Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Water safety, a key factor in helping to promote development – Consumer Affairs Officer
“Consumers not only have the right to safety but also to satisfaction of their basic needs inclusive of food, health, shelter, water and sanitation” is a notion touted by Consumers International, the world federation of consumer groups.
This notion was on Wednesday amplified by Consumer Affairs Officer attached to the Consumer Affairs Bureau, Ms. Kishana Archer.
Archer was at the time speaking at a Regency Suites/Hotel venued meeting designed to sensitise the operators within the water/ice processing industry on ways to improve their products. She was among several other officials who spoke to the need for improving the operations within the water/ice processing industry.
Consumers Affairs Officer, Kishana Archer (fourth from left), along with other officials at the sensitisation meeting on Wednesday.
According to the Consumer Affairs Officer, consumers have a right to be protected from products that could cause them or the environment harm. Moreover, she highlighted that the safety of consumers in Guyana should not be jeopardised by incidences such as the recent chemical spill that occurred in West Virgina in the United States.
And according to Archer, even if such incidences do occur, systems must be put in place to ensure consumer safety. She added too that consumers must have the right to choose and be able to select from a wide range of products and services offered at competitive prices and the assurance of satisfactory quality.
In order to ensure that these rights are not violated, regulations and control for packaged water must be the mandate of the manufacturers, the consumers and the relevant Government organisations, Archer noted. According to her, “this team approach is necessary because of the dire consequences of consuming poor quality water to public health. Consumption of contaminated water or poorly produced water can result in waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhoea,” Archer firmly pointed out to the participants of the meeting Wednesday.
She explained too that chemical contaminants such as lead and iron nitrates in water can give rise to illnesses and even death.
Archer in her deliberations observed that experiences over the years have revealed that many businesses in Guyana are merely concerned with profits, while health and safety is usually not at the top of their agendas. “We usually take a more reactive approach when situations arise and we don’t have systems in place to prevent a situation,” said Archer of the local situation.
In order to arrest potential challenges, Archer said that the Consumers Affairs Bureau is of the view that self-regulatory measures should be put in place for manufacturers of packaged water. With necessary measures in place, she noted that Government agencies will be better focused on rendering assistance to these manufacturers so that they can meet their optimal potential in terms of product safety, quality, accessibility and marketability, both locally and internationally.
However, Archer disclosed that since “the results of past market research have shown that this is not always the case…as a result we are here today to sensitise you on new regulations.”
Consumer International, which is regarded as the world federation of consumer groups that serves as the only independent and authoritative global voice for consumers, has identified good health as a fundamental right of everyone. In realising its mission, the body has underscored the need for collective responsibility to secure the health of everyone. According to Archer, Guyana, like the rest of the world, has accepted that good health is the key to development and that “anyone who contributes to good health also promotes sustainable development.”
As such she said that the Consumer Affairs division has made a clarion call to all manufacturers of portable to package water to ensure that they procure a copy of the Consumers’ Affairs Act 2011 which aims to promote and protect consumers’ interests in relation to the supply of goods and services and for related purposes. This Act was enacted by Parliament and assented to by former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, on September 27, 2011 and can be purchased at Parliament Buildings.
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