SL consumer rights enter digital era

As Sri Lanka’s national consumer rights and protection embraced the digital era for the first time, the country also announced its consumer protection umbrella is expanding next to a brand new territory-its huge services sector.

“Today I extend my best wishes to CAA and its new consumer digital initiative” said HE President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena on 15 March in Colombo. HE President Sirisena was addressing the launch event of World Consumer Rights Day 2017 by the Consumer Affairs Authority under Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen. Joining the session with HE President were Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister for Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Harin Fernando, Chairman of CAA Hasitha Tilekeratne, CEO ICTA, Muhunthan Canagey and the visiting keynote speaker for the event, Regional Project Officer of Consumers International Satya Sharma. HE President Sirisena has launched the digital CAA platform with the opening of “www.facebook.com/CAASriLanka” at this Colombo event of 34th World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) at the Nelum Pokuna theatre.  Sri Lanka was commemorating WCRD with 86 other countries.

“When we talk of Sri Lanka’s food items and other goods on sale, it is questionable of the producers’ and suppliers’ duties and responsibilities towards the consumers. Food standards determine the health standard of people of a country” said HE President Sirisena and added: “The quality and standards of food and beverages consumed by citizens of a country is a key determinant in its development. We know of the situation prevailing in Sri Lanka’s domestic market. Rather than through orders of the state to regulate these suppliers, the heads of supplying companies themselves have a humanitarian responsibility to ensure the quality of these products.  A market supplier or businessperson is always a consumer too but a consumer is not always a supplier. Therefore the limited number of CAA inspectors are not sufficient to monitor the entire market situation in the country. The producers, consumers and sellers who are joining the new digital technology and revolution today needs to take such factors in to their consideration. While urging all Sri Lankans to fulfil their market related responsibilities personally as well as institutionally, today I extend my best wishes to CAA and its new consumer digital initiative.”

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen, addressing the event, said: “I am pleased to inform you today that the bulk of pending court cases by CAA against errant traders have been cleared in the last one and a half years period from the time I have taken CAA under me. Also CAA carried out 21873 raids in 2016 supporting Sri Lanka’s consumer rights.  Recognizing that not only products, but service sector too is a major force in our consumers, we are planning to expand our consumer protection and raids to Sri Lanka’s service sector next.”

CAA collected Rs 91 million in fines in 2016, increasing from Rs 67 million fines collected in 2015. This year CAA further increased its raids on errant consumers. In January and February 2017, 4143 CAA raids were made, up by 18 percent in comparison to last year’s January and February raids at 3497.

“First citizen of Sri Lanka joining this event shows the importance given by Sri Lankan government to consumer rights” said Consumer International’s Sharma and added: “In fact, I just received news from our headquarters that Sri Lanka is identified as one of the leading countries celebrating consumer protection advocacy in Asian continent today. Issues of e-commerce in Sri Lanka needs to be correlated with global systems and this effort shows the country is on track.”

“With the launch of our digital platform, we are entering a new era today” said Chairman of Consumer Affairs Authority Hasitha Thilakaratne and added: “As the leading state organization in Consumer protection, through our raids and legal actions, we ensure consumer rights across Sri Lanka.”

The World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) was initiated as a result of US President John F. Kennedy’s speech to US Congress on Consumer Rights, delivered on 15 March 1962. The first WCRD was observed in 1983.