DIGITAL WATCH: Consumer Parliament to be launched

This Saturday, December 6, 2008, PURA will launch the Gambia’s first Consumer Parliament. The launch ceremony will take place at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi from 2 – 5 pm.

What is a consumer parliament?

Consumer parliament is an innovative public awareness and interaction programme during which consumers of Communications services - Telephone (fixed and wireless), Prepaid Calling Cards, Internet Services, Electricity and Water & Sewerage services -will meet face-to-face with the operators and are given the opportunity to express their view and complaints to them.

The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory (PURA) aims to raise and create more awareness of the rights of the consumer and the obligations of the service providers in the resolution of their problems and concerns.

In this respect concept of a Consumer Parliament successfully implemented in countries like Nigeria for example serves as a platform to enable operators to clarify issues pertaining to their service delivery, and to publicly give account of the ways in which they provide services to the subscribers.

Intervention in the form of a Consumer Parliament which will create an enabling environment for competition among operators in the industry as well as ensure the provision of qualitative and efficient Communication, Electricity, Water & Sewerage services throughout the country.

Background

One of the key functions of PURA as mandated by the PURA Act 2001 is to empower consumers with information, education and the confidence they need to get the best deal they can from the market place. 

Generally, consumers need to be equipped to be able to shop around, to know where to go to obtain comparative information on products and services.  Although it is possible to rely on the service providers to provide consumers with the necessary information and advice they need, our experiences with the sectors we regulate show that this is not always the case. 

Generally, operating companies are not keen to provide adequate information about their products and service.  Therefore, in order to bridge this gap, and pursuant to its mandate - to INFORM, EDUCATE and PROTECT consumers - PURA devotes significant time and resources to consumer information and education.