Fiji Impressed the World

Peni Naoma, Savusavu

I would like to personally congratulate every Fijian for successfully hosting a memorable and awesome ADB Conference. We were given an opportunity and stepped up to impress the whole world.

Our A-G and Minister for Economy was very impressive in all the meetings, panels and discussions that he was involved in.

It was a proud moment for all Fijians to be represented at such a high level by the A-G who made sure the world realised that it’s not just rugby and great tourism spots that define Fiji, but also our intelligence at high level international discussions.

This of course was a great addition to the global Leadership shown by our COP23 President and top 100 global thinkers in the world, the Fijian Prime Minister. What a team and what a time to be alive.
Consumer woes

Priyanka Lal, Campaigns, Information and Media Officer

Consumer Council of Fiji

We refer to Veena Ben’s letter titled “Consumer woes” published in the Fiji Sun on April 29, 2019.

The Council would like to acknowledge Ms Ben for highlighting a few issues concerning defective refrigerators resulting in expensive repairs after the warranty has expired and importation of sub-standard products.

The Council acknowledges the concerns raised and will take these on board in its continued work towards creating a fair market place.

In the meantime, consumers are urged to practise their rights and responsibilities when shopping around for appliances or to choose the best repair shops.

They are encouraged to inspect the appliance for any damage and have it tested ensuring it is of good quality. Consumers are urged to seek as much information as possible on the product brand and ask questions about redress mechanisms provided by the retailer.

It is advisable for consumers to do a research on repair shops in their areas, ask around with family and friends who have used the services of repair shops and what their experiences were. It is advisable to shop around and look for certified, reliable and affordable shops before settling on one.

The Council is also calling on traders to act responsibly and provide all necessary information to consumers before an item is purchased. Traders must ensure that items purchased are fit for its purpose, durable and consumers get the best value for their money.

Information on the availability of spare parts, back-up service or if the company will be able to do a service repair after a fault occurs in the product should be disclosed to consumers at all times.

Consumers are advised to call the National Consumer Helpline toll-free number 155 if they encounter any unethical business practice by traders.
Vandalism

Bhawna Lata Singh, Cunningham Stage 1

As a law abiding citizen of Fiji, I am writing this, to show my concern regarding the vandalism that is done to the public and private properties.

Public properties such as toilets, bus stops and footpaths are increasingly being vandalised. A lot of construction work is done and everyday people make use of these facilities and they will agree once they enter or walk into any of these places.

They will see disgusting words written on the walls, inside and outside. Someone deliberately does this overnight. The question is “Who does the damages?” The answer is “No One Knows”.

A lot of effort is taken by the state to develop infrastructure so that people can benefit. Relevant authorities such as city councils take some sort of action such as deploying their workers to supervise these places in order to combat vandalism.

Feedback:  jyotip@fijisun.com.fj