Join the Consumers' Association

As we prepare ourselves to join the European Union, we must snap out of our lethargy as consumers. The average Maltese consumer only takes an interest in consumer affairs if s/he has a consumer problem. Indeed there are consumers who join the Consumers' Association just to have a complaint dealt with.

What makes it worse is that when such members are contacted shortly before their annual membership expires and they are asked whether they wish to renew their membership, they blatantly say that, since they no longer have a consumer problem, they do not wish to renew their membership.

How do we compare with other countries? Well, let us compare ourselves with Iceland, a country with a population of 275,000 - about 100,000 lessthan us. In Iceland they have a Consumers' association which currently has around 17,000 members. For them, this is a low because, I recall, there was a time when they had well over 20,000.

The Icelandic Consumers' Association (ICA) is directed by a board of 21 members, elected for two years. Each official voting district in the country gets representatives in the board according to the number of its inhabitants. It has nine staff members and it is financed mainly by membership fees (72%), but also by publications (8%), State (15%), local authorities (3%), and unions (2%).

Among other things, it publishes a consumers' magazine, Neytendabladid, four to five times a year (free to members), books, brochures and posters; it promotes and protects the interests of consumers; gives assistance in individual cases and undertakes comparative testing of consumer goods and services.

Maltese consumer orientation

Now how do we, as a country, compare with Iceland in consumer affairs orientation? Well, with a population of almost 400,000 we have a Consumers' Association (CA) of around 600 members, which is currently a high for us since there were times it only had about 250 members. And yet, under the chairmanship of Benny Borg Bonello, the CA still promotes and protects the interests of consumers. We used to have a part-time staff member, Manuel Farrugia, who was dismissed last June due to lack of funds. Now all the work is done on a voluntary basis.

Indeed despite the prevailing scenario, under Mr Borg Bonello, the CA is still very productive. Last year it set up its own Website (www.camalta.org) with €3,388 in financial assistance which Mr Borg Bonello obtained from the European Commission Delegation in Malta.

Despite the lack of funds and a lack of members the CA always speaks up in the interests of consumers on all relevant issues. It accordingly issues press releases like the one featured in this column on the current (now resolved) public transport issue.

If you are interested in joining the Consumers' Association please fill in the form below and send it to me. It would also be appreciated if you would indicate what you would consider to be a reasonable membership fee.

Tomorrow at 6 p.m. on TVM, as Valerie Vella's regular guest in Mill-Box, produced by Sabrina Mulligan, Benny Borg Bonello will be joining me and you are invited to call in with your questions or comments on tel. 2125-8851/2.