe Walcott-McMillan had stated that a VIP government would implement price control. "Now prices continue to increase here in the Territory. As I go around, people are telling me the days of buying Ramen noodles and Vienna sausage, the dollars are just not stretching. And this of course means that the time has long gone for legislators to intervene by making not just a firm, but committed move towards price control," she stated. She had further stated, "As the people's party, I can boldly say that this is an issue a Virgin Islands Party government will address." Walcott-McMillan however said they cannot be one sided, so they will need to start a dialogue.

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