In collaboration with the private sector, the Aruba Fair Trade Authority, and the Consumer Protection Service, they exchanged views on the role of the consumer in our economy and how to work together to educate consumers to be critical and aware of their buying behavior.
Every purchase of a product or service contributes to the impulse of our economy. Every citizen is a consumer.
The existing legislation, our Civil Code, gives consumers the necessary protection.
But the consumer is not always aware of his rights and is not informed about these rights.
It is a problem for our development because the more the consumer knows his rights, the more aware and critical he becomes of whether or not to buy.
This decision has a positive effect on competition between companies and innovation.
On World Consumer Rights Day on March 15, we take a moment to reflect on our rights as consumers. It is essential to realize, accept and take action that, as consumers, we have the right to demand fair and transparent trading practices and obtain correct information about the product and service to decide whether to buy or not.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs is taking concrete steps to protect and promote consumer rights. “We are working on implementing the Consumer Credit Regulation Act, which prohibits companies from charging disproportionately high-interest rates when granting loans or payment arrangements when, for example, a consumer buys a washing machine, mobile phone, etc. in installments,” said Minister Geoffrey Wever.
Our compromise is to ensure that companies are held accountable for any violation of consumer rights, for example, by strengthening a monitoring mechanism and applying firmer penalties for misleading practices.
The Minister thanks the University of Aruba for their excellent cooperation, the private sector, and each participant who collectively reflected on the importance of consumer rights.
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