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Contact:
John Emmanuel
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President of the National Consumer Association - Andrew
Antoine |
Thursday, March 11, 2004 - As the countdown continues towards marking
Monday, March 15 World Consumer Rights Day, one of the leading advocacy groups
on the island, the National Consumer Association (NCA), is gearing to play its
part by bringing consumers up to date on the latest developments pertaining to
consumer rights.
The NCA will host its biennial conference at the R.C. Boys Primary School in
Castries on Sunday March 14th, 2004. The day-long session will feature lectures
and reports, along with speaker Ms. Lori Wallach, Director of the Public Citizen
Global Trade Watch; a Ralph Nader-funded institution based in the USA.
On the run up to World Consumer Rights Day, President of the NCA, Andrew Antoine
says St. Lucian consumers continue to be enlightened on consumer rights issues.
“What a lot of consumers tell us is that the NCA has been a dream come true,
almost too long in the making, but nonetheless they are fully appreciated for
the efforts made in championing consumer rights”, said Mr. Antoine. He however
lamented the fact that the NCA of and by itself can accomplish little in terms
of effecting the badly needed changes required in society. In light of that, Mr.
Antoine is calling on the public to throw their support behind the NCA by
becoming full fledge members of the association.
The NCA, Mr. Antoine says can boast about many accomplishments where consumer
rights were championed and protected over the last few months. With the Ministry
of Commerce, Investment and Consumer Affairs spearheading a series of activities
to observe the occasion, the NCA says it intends to play an active role in
highlighting the many gains achieved to date, while at the same time, continuing
to increase the level of consciousness on the part of local consumers.
Other speakers and facilitators for Sunday’s forum will be drawn from government
and the business community, who are expected to make presentations on the FTAA
and its implications.
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