ACTION PLAN

C. ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs should be the primary governmental organisation responsible for Consumer Protection in Trinidad and Tobago. The Ministry should be so structured that activities relating to the National Consumer Policy within the Ministry's purview be adequately handled. In order to fulfil its role in a satisfactory manner, the services of the Ministry should be decentralized and re-structured along the geographic boundaries of Regional Corporations.

The powers and duties of the Director of Consumer Affairs under the existing and proposed legislation should be clearly defined.

The role and function of the Consumer Guidance Council should be redefined in order to carry out its mandate under the Act. The Council should also advise the Minister on Consumer matters and be responsible to Parliament. The Council should consist of representatives from all consumer interest bodies and other relevant organizations in the country.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs should be structured to provide the following important activities:

1. Research and Planning;
2. Consumer information and Education;
3. Consumer Complaints;
4. Enforcement of Legislation;
5. Legal Services;
6. Library Services;
7. Training;
8. Consumer Gender Equity

1. Research and Planning
   A consumer policy can be affected by many factors which make the implementation process a dynamic one. It is necessary therefore to carry out and commission research on issues such as consumer behaviour, spending habits, changes in manufacturing technology, effect of the press and media, etc, in order to implement successfully and monitor the policy;


2. Consumer Education and Information
   This activity should play a critical role in fostering and developing consumer awareness. The dissemination of information on products and services available to and utilised by consumers, is important since it enables the consumer to make a better and more informed choice. There should be facilities to provide for this activity on a national basis, with trained staff and equipment;


3. Consumer Complaints and Redress
   The resolution of consumers' complaints will constitute an important activity of the Ministry. Facilities should be provided to allow for efficient procedures of lodging complaints and follow-up action which would satisfy the consumer. Each office of the recommended decentralized structure will act, in addition to its other duties, as a collection point for information for use by other divisions of the Ministry in planning its policies and programmes;


4. Enforcement of Legislation
   It is imperative that legislation which relate to consumer protection be enforced. The enforcement of the statutes for which the Ministry will have responsibility, (including pursuing Court action where necessary), will be undertaken by this Department or Division. This department will also assist in the monitoring of the enforcement of legislation by other consumer protection agencies;


5. Legal Services
   The laws dealing with consumer protection and other facets of consumerism are specialized and hence appropriate legal services must be provided both to the Ministry and the consumer;


6. Library Services
   The establishment of regionalised library services within the Ministry is necessary both to service the needs of other departments of the Ministry as well as provide an avenue for information and knowledge on consumer matters to the general public;


7. Training
   The upgrading of skills and training of staff should be a policy of the Ministry. Training of staff should be an on-going activity with specially designed programmes to cater for the needs of the Ministry Training should not be given only to its staff and those of the decentralized services, but also to the Council members and representatives of Consumer Action Groups. Attachments to International Consumer Protection Agencies are viewed as vital for the training and upgrading of skills of staff of the Ministry;


8. Gender Equity
   Gender Equity must be included in the training process.



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