400 consumer complaints received annually – CCAC Director

…compliance certification launched

Complaints reaching the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) have been on the rise in recent years, with an annual tally of 400 reports being filed.

CCAC Acting Director Anil Sukhdeo made this disclosure on Tuesday during the launching of its compliance certification for businesses.
The CCAC has a track record of some 85 per cent resolution rate, ranging between $100 million to $200 million. They are also set to increase inspections to 1000 annually.
“Over the years, we have moved from receiving little to no complaints, less than 100 per year, to receiving and resolving with success,” relayed.
The certification will now indicate to consumers, the businesses where quality products are sold. It will also attribute to consumer confidence in the population.
The certificate can be given through business inspections of applications for voluntary compliance. These certificates are to be renewed every year.
Inspections include the utilisation of a compliance checklist, verification of receipt books and warranty document, assessment to identify any areas of CCAC breaches, and inspection of items being sold. Where it is proven that a business is in conformance, the supplier will be issued with a conformity form and subsequently, a Compliance Certificate.
Sukhdeo noted, “What we have come to recognise is that there is nothing firmly given to these suppliers who pass these compliance tests that we have had. What we were doing is giving them a mark of recognition so that when consumers enter those premises, they know that this is an apt business that is compliant with the Consumer Affairs Act.”
He added, “So when you enter that establishment, you know that you’re safe in terms of your shopping, you’re entitled to a refund within seven days, entitled to exchange etc. So you can shop with that confidence.”
The Private Sector Commission’s Vice President, Ryan Alexander, has lauded this move as a way of guaranteeing a higher level of service for Guyanese.
“We are happy to see the rollout of this certificate programme. We think it is a junction where we not only want to ramp up the type of service that we offer to the general public but there is the new oil and gas industry that requires a lot of these types of certifications…We think that it all speaks well for a more improved service for the general public and the companies coming into Guyana,” the private sector official commended.