Guillaume Simon: Director, Consumer Affairs Department
(SNO) –The Consumer Affairs Department in Saint Lucia is reporting a high rate of redress from complaints made by people who purchase items on the island.
However, the department stated that in order for their issues to be address, consumers must make a report to the Complaints and Investigation Unit at the department.
“The point of intervention of my department can only start if the consumer lodges a complaint and when they do we approach the business persons, and I could tell you that about 87% of the time we usually solve those complaints,” Guillaume Simon, director at the Consumer Affairs Department explained.
He pointed out that when a complaint is made, the consumer must present a proof of purchase.
“If you have your invoice, your receipt, there must be that link between you and the product and the supplier,” he stated. “If it is a product or if it is a service, there must be that link and that proof. And receipts, they are very critical in terms of identifying proof that there was a consumer transaction between the two parties the supplier, and the consumer, and the department will lend support in terms of trying to get redress for the consumer.”
Simon noted that a unit within his department is tasked with dealing with these consumer issues.
“We have a complaints and investigation unit, specifically charged with that responsibility of redressing consumer issues,” he remarked.
He said the process is very simple in that a consumer can either come in to the department or call, and afterwards fill out a form.
“So we have to get a statement of fact in terms of what the problem is. We have a cadre of officers who investigate on the consumer’s behalf,” Simon said.
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