Dear Editor,
Please advise whether established service providers are legally responsible for their cashiers’ provision of correct change owed to customers at the time of purchase.

Recently, the cashier at a branch of a prominent establishment told me “there was no change”. That reason was proffered only after I queried the short change owed to me (over 0.80% of my purchase before tax). While change may be unavailable at times, there are several simple initiatives that can ensure equity and the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

The Guyana Consumer Affairs Act 2011, Sections 4 & 5 appears to deal with this specific issue. Your column’s publication of this malpractice would in addition to cautioning errant businesses, would certainly alert the responsible national agency to develop more effective compliance strategies.

Respectfully,
T. Monchoir