Joe Borg, Xgħajra
Café overcharging
I am not surprised at the heavy response that my letter on overcharging by cafés, A Tribute To Greed (June 27), brought about.
One writer offered a sour comment asking "Do you know how much rent these people pay?" According to this gentleman, the implication is that if you pay a high rent, then overcharge the customers to get into profit mode. Even a hard-nosed businessman would fight shy of such a dubious moral stance.
The majority of the respondents were outraged at this blatant instance of overcharging and urged the names of the offenders to be made public. Unfortunately, I assume that the editor of The Times would not wish to be involved with the litigation that would follow even though there is ample justification and for the evidence to have great probative value.
Another difficulty would involve my nephew being brought over from England to give evidence. Given the many adjournments that accompany civil cases, his presence in Malta would prove very expensive to the defence. I would gladly supply the information to those interested.
In the meantime, these café owners take advantage of the fact that they are taken on trust, will never to have to answer a complaint, will never be taken to court by a transient tourist and do not fear any enforcement from the responsible authorities. I would like to see those that have many offences registered against their name, following numerous complaints against them, have their annual licence suspended or revoked by an authority set up for the purpose of investigating complaints.
On a visit to Peru, I was on arrival given a booklet detailing how and to whom I should complain in cases of a similar nature amongst other things.
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Charles P Cilia
Jul 3rd 2008, 01:12
I believe there should be some control to safeguard tourists from being overcharged, however I would not refer to them as Tourist Police. I would instead, have Tourist Information Kiosks manned to help the tourist in general and also receive complaints. Then it’s up the Kiosk to accordingly inform the police or other responsible authority.
gerry.cowie
Jul 2nd 2008, 22:35
The Times or Sunday Times used to run the "Customer Service Column". One used to be able to send a complaint about poor customer service to the columnist who would then investigate your complaint publicly. How about resurrecting that?
In the UK we have Trading Standards offices where one can take such complaints.
No doubt your MEP would be very interested also.
A Grech
Jul 2nd 2008, 18:49
But Nigel, Joe Borg did not use them in the first place, it's his visiting nephew who did and I am sure that Joe will not go to those places and neither would I if I knew who they are.
This complaint though serves me as a warning to keep an eye and to ask for prices if such prices are not stuck on the products.
I believe that the wardens should be gotten involved in protecting visitors from irresponsible merchants who are destroying our Tourism industry.
Jasmine Grech
Jul 2nd 2008, 18:16
In every tourist destination, such rip-off and cheating cases are common. Their greed gained them and their nations a bad reputation. In today's IT era, ugly news as such wouldn't take long to travel across the globe.
Some tourist destinations set up Tourist Police Unit. The Tourist Police are trained to take care of the visitors who face unforeseen problems. They are also trained as a tour advisors, a mediator between the irate tourists and any irresponsible merchants or individuals, patrolling tourist spots and protect the attractions/monuments as well as the safety of all visitors.
Those destinations that have the Tourist Police Unit are not neccessary a dangerous country. The set-up is helping the country to minimise the cheating cases and make the visitors feel more confident during their stay. The reason also being that to prevent the rippers from taking advantage in the inconveniences of the tourists who find it costly to return for a court case.
The main interest is to keep the tourists happy and to win more repeat tourists. After all, tourism revenue is highly lucrative and a booster for the country.
Nigel Lawrence
Jul 2nd 2008, 14:17
If you under the impression that these places overcharge, why do you still use them. I know what their prices are like and simply, I just don't use their establishments. Easy isn't it?
Keith Chircop
Jul 2nd 2008, 09:25
It was a sarcastic comment. Fix your sarcasm radar, pal.