Head of Delegation – European Union for the Pacific;
Deputy Governor – Reserve Bank of Fiji;
Respective Chief Executive Officers;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Bula vinaka and a very good evening to you all.
It gives me great pleasure to be here this evening to launch Consumer Council of Fiji’s (CCOF) new office and logo.
Tonight marks a significant milestone, not just for the organisation, but for the Board, management, staff and consumers nationwide.
Before I begin, I would like to congratulate the Council’s new Chief Executive Officer on her new appointment. Congratulations and all the best to you. I know you’ll be able to take the Council to even greater heights.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Council has come a long way and today’s event, is a testimony to the fruitful, exciting and challenging journey the Council has taken over the years.
It gives me great pleasure to finally see the Council relocate its home after spending 14 years in Carnarvon Street and to also see a change with the logo after having the same one for more than 3 decades.
The change in logo is a timely one, as it depicts the strong bond the Council and consumers had developed over the years.
It also portrays consumers’ satisfaction on the services provided by the Council, most importantly, the trust, consumers have on the Council.
This bond and trust is a crucial component in achieving a marketplace where consumers are well informed, confident and protected from unlawful, deceptive and misleading practices.
While the old office had served the Council well, the new facilities offers a chance to improve the Council’s services to Fijian consumers.
The new office provides easy access for persons with disabilities. They will no longer be deprived of the services of the Council and they will be able to meet the staff face-to-face.
Also with the new office, the Council has substantially increased its waiting area for consumers to use whilst waiting to be served. Moreover, the new office has also afforded an opportunity to accommodate staff increase, to effectively and efficiently attend to consumers’ complaints.
The Consumer Council of Fiji in the last 2 years has added more staff with the addition of the highly utilised toll-free National Consumer Helpline and setting up of Debt Management and Consumer Credit Advisory Unit.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Consumer Council of Fiji plays a crucial role in ensuring a market place where consumers are well informed, confident and protected from unlawful, deceptive, misleading or otherwise objectionable practices.
In any economy, a competitive environment is needed for growth and development. When different producers or vendors compete effectively, it creates a better outcome for everyone. Higher quality goods, increased efficiencies, a wider selection to choose from, and lower prices. But effective and fair competition is not automatic.
Consumer protection in Fiji can be improved. To achieve this, Cabinet has recently endorsed the formulation of a new Competition and Consumer Protection policy and a new legal framework. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism will lead this project.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Policy will make the Government’s aims and intentions in respect of competition law clear. It will serve as a guiding document for the reforms and lay out progress timelines and responsible agencies for the key reforms.
The Consumer Council of Fiji is a key stakeholder to these reforms. The Ministry will soon (provisionally Monday 18th February) hold Working Group consultations on the legislation. The Ministry looks forward to hearing the Council’s views to ensure that consumer’s voices are listened to.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In terms of collaboration, the Council had effectively contributed towards the establishment of the Accident Compensation Commission of Fiji (ACCF) in January 2018.
As many of us know, the scheme provided compensation for any personal injury or death as a result of an accident involving registered motor vehicles in Fiji without the need to establish fault or negligence.
Another good example of this important collaboration, was the charging of traders under the CARE for Fiji initiative.
These traders were vendors under the Government’s CARE for Fiji Initiative, which was set up to provide relief to victims of consecutive floods and cyclones (TC Keni and Josie) at the beginning of last year.
The Council, through its investigation discovered that prices charged by certain vendors increased drastically to take advantage of Fijians who received monetary assistance. There were also delays in the delivery of purchased goods and consumers were restricted to buying certain goods at special prices while missing out on other storewide sales.
This led to the setting-up of a Joint Task Force with the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Through the Joint Task Force, eleven (11) traders were charged, two (2) were successful convictions and nine (9) are pending in court.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Fijian Government is not only committed to maintaining, but to growing, the capabilities of the Council. From 2012 to 2018, the resources that have been allocated by Government to the CCOF has grown from $525,000 dollars to $1.46 million, a 178 per cent increase.
Furthermore, the Government is working alongside the Council to create a level playing field for businesses to compete fairly. This is particularly important to Fiji’s small businesses, which rely on these kinds of protection to allow them to succeed.
The Government has helped more of these micro and small enterprises to take root through our Micro and Small Business Grants and the Young Entrepreneurship Scheme.
The public response to these grant initiatives has been overwhelmingly positive. And as the Minister responsible, I am delighted to see Fijians from all walks of life come up with new and innovative ideas for businesses.
Where these ideas, passion, and drive exist within Fijians, it is the privilege of Government to foster their development. Because these businesses are not just helping the individual people who start them, or even the other workers who they may grow to employ. These businesses are helping to build the new Fijian economy.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to congratulate the Council’s Board, management, and staff for their commitment, not only for this enhanced identity, but also protecting ordinary Fijians. Your behind-the-scenes work is making a better and stronger Fijian economy that benefits us all.
With those words, I now have great pleasure in launching the Consumer Council of Fiji brand new office and logo.
Thank You. Vinaka Vakalevu and Dhanyavaad.
These traders were vendors under the Government’s CARE for Fiji Initiative, which was set up to provide relief to victims of consecutive floods and cyclones (TC Keni and Josie) at the beginning of last year.
The Council, through its investigation discovered that prices charged by certain vendors increased drastically to take advantage of Fijians who received monetary assistance. There were also delays in the delivery of purchased goods and consumers were restricted to buying certain goods at special prices while missing out on other storewide sales.
This led to the setting-up of a Joint Task Force with the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Through the Joint Task Force, eleven (11) traders were charged, two (2) were successful convictions and nine (9) are pending in court.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Fijian Government is not only committed to maintaining, but to growing, the capabilities of the Council. From 2012 to 2018, the resources that have been allocated by Government to the CCOF has grown from $525,000 dollars to $1.46 million, a 178 per cent increase.
Furthermore, the Government is working alongside the Council to create a level playing field for businesses to compete fairly. This is particularly important to Fiji’s small businesses, which rely on these kinds of protection to allow them to succeed.
The Government has helped more of these micro and small enterprises to take root through our Micro and Small Business Grants and the Young Entrepreneurship Scheme.
The public response to these grant initiatives has been overwhelmingly positive. And as the Minister responsible, I am delighted to see Fijians from all walks of life come up with new and innovative ideas for businesses.
Where these ideas, passion, and drive exist within Fijians, it is the privilege of Government to foster their development. Because these businesses are not just helping the individual people who start them, or even the other workers who they may grow to employ. These businesses are helping to build the new Fijian economy.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to congratulate the Council’s Board, management, and staff for their commitment, not only for this enhanced identity, but also protecting ordinary Fijians. Your behind-the-scenes work is making a better and stronger Fijian economy that benefits us all.
With those words, I now have great pleasure in launching the Consumer Council of Fiji brand new office and logo.
Thank You. Vinaka Vakalevu and Dhanyavaad.