This part
provides for the interpretation of important terms. The terms “consumer” and “supplier” are
defined. The consumer is seen as a
person who acquires goods or services, that he or she receives against payment,
exchange or for free. Business is defined as a professional practice or any
other undertaking that is carried on for gain or reward or in the course of
which goods or services are supplied otherwise than free of charge.
Part II – Consumer Affairs Commission
This part provides for the establishment of a Consumer
Affairs Commission. The Commission has executive and judicial roles and
determines consumer disputes between a supplier and a consumer. So far, this Commission is not existing. It
is planned that the Commission also carries out investigations and conducts
education programmes. The Commission foresees in extra measures for identified
groups: The Commission, shall take reasonable and practical measures, in a
manner consistent with the purposes of this Act, to promote and support the
development of a fair, transparent, sustainable, responsible, efficient,
effective and accessible consumer market generally, and in particular, shall
meet the needs of the following persons – (i) minors, the elderly and other
similarly vulnerable consumers; and (ii) consumers whose ability to read and
comprehend advertisements, agreements, marks, instructions, labels, warnings or
notices is limited by reason of low literacy, vision impairment or limited
fluency in the language in which any such text is produced, published or
presented.
The Commission may
appoint or engage persons having special or technical knowledge to assist the
Commission in carrying out its functions.
Part III – Complaints and Investigations
This part deals with complaints. It is possible to make complaints to the
Commission. It is also possible to file
a complaint with the courts. These
procedures are dealt in great detail in the draft Bill. Complaints must be
filed within two years from the date on which the cause of action arose. However,
it is only possible to file a complaint for a person who acquired something,
seen as the consumre. Not the other way round that a supplier or seller may
file a complaint. It seems that the complaint is free of charge, a tribunal
proceeding may follow; this is well subject to a costs regime.
Part IV –Settlement of Consumer Complaints
This part deals with the Consumer Protection Tribunal.
An appeal is also regulated.
Part V – Consumer Rights
This part deals with consumer rights and the handling
of the complaints pending at the Tribunal.
Here we find the clear rule that a consumer has not to pay for unsolicited
goods. This part recognizes the consumer’s right to choose and examine.
Additionally, the consumer has under given
circumstances the right to rescind or cancel any consumer contract. Distance
consumer contracts may be rescinded within ten days after the delivery of the
goods. In cases of no delivery within five days after the conclusion of the
contract. Within six month, a consumer may rescind a contract in the case that
the supplier has not had the right licenses or registrations for his or her
business.
In this part we also find a language rule referring to
the official language of the Member State in which goods or services have been
offered.
Part VI – Duties of Suppliers
This part deals with duties of suppliers. The supplier is under a duty to provide
information, price, proper identification, environmental factors, warranties,
repairs, pricing and refunds. No clear
rules on commercial guarantees are written down. The warranty section is not
clearly distinguishing the legal rights and the producers or sellers guarantee.
Anyhow, all cures of non-performance shall be for no costs on the consumer. The
seller’s right to cure by replacing the defective goods shall be performed in a
period of only five days. Offered repair by the seller requires a clear repair
record. The chosen standards are quite high and shall be in writing. Here, some
more elaboration would be useful. The part foresees in a provision on dual
pricing, understood as two prices in the same currency. It would be interesting
to have a rule on dual pricing in two different currencies. Due to tourism and
other factors often, the US Dollar price is indicated next to the local
currency. A rule on this would be useful. The part mainly deals with fair
business behavior. Interesting is the rule on waste disposal. Further, the part
contains quite detailed rules on sales record.
Part VII – Prohibition of Unfair Trade Practices and
Transactions
This part deals with unfair trade practices. These include faults, misleading or deceptive
representation. This part also prohibits
restrictive trade practices, unfair and unjust transactions. The fair conduct of the supplier is the key
feature of these rules. In the case of misconduct the consumer has access to
all available remedies or may terminate the contract.
Part VIII – Unfair Terms
This part deals with unfair terms and starts with a
definition: A term in a consumer agreement is unfair if, to the detriment of
the consumer, it causes an imbalance in the rights of the supplier and the
consumer. A clear list of unfair terms
is missing.
Part IX – Product Liability
This part deals with product liability and starts with
definitions of terms like: “agricultural produce”, “damage”, “manufacture” and “producer”
and “product”. Two or more persons are liable
for the same damage; their liability is joint and several.
Part X – Consumer Safety
This part provides for consumer safety and foresees in
fines for supplier who do not comply with the standards set out.
Part XI – Recall of goods
This part deals with the recall of goods which may
cause injury, loss or damage to any person.
The procedure in regard to the recall of goods is laid down. A supplier may voluntarily recall any goods
to avoid any prosecution under the Act. This part of the bill is already
implemented in Suriname.
Part XII – Distance Selling
This part deals with distant selling between suppliers
and consumers. Unless the parties have
agreed otherwise, the supplier shall execute a consumer’s order within thirty
days from the day following the day on which the consumer forwarded his order
to the supplier. This part will have to be more precise as it regulates cross
border transactions.
Part XIII – This part deals with miscellaneous
matters. Rules on instalments can be
found here as well as promotional competition. Also rules on overselling and
overbooking.
The Bill is a comprehensive but very extensive piece
of legislation and deals with many matters not covered by existing national
legislation relating to Consumer Protection in Member States of the Caribbean
Community. It therefore serves as a
reference point to harmonise legislation relating to consumer protection under Articles
184 and 185 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. However, the level of detail and the way it
is drafted is not all easy to implement into national law.
vrijdag 22 september 2017
2017, towards a consumer protection policy in Suriname. I am glad that I may contribute to the ongoing proces of creating, drafting and designing rules on consumer protection.
The books in the Hamburg Max Planck Institute on Comparative Private Law:
Suriname is present, probably not the most recent copies.
maandag 11 september 2017
Hebben wij meer regels nodig?
Vast in Suriname door kapot vliegtuig met minimale compensatie: mag dat?
redacteur NOS op 3Drie dagen extra in Paramaribo vastzitten, omdat je vlucht extreem vertraagd is. Het overkwam passagiers van vlucht PY994 van Surinam Airways naar Amsterdam......
"Wij zijn geen Europese luchtvaartmaatschappij", benadrukt ook Robby Lachmising, directeur van Surinam Airways. "In Nederland houden we ons aan de regels en de wetgeving, maar vanuit Suriname zijn die er niet. Maar als de KLM vertraging heeft in Suriname, moet die zich inderdaad aan de EU-regels houden." .... https://nos.nl/op3/artikel/2186178-vast-in-suriname-door-kapot-vliegtuig-met-minimale-compensatie-mag-dat.html
Consumentenkring tegen verhoging melkprijs en -producten
De Consumentenkring Suriname (CKS) kan nog steeds niet begrijpen waarom de overheid toestemming heeft gegeven om de prijzen van melk en -producten aan te passen. In gesprek met Suriname Herald zegt de voorzitter, Albert Aleyne, dat de reden daartoe nog onbekend is bij hem.
Met deze verhoging is een liter melk in Suriname even duur als in Nederland, ondanks de productie en arbeidskosten daar hoger zijn. In Nederland bijvoorbeeld heeft men veel meer nodig om het vee te kweken dan in Suriname. De CKS-voorzitter vraagt zich af hoe de prijzen voor melk en –producten veel hoger kunnen zijn dan in Nederland.
De prijzen zijn met 36 procent aangepast. Volgens Aleyne stuit deze verhoging de organisatie tegen de borst. Hij is niet tegen een verhoging, maar naar zijn zeggen moet die wel redelijk zijn. Deze verhoging is te veel en de consument zal het niet kunnen permitteren, aldus Aleyne. Hij voorspelt gezondheidsproblemen, omdat zij die het niet kunnen permitteren, geen melk meer zullen gebruiken. Hij vindt het jammer dat de Consumentenkring niet is aangehoord alvorens deze verhoging is doorgevoerd. Hij doet een beroep op de regering, om deze aangepaste verhoging nader te bekijken.
De minister van Landbouw, Veeteelt en Visserij, Soeresh Algoe, had eerder een onderhoud met de actoren binnen de sector. In een eerder interview zei de directeur van de Melkcentrale NV, Dewkoemar Sitaram, dat deze verhoging te wijten is aan de koers en toename van de productiekosten.
Minister Algoe: Consumentenkring niet bewust buitenspel gehouden
De Consumentenkring is niet bewust buitenspel gehouden bij het bepalen van de merkprijzen. Dit zegt de minister van Landbouw, Veeteelt en Visserij (LVV), Soeresh Algoe, in gesprek met Suriname Herald.
In een eerder interview met Suriname Herald gaf de voorzitter van de Consumentenkring Suriname (CKS), Albert Aleyne, aan dat zijn organisatie tegen de verhoging van de melkprijs is. Hij vindt het jammer dat de minister wel met de structuren binnen de sector heeft gesproken, maar niet met de Consumentenkring. Volgens Algoe is dit niet bewust gedaan. Wanneer wij iets doen, willen we alle partijen erbij hebben, zodat we gezamenlijk zaken kunnen afhandelen, meent de mister. Ook is hij bereid om een onderhoud te hebben met degenen die er behoefte aan hebben om te praten. De organisatie mag altijd bij mij aankloppen en ik zal haar ontvangen, aldus minister Algoe.
Aleyne om een reactie gevraagd over de opstelling van de minister, antwoordde dat het op dit moment wat moeilijker zal gaan om in te gaan op een eventuele uitnodiging van de minister, omdat het nu vakantie is en de meeste personen uitlandig zijn. In de loop van de week wil hij wel nagaan, hoe er ingespeeld zal worden op het voorstel van de minister.
