GRTU sees no need for Consumer Protection Agency - government to launch consultation
The GRTU does not understand why the government is planning to set up a Consumer Protection Agency, GRTU President Paul Abela said today.
"We cannot see what need there is, in 2010, to set up an agency such as this. We cannot understand how the government had found money to waste on something which, for us, hardly makes any sense in the current Maltese economic and commercial context," Mr Abela told Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said during a meeting.
He said there were other areas where the governemnt could spend its money to benefit consumers.
Mr Abela complained that the governemnt had never discussed its plans for the agency with the GRTU and said the chamber was seeking a serious discussion about it.
He said that Maltese businesses operated under fair competition rules and public regulators had a duty to ensure that no one abused of a monopoly or market dominant position.
There was much to be done to improve the system. Indeed, the GRTU was not happy with the way most of the regulators operated. It was pleased that the government had taken up its suggestion to set a college of regulators so that they could work on the basis of common principles.
Mr Abela said the concept of the College of Regulators needed to be developed as quickly as possible so that there was no overlapping between the regulators, and the free market could operate efficiently.
This, Mr Abela said, was the best protection that could be afforded to consumers and small businesses, rather than sending an army of people to copy the prices displayed in shops.
Once price controls had ended this regiment of people going around the shops to see the prices was no longer needed.
What was needed, however, was for the government, with involvement by the GRTU, to analyse and establish how imported products saw their price spike by the time they reached consumers. There were clearly problems in the distribution system.
Shop prices were not false, Mr Abela said, but reflected the many often senseless costs imposed until products reached the shops.
Now that the government was to set up a Consumer Protection Agency, would the government explain who it would protect?
Would it protect businesses from the costs imposed by the government which they then had to pass on to consumers? Would it afford protection from monopolies and dominant market players who imposed high prices and conditions on retailers on a take it or leave it basis?
Mr Abela said the GRTU was appealing to the governemnt for serious dialogue on the plans for the agency before taxpayers' money was spent on an exercise which did not make sense.
Mr Abela also criticised the Malta Resources Authority for having decided the utility tariffs on its own.
He said the GRTU had reiterated its position that small businesses should not pay that part of their utilities bill which covered the capping enjoyed by big firms on their bills.
CONSULTATION DOCUMENT
Pariamentary Secretary Chris Said said the government would issue a consultation document on the proposed agency. He said the purpose of the agency would not be to impose more regulation on businesses but for the government to consolidate its existing consumer protection mechanisms and ensure they were more efficient.
He said the government would welcome the GRTU's input to the consultation process.
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R.Zammit
Mar 11th 2010, 09:47
John Dalli had summed up his impression of you lot very eloquently. That's why a Consumer Protection Agency is needed (as well as a Tax Compliance Unit).
joe scerri
Mar 11th 2010, 08:39
another good reason why I should keep on purchasing online, thanks
Joseph Grech
Mar 11th 2010, 07:21
How about that GRTU is against Consumer Protection. Can Mr. Farrugia or Mr. Abela the reason why the medicines' prices in Malta are the HIGHEST in Europe. Here are an example:a) Novartis Cotareg Valsartan - Malta Price 36 Euros, from Italy and France 20.20 Euros,difference 16 Euros for just 28 pills. What do they call this discrepancy....robbery, Government's incompetence to consumer.
Joe Meilak
Mar 11th 2010, 07:15
We at CSQM (www.csqm.net) (Customer Service Quality Mark) work in conjunction with the GRTU to promote best practises in Customer Service by means of self regulation, training and monitoring.
The best consumer protection is a liberalised market and a level playing field where consumers can vote with their choice.
Protection against rogue traders is already there but at times the problems in customer service are not of legal infringement but of attitude (addressed through training and mystery shopping)
Our philosophy at CSQM is that through customer service one can build goodwill in a competitive market and to attest to this one can view a list of CSQM Certified entities on our website www.csqm.net where we support them both in assessing their operation, training and monitor their work.
If a client feels aggrieved in any way by their service we guarantee response within 24 hours via email. We can proudly say that in 99.7% of the cases reported we solve the cas ein under 24 hours!
Self regulation is a very cost effective way how to address the 'soft' issues which constitute 90% of grievances.
Joseph Grech
Mar 11th 2010, 01:03
GRTU sees no need for Consumer Protection Agency - of course NOT! Does the GRTU take us all for fools?
laurence schembri
Mar 10th 2010, 23:29
Randolph Peresso
GWU? Please explain.
m. borg (slm)
Mar 10th 2010, 23:15
If there is any proof required that this government works on the Dr Jackle and Mr Hyde is this latest consumer thing.
First the government pummel us, breaks our bones and mug us of our money as Mr. Hyde then reverts back to Dr Jackle and pretends to heal our wounds until it is time to take up the MR Hyde role.
Randolph Peresso
Mar 10th 2010, 22:47
LOL @ GWU
Ian Borg
Mar 10th 2010, 22:25
The problem is that we already have protection agencies. Increasing the number of agencies is as the GRTU is saying a waste of taxpayers money. What we really need is to consolidate and strengthen the existing institutions, and rid the from any political interference, ensure that they achieve their objectives effectively and efficiently, and have sufficient resources. The GRTU is right, we do not need another protection agency. We need better ones!!!!
Charles Zammit
Mar 10th 2010, 21:13
Dear Mr. Abela can u please explain what need there is for the GRTU then? By the same token we consumers see no need for the GRTU - Dr. Said please note
John Grima
Mar 10th 2010, 17:56
Well, I guess asking the GRTU to be in favour of a Consumer Protection Agency is tantamount to asking turkeys to vote in favour of Christmas. As far as I know most developed countries have some form of consumer protection agency. In the UK for instance we have the trading standards officers employed by the Local councils.
J Farrugia
Mar 10th 2010, 17:35
Dear Mr Paul Abela of GRTU fame, due to the fact that there some business who dont give a damn whether they make a 90% profit on medicines or 190% profit out of the misery of our citizens, WE DO NEED SUCH A PROTECTION AGENCY. As long as humans are humans with their rights and wrongs, the consumer needs protection against certain businessmen, a most recent example is the Mambra case. As long as malta remains a democracy we surely can do without the advice from the Businessmen and their umbrella organisations which look only to their members' interests and not the consumers' interests. So thank you very much MR Abela but the Government has to set up this Consumer Protection agency since it was promised to us the people of Malta and Gozo to save us from business profiteers.