Fiji

Opposition party leaders welcome

consumer bill in Fiji The leaders of two opposition parties in Fiji have welcomed a bill designed to give consumers greater protection in hire pur chase arrangements.

Opposition and National Federation Party leader, Jai Ram Reddy and Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry spoke on the Consumer Protection Bill before it was unanimously passed by Parliament mid- February.

Reddy says the bill is long overdue. He says Fiji consumers who have been buying items under hire purchase contracts have been victims for a long time. He says because people cannot be stopped from financially over committing themselves through the power of advertising, Fiji has to have some kind of law on its statute books to protect its consumers.

Labour leader Chaudhry says the two major credit providers. Courts (Fiji) Limited and Bums Philp, lure unsuspect ing customers by providing prizes worth tens of thousands of dollars. He says con sumers are paying for the huge prizes offered by both companies.

A parliamentary committee receiving submissions on the bill when it came to the House last month, concluded that con sumers were in danger of being exploited under current hire purchase contracts and need to be educated. The committee also said hire purchase interest charges are exorbitant. PNS