WESTERN BUREAU:

The proposed merger between the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Fair Trading Commission (FTC), which was announced by Minister of Industry Investment and Commerce, Aubyn Hill, last year, is still in the making and should happen soon.

This, according to regional officer for the Western Region in the CAC, Suzette Grigg, during her presentation at the seventh staging of a monthly ‘Seniors Coffee and Conversation’ session, held at the Hanover Parish Library on Thursday.

“For right now, even in Kingston, you could call our head office and they will tell you, they are moving into a new location very soon, where both entities will be under one roof,” she stated, adding that the move should be a national one.

She said that, while the CAC has offices in Kingston, Montego Bay and Mandeville, there is no FTC office in Montego Bay, but stressed that, whatever the new name is after the merger, it will be adopted in the Montego Bay office.

The April session in Hanover was held under the theme ‘Empowering the Senior Consumer: Navigating Consumerism in the Digital Age’. Grigg’s presentation encouraged the seniors in attendance to get comfortable in the use of digital instruments, and informed them of their rights as consumers.

She highlighted the dangers involved in the use of the technology, advising the seniors to always be cautious when using them. She noted, however, that despite the risks involved, they “do not want to be left behind”. She shared security tips in the use of technological instruments, especially those requiring passwords.

“Never, never provide your password, your credit card numbers, your bank account information, or any other personal information, when asked in an email or website that you are unfamiliar with,” she advised.

Other topics which were covered in Grigg’s presentation include: the importance of labelling on products, warranty agreements, the importance of receipts when purchases are made, and the rights and responsibilities of the consumer.

Grigg said that, for the 2022/2023 financial year, the CAC has assisted consumers in getting over $38 million dollars in refund. She said the office was eagerly awaiting the figures for the 2023/2024 year, which should be even more.

“So when you have a dispute with a store owner or merchant, the CAC is the entity that you would report the matter to. We are there to resolve marketplace disputes, and so what I want to do today is to communicate useful information to you,” she said.

Regional director in the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) region 4, with responsibility for St James, Hanover and Westmoreland, Marvetta Stewart-Richards, spoke of the success of the sessions held every fourth Thursday. She told The Gleaner that the ‘Seniors Coffee and Conversation’ series originated in Hanover and is now being adopted by the JLS as a national programme.

“We started in September 2023 and we have had sessions dealing with preparation of the last will and testament, health and ageing. We have done earthquake awareness, also online banking, and RADA was here, too, to talk on backyard farming, among others,” she pointed out.

She noted that overall feedback from the sessions is that senior citizens look forward to attending them, some with a view to interact and network with others, while others were in search of information specific to their needs.

Stewart-Richards said the plan is to continue the programme every month, with discussions centred on ways to engage the seniors, as well as to listen to their concerns.