Latest update April 24th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 15, 2017 News
Guyana and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states are currently testing a consumer protection alert system which will aid in ensuring that consumers get value for money, and at the same time, protect them from harmful goods.
The CARICOM Rapid Alert System on Dangerous Goods (CARREX), has been described as a web-based electronic system, and will cover all goods with the exception of food items, pharmaceuticals and tobacco products.
The system aims, essentially, to permit the rapid exchange of information between the Member States and the CARICOM Secretariat when the presence of a product which represents a grave and immediate risk to consumers’ health and safety has been detected.
The initiative was birthed in response to concerns expressed over the years by consumer representatives of the need to protect consumers from unsafe goods, and to ensure that they do not purchase sub-standard products.
The platform, with its live public portal, will be used to provide alerts on dangerous non-foods consumer goods on the markets in all fifteen CARICOM Member States.
CARREX went live recently, can be accessed via the following link: www.carrex.caricom.org
Speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, a Senior Consumer Affairs Officer attached to the Ministry of Business’ Consumer Affairs Division, Kushana Archer, said that the portal can also be used by the public to submit complaints electronically to consumer protection agencies on defective products purchased from suppliers.
The Official noted that the mechanism was developed with assistance under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Economic Integration Programme, and patterns a system that exists in the EU called “Rapex”.
Asked how soon the portal can be implemented here in Guyana, Archer said that the system is currently being checked and tested. She noted that this is necessary due to the technical nature of the mechanism.
“Because it is an online portal, you need to work out all the programming kinks and that kind of thing. After this phase, they (CARICOM) will roll out the portal for everyone.” She said.
She noted also that the system is welcomed, since it will work in a way which the division physically cannot.
Archer said that the programme is a step in the right direction since there was no system in place prior to this intervention.
An official from the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) told Kaieteur News that what existed before was based solely on information garnered by staff from the bureau.
“This (system) will obviously provide consumers the opportunity to register their complaints conveniently. Further, their complaints can reach the authorities faster. It will also help regional regulatory bodies to tackle this issue of sub-standard and harmful products, holistically,” the official noted. He added that the GNBS will be supporting the project.
Food and pharmaceutical items have been excluded from this system, as procedures which monitor such products tend to have a higher level of stringency and are regulated by different processes.
However, Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GAF&DD) Director, Marlon Cole, is expected to be briefed on the mechanism at a upcoming engagement scheduled to be held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Cole told Kaieteur News that he believes that the mechanism will aid his department tremendously in executing its mandate particularly in the area of monitoring.
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