Know your rights! This is the strong message from Acting Public Counsel in the Office of Public Counsel, Douglas Frederick, to consumers and the general public.
During an interview with the Barbados Government Information Service, Mr. Frederick said: “My message to consumers and the public in general is to know your rights, and do not sign away your rights. Do not give up your rights; read the contracts that are placed before you; read the fine print and read those purported waivers that are being put to you by suppliers.
“Read them! It takes time, but consider them and read them because in most cases, people try to hold you to those things that you have signed, even if there are unfair terms, they try to hold you to them.”
The Office of Public Counsel administers the Consumer Guarantees Act, which came into effect on January 16, 2003. This Act provides consumers with adequate protection when they purchase goods and use services for personal, domestic, or household use, or consumption.
If a product is defective, or a service is not provided with reasonable care and skill, the Office of Public Counsel represents the consumer by reaching out to the supplier, so as to hear his or her side, and then mediating, in an effort to reach a resolution that would benefit both parties.
“My message to consumers and the public in general is to know your rights, and do not sign away your rights. Do not give up your rights; read the contracts that are placed before you; read the fine print and read those purported waivers that are being put to you by suppliers.”Acting Public Counsel
The Acting Public Counsel, who has been in that post for the past six months, identified defective major appliances and electronic devices as the main complaints of consumers.
“Almost everybody in Barbados has a cell phone, and, or some electronic device, and we have found that…there have been an increase in those types of complaints…. People normally buy appliances on hire purchase, and if you look at the cash price and the hire purchase price, you will see a serious differential. So, people are spending their hard-earned money, and expect that these products will last, at least for some reasonable time without any defect, and give them good service.
“So, we have found that major appliances and electronic devices are our main problems that people highlight to us. Also vehicles, but we have certain restrictions because our jurisdiction is up to $10,000, so that is a limitation on our department, and it is something that has to be looked at,” he proffered.
Mr. Frederick noted that an increasing number of persons have been contacting the department with various queries, and he attributed it in part to the public awareness drive embarked upon when he took over six months ago.
He welcomed this interest and encouraged more members of the public to call the Office with queries, or if they wish to find out more about the department. However, he indicated that if suppliers breached any of the guarantees, then consumers should reach out to the Office of Public Counsel.
“We are the voice for those people who may not have the skill, the capacity or the resource to really defend or to represent themselves. We are the public’s lawyer. We look out for the rights of consumers, so we are here to serve you, that’s why it’s called the Office of Public Counsel,” he stressed.
Mr. Frederick explained that as part of its infrastructure, the Office of Public Counsel has a Consumer Claims Tribunal, which is equivalent to a magistrate’s court, with the jurisdiction of $10,000.
“It is supposed to be a speedier resolution than actually putting these matters before the magistrates’ civil court, and it is a more relaxed atmosphere than a court. The Tribunal operates on evidence so that your receipts and any correspondence or communication between the consumer and the supplier is sometimes necessary because that is evidence of the transaction. It doesn’t have to be written, it can be oral,” he said.
To contact the Office of the Public Counsel, persons may call 535-2758 or 535-2762, or email public.counsel@barbados.gov.bb.
