THE Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) launched its website during a simple ceremony at Herdmanston Lodge, Georgetown, on Wednesday.

Citizens can now register their complaints on the website at https://ccac.gov.gy/.
CCAC Chairman, Attorney Ronald Burch-Smith, said the commission’s duty is to advocate and ensure a balance of rights, fairness and equality between consumers and businesses.

Adding that the condition is necessary to ensure efficiently functioning markets in the economy, Burch-Smith said the CCAC was established to administer and enforce the Competition and Fair Trading Act 2006 (CFTA) and the Consumer Affairs Act (2011).

As such, he urged consumers to take advantage of their inherent rights given them through the Competition and Fair Trading and Consumer Affairs Acts.

He noted that this encourages consumers to seek redress with the commission, should they feel disenfranchised by the purchase of a good or service.

Communications Officer of the Commission, Allison Parker, said consumers must be aware of their basic buying rights, while understanding that in Guyana there is a law that gives patrons the right to refund, return and a right to warranty.

Consumers are being reminded that among some of their rights are: the right to a refund and the right to return goods under specific conditions. It is the responsibility of consumers to always demand proof of purchase, inclusive of a receipt and contracts where necessary.
The commission can be reached on telephone numbers 219-4410-3, or by visiting the office at the National Exhibition Site, Sophia. The commission is separated into two main facets, the adjudicative and the investigative.

The adjudicative comprises the Board of Commissioners, while the investigative consists of two primary units, the Competition Policy Unit and the Consumer Affairs Unit, inclusive of support staff. The foremost goal is to ensure the effective, efficient and objective administering of the CFTA and the CAA. The work of the Consumer Affairs Unit is complemented by the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Business, which focuses primarily on consumer education.