MINISTER OF COMMERCE, Trade and Industry, Senator Haynesley Benn, concluded his familiarisation tours yesterday with a visit to the Fair Trading Commission (FTC) in Green Hill, St Michael.
During the visit, Benn said the commission provided an invaluable service to the community. He also expressed confidence in its efficiency and encouraged the organisation to continue its current thrust towards further educating individuals about their rights and responsibilities.
“I’m impressed with the departments that I’ve seen under the Ministry of Commerce and Trade.
It’s a pity that sometimes their work is not given enough [exposure] in the public domain, because consumers are concerned about their rights and I’m happy to know that the Fair Trading Commission has put out information that would encourage consumers to know [more].”
Chief executive officer of the FTC, Peggy Griffith, explained that in addition to finding resolutions for consumer challenges, the organisation was also concerned about the well-being of businesses.
“We also have training programmes for businesses, where we discuss the provisions of the fair competition legislation, [and] we talk about anti-competitive conduct so they’ll know if they’re committing such an act.”
The FTC addresses a range of concerns, from terms of contracts and complaints about dual pricing to determining rates and standards for service providers. Minister Benn reiterated that the FTC’s function was crucial and articulated his support for the division’s role in consumer protection and ensuring fair competition. (BGIS)
