'Consumer a king without a crown'

Raja Waidyasekera Tissamaharama special correspondent

Safeguarding consumer rights and interests through consumer empowerment is the objective behind the Consumer Affairs Authority said Directress Consumer Affairs Authority C. N. Thilakaratna.

She was addressing a workshop attended by traders, producers and consumers in the Hambantota district.

The workshop was conducted on the theme "The role of the Consumer Affairs Authority in regulating trade and protection of consumers". She said the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) was started in 2003.

The Directress said that major features of the CAA are consumer education and empowerment settlement of consumer disputes, regulation of market management of the prices of specified goods and conduct of market survey research.

She said that the consumer is an actual or potential user of goods or services made available for a consideration by any trader or manufacturer.

The Directress said the person who sells or supplies goods wholesale to other persons or sells or supplies goods to consumers at retail rate or import goods for the purpose of sale provides service for a consideration is identified as a trader.

She said the consumer should enjoy the rights to satisfaction of basic needs to get the correct information on the products and services.

The Directress said the consumer must also possess reasonable access to variety of products and services at competitive prices.

She said the consumer also must has the right to receive education on market place, quality of goods and services. The Directress CAA said that the consumer has the right to obtain reasonable solutions for the problems they face.

She said that consumers have a certain amount of responsibilities. They are active participants of finding out solutions to consumer problems, to get consumer education, to be alert and critical on consumer issues that will affect the consumer rights and contribute to protect the environment the Directress CAA concluded.

Executive Director CAA Shirani Weragoda, District Secretary Hambantota R. M. D. B. Meegasmulla, Additional District Secretary S. Dharmasiri, Executive Director C. A. A. Mohideen Bawa, District Coordinating officer W. A. K. Sirisena and Investigation Officers W. K. Bandula Pathmalal and A. N. K. Ratnayake were present.