CAC Secures $22 Million For Aggrieved Consumers

The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) secured approximately $22 million in refunds and compensation on behalf of aggrieved consumers who transacted business with product and service providers during 2020/2021.

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Audley Shaw, who made the disclosure while making his contribution to the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 11, also noted that the Commission handled 1,851 complaints last year, resolving 80 per cent of those complaints.

Significantly, Mr. Shaw said as at February 28, 2021, the Commission disbursed some $24 million, representing the payment of 336 claims to consumers affected by contaminated gasolene.

He said the Commission “will now expand its consumer protection role after being named in the Microcredit Act, 2021”.

Giving an update on the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), he said the Agency maintains its signatory status as a member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Certification and inspection certificates from a JANAAC-accredited entity are accepted worldwide.

The JANAAC Pre-Accreditation Approval Programme (PAAP) for COVID-19 testing was launched on January 21, 2021.

To date, 22 entities have been pre-accredited under the programme.

In addition, Mr. Shaw said the Ministry continues to place significant emphasis on the Quality Management System (ISO 9001:2015) Certification of Public Sector Entities.

“During the 2020/21 financial year, 17 public-sector entities entered into contractual arrangements with the National Certification Body of Jamaica (NCBJ) to be certified to the ISO 9001 quality management system standard. To date, eight of the entities have been certified and the rest will shortly be certified,” he informed.

Source: JIS